STANDISH, ME – The 2012 men's lacrosse team awards have been announced. Head Coach Mike Edgar doles out nine honors each spring, a list of accolades that includes Most Valuable, Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, the Harold Alfond Pride & Character, Heart & Hustle, Unsung Hero and Coaches' awards.
Jonathan Horgan (Hingham, Mass.) claimed the Monks' Most Valuable Player honor for the second time in his career after leading the Royal Blue in goals (41), points (61), shots (131), shots on goal (78) and ground balls (67) as a senior. For his efforts, Horgan also earned First Team All-GNAC and Second Team All-ECAC accolades and became the first SJC player to make an appearance in the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Senior Game following the completion of the 2012 season.
Paul Dolewa (Saco, Maine) was selected as the 2012 Offensive Player of the Year after racking up 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 total points with 10 man-up markers and 29 ground balls during his senior season. The two-year team captain leaves the program as the Monks' all-time leader in games, shots (526), shots on goal (270), man-up goals (30) and penalties (58) and ranks second in the team's five-year history in goals (104), points (155) behind Horgan.
Christopher Driscoll (Saco, Maine) has been chosen as the 2012 Defensive Player of the Year. The three-year starting netminder logged 836:18 minutes with an SJC single-season record 162 saves with a 9.47 goals against average and a .551 save percentage.
Robert Murtha (North Kingstown, R.I.), the Heart and Hustle Award recipient, tallied 38 ground balls and two caused turnovers and was a key player in the Monks' midfield in his final collegiate season.
The 2012 Harold Alfond Pride and Character Award, given annually to the player who displays integrity and great leadership abilities on and off the field, goes to Kody Peckham (West Gardiner, Maine), who recorded six goals and four assists with seven ground balls as a senior.
Defender Joe Connolly (Portland, Maine), one of just four Monks to start all 18 games last spring, has been honored as the team's 2012 Most Improved Player. A team captain, Connolly tallied a pair of assists with 16 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers during his junior season.
Dominic Cesarini (Bow, N.H.) claimed the Monks' 2012 Unsung Hero award after posting a goal with three assists to go with 50 ground balls and 19 caused turnovers as a sophomore defender.
The 2012 Rookie of the Year honor goes to Max Meserve (Kennebunk, Maine), who paced the Royal Blue in assists (25) and ranked second on the squad in points (39) while producing 14 goals and 40 ground balls as a freshman attackman.
Benson Pasquarello (Kennebunk, Maine), who tallied 10 goals and eight assists for 18 total points with 16 ground balls as a senior midfielder, is the 2012 Coaches' Award honoree.
Saint Joseph's went 8-10 overall and 6-3 in GNAC play under the watch of fifth-year Head Coach Mike Edgar in 2012. The Monks, seeded fifth in the conference tourney, capped the 2012 campaign with a 9-4 loss at the hands of #4 Norwich University in a GNAC tourney quarterfinal tilt on April 25th.