SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Saint Joseph's College senior LSM Eli Arsenault (Saco, Maine) has been selected to play in the 2023 New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) East-West Senior All Star Game, which will be held Friday, June 2nd.
The Monks will also be represented on the sideline, as SJC Associate Head Coach Matt Gilbert has been tabbed to help skipper the East Team along with assistant coaches Dave Haddeland (Salve Regina) and Spencer Low (UMass.-Boston).
Fifty-one players from Divisions 1, 2 & 3 will compete in this year's All-Star Game, which will be played at 7:00 PM at Scotts Miracle Gro Athletic Complex on the campus of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Arsenault, a two-time First Team All-Conference honoree, tallied 40 ground balls, 29 caused turnovers, and three goals during his senior campaign. In 47 career games, Arsenault has registered nine goals, seven assists, 138 ground balls, and 56 caused turnovers. He is just the second player in program history to claim First Team honors in consecutive seasons (2022, 2023).
Arsenault will be the ninth SJC player to participate in the annual NEILA All-Star Game, as he was preceded by Jonathan Horgan '12, Connor Trainor '18, Liam Skinner '18, Michael Finn '19, Raymond Emery '19, Alex Osmanski '21, Brendan Martin '21, and Jason Barrett '21.
All players and coaches were nominated by the head coaches within the NEILA. Players were then ranked and selected by a committee, awarding seniors from all three NCAA Divisions who played their college career in the New England region. This all-star game is the only one of its kind, being a regional all-star game, which includes players from Divisions 1, 2, and 3.
"This is a great opportunity to highlight the college careers of these young men. For many, it is one last time for them to play an organized game against such high competition. It is also a chance to compete with players you may have battled against throughout your college career," said Tim Murphy, head coach of Johnson & Wales, president of NEILA and coordinator of the East-West All-Star team selection.
The NEILA East-West game also gives assistant coaches from some of the top programs each year the opportunity to take the reins as the coaching staff of each team.
The coaches are also nominated by the head coaches who are members of the NEILA. It is a great opportunity for assistants to put their flair on the game.
This year, the West will be coached by Alex Fioritto (Trinity) and Will Cullen (Saint Joseph CT). The East will be head manned by Dave Haddeland (Salve Regina), Spencer Low (UMass Boston) and Matt Gilbert (Saint Joseph's Maine).
2023 NEILA EAST/WEST ALL-STAR GAME ROSTERS
