ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Empire 8 Conference champion Nazareth was rewarded with three first-team all-conference selections in men's lacrosse with today's announcement of the E8 all-star teams. The all-star teams were selected following voting by the league's nine head coaches.
Junior attackman
Mark DeCirce, sophomore midfielder
Scott Castle and junior long-stick midfielder
Kyle Brown were honored as first-team selections. In addition, freshman attackman
C.J. Estes was named Rookie of the Year and ninth-year coach Rob Randall was named Coach of the Year.
Three others made the second team in junior midfielder
Erinn O'Hara, senior short-stick specialist
Alex Cole and sophomore defenseman
Mitchel Frey. Sophomore attackman
Joe Jacobs-Ferderbar made honorable mention and senior defenseman
Nick Lucarelli was Nazareth's conference representative as Sportsman of the Year.
DeCirce, of Binghamton, N.Y. and a graduate of Binghamton High School, ranks as the Golden Flyers' leading scorer heading into Wednesday's first-round NCAA Tournament game at St. Lawrence. He has 54 points on a team-best 39 goals and 15 assists.
Castle, of Skaneateles, N.Y. and a graduate of Skaneateles High School, contributed 30 points on 19 goals and 11 assists. He scored the overtime game-winner against Springfield in Nazareth's first game of the season March 1.
Brown, of Baltimore, Md. and a graduate of Catonsville High School, totaled 41 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers from his defensive midfielder position. He also contributed five goals and two assists.
O'Hara, of Camillus, N.Y. and a graduate of the Salisbury School in Connecticut, made a smooth transition from attack to midfield this season as he ranks as Nazareth's top offensive threat from that new position. He has 35 points this season on 26 goals and nine assists.
Cole, of Cincinnati, Ohio and a graduate of Indian Hill High School, has served as a steady short-stick defensive specialist for the Golden Flyers as he leads the team with 70 ground balls while contributing four goals and 10 assists.
Frey, of Terrace Park, Ohio and a graduate of Moeller High School, has started all 17 games for the Golden Flyers as a close defender. He has 43 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers.
Estes, of Medfield, Mass. and a graduate of Hebron Academy, ranks third on the team in scoring with 45 points on 31 goals and 14 assists. He also ranks second in ground balls with 51.
Randall, in his ninth season, brings a career record of 115-35 into Wednesday's playoff game at St. Lawrence. He has been named E8 Coach of the Year three other times -- 2001, 2003 and 2007.
2009 Empire 8 Men's Lacrosse Awards
Player of the Year: Matt Keating, Stevens
Goalkeeper of the Year: Dave Decker, Stevens
Rookie of the Year: C.J. Estes, Nazareth
Coach of the Year: Rob Randall, Nazareth
First Team All-Conference
Attackmen
Mark DeCirce, jr. Nazareth
Matt Keating, sr. Stevens
J.R. Oreskovich, sr. Stevens
Midfielders
Kevin Bush, sr. Ithaca
Scott Castle, so. Nazareth
Alex Heckman, sr. Stevens
Nic Heckman, jr. Ithaca
Long-Stick Midfielders
Kyle Brown, jr. Nazareth
MJ Keikebelt, so. RIT
Short-Stick Specialist
Dave Wood, sr. St. John Fisher
Defensemen
Dan McRae, jr. RIT
Mike Serron, sr. Ithaca
Neth Wiedemann, sr. Ithaca
Goalie
Dave Decker, so. Stevens
Second Team All-Conference
Attackmen
Iric Bressler, so. RIT
Mike Bulger, jr. Utica
Alex Siefert, sr. Ithaca
Midfielders
Adam Lehmann, jr. RIT
Erinn O'Hara, jr. Nazareth
Jeff Price, jr. St. John Fisher
Ryan Schmidt, so. St. John Fisher
Short-Stick Specialists
Alex Cole, sr. Nazareth
Mike Hennessy, so. Ithaca
Defensemen
Mitchel Frey, so. Nazareth
Zach McHugh, so. Stevens
Kevin Miller, jr. Hartwick
Goalies
David Gal, so. Ithaca
John Meade, sr. Hartwick
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Attack - Joe Jacobs-Ferderbar, Nazareth; Dave Malone, St. John Fisher; Chris Schmidt, St. John Fisher
Midfield - Dave Aitchison, Hartwick; Chris Cherami, RIT; Alex Couture, Stevens; Kyle Denhoff, St. John Fisher; Dave O'Connell, Utica
Long-Stick Midfield - Jake Messimer, Stevens
Defense - Ted Pfeifer, Stevens
Sportsman of the Year
Marc Zoyhofski, sr. Alfred
Dave Beriau, sr. Elmira
John Meade, sr. Hartwick
Matt Cutter, sr. Ithaca
Nick Lucarelli, sr. Nazareth
Billy Walton, sr. RIT
Jason Cirulli, sr. St. John Fisher
Burke Reynolds, sr. Stevens
Aaron Benoit, sr. Utica