Date: May 2, 2002
Contact: Brian Laubscher (540) 463-8676
Release: Upon Receipt

W&L CLAIMS SIX ON ALL-ODAC MEN'S LACROSSE TEAM
Cerino Named Coach Of The Year In First Season

Senior Defenseman Eric Kontargyris

LEXINGTON, Va. -- The Old Dominion Athletic Conference announced its all-conference men's lacrosse team on Thursday afternoon. Washington and Lee claimed the coach of the year award and had six players named to the first, second or honorable mention squads.

Head Coach Mike Cerino was named the ODAC Coach of the Year in leading the Generals to an 11-3 overall record, an ODAC Tournament Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth in his first season.

Hampden-Sydney junior midfielder Jason Rostan and Lynchburg freshman attackman Billy McCulloch were named the ODAC Player and Rookie of the Year, respectively.

Senior attackman Andrew Barnett (Darien, Conn./Darien), junior defenseman Matt Conners (Burke, Va./Robinson) and senior defenseman Eric Kontargyris (Woodstock, Vt./Loomis Chaffee) all earned First Team All-ODAC honors, while sophomore goalie Ansel Sanders (Weems, Va./Woodberry Forest) and junior midfielder Tom Melanson (Baltimore, Md./Loyola) both earned Second Team honors. Sophomore attackman Matt Fink (Wilmington, Del./Tatnall) was named to the honorable mention team.

Barnett earned first team honors this season after garnering honorable mention honors in 2001. He is currently second on the team in scoring with 38 points on 28 goals and 10 assists. He is a preseason Honorable Mention All-America pick.

Conners was selected to the all-conference team for the first time in 2002. He has helped spearhead a W&L defense which has allowed a Division III-leading average of just 5.50 goals per game this season. Conners is a preseason Third Team All-America selection.

Kontargyris earned First Team All-ODAC honors after being named to the second team last season. Like Conners, Kontargyris is part of a W&L defense which has allowed a Division III-leading average of just 5.50 goals per game. He earned Honorable Mention All-America honors last season.

Sanders earned his selection to the second team in his first season as a starter. He has posted a .617 save percentage and ranks second in Division III in goals-against average (5.67 gpg).

Melanson was named to the second team after garnering first team honors last season. He has won 127-of-198 (.641) faceoffs and has tallied eight points on seven goals and one assist this season. Melanson is a preseason First Team All-America selection.

Fink was named to the honorable mention team in his first season as a starter on attack. Fink leads the team in scoring with 43 points on 32 goals and 11 assists.

The Generals, ranked fourth in the latest USILA Division III poll, host Limestone College, the fourth-ranked team in Division II, Saturday at 1:30 pm. The Generals then await the NCAA Division III Tournament draw which will be announced on Sunday at 6:30 pm.

-- GENERALS --