May 2, 2006

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Center Valley, Pa. - Navy's Jon Birsner (Levittown, N.Y./MacArthur) was named the 2006 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the first Midshipmen to ever capture the League's top honor in men's lacrosse, Patriot League Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich announced. Birsner was joined by 10 of his Navy teammates Tuesday as the 2006 All-Patriot League teams and the Offensive Player, Coach, Defensive Player, Goaltender and Rookie of the Year Awards in men's lacrosse were released by the Patriot League's head coaches.

Birsner was also tabbed as the 2006 Patriot League Tournament's Most Valuable Player after leading Navy to its third-straight Patriot League title following its 8-5 win over Army in the championship game Sunday. Birsner's honors marked the first time a Patriot League student-athlete earned a major award and Tournament MVP in the same season.

Joining Birsner as one of two Navy major award winners was senior Matt Russell (Madison, Conn./Fairfield Prep), who captured the Patriot League Goaltender of the Year Award for the second-straight season. Russell is the only recipient of the award, which was established in 2005.

Birsner's high-school teammate and current Lehigh senior Jeff King (Levittown, N.Y./MacArthur) became the third Mountain Hawk and first since 1999 to be named the Patriot League's Defensive Player of the Year. Bucknell freshman attack Joe Mele (Westbury, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) became the fourth Bison and first since 2002 to earn the Patriot League Rookie of the Year Award.

Wrapping up the Patriot League's major award winners in men's lacrosse is Colgate Head Coach Jim Nagle, who guided the Raiders to its first-ever regular-season League title in 2006. Nagle was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year for the second time in four years (2003 was the other).

Fourteen of the 27 student-athletes selected to the All-Patriot League First and Second-Teams are on the squad for the second-consecutive season. Patriot League champion Navy led all teams with 11 selections, including seven first-team picks - three of which were unanimous choices. Russell leads the way in goal with his third-straight first-team nod. The other two unanimous picks were Birsner at attack and junior Billy Looney (Silver Spring, Md./DeMatha Catholic) at midfield. Rounding out Navy's first-team selections were junior face-off specialist William Wallace (Bloomfield Village, Mich./Cranbrook), senior defensive midfield specialist Ward Hackett (Oxford, Md./Saints Peter and Paul) and sophomore Jordan DiNola (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Albany Academy) on defense.

Navy's second-team members was two-time second-team honoree, senior Steve Looney (Silver Spring, Md./DeMatha Catholic) at midfield; junior defensive midfield specialist Victor Barger (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa); and sophomore Brendan Teague (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary's) and junior Andrew Dow (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) on defense.

Patriot League Tournament runner-up Army and Patriot League Tournament semifinalist Colgate each had five players selected to the All-Patriot League team. Army senior Mike Obringer (Baltimore, Md./Dulaney) was named First-Team attack for the second-straight season. Teammate senior Matt Luyster (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville), a three-time All-Patriot League honoree on defense, joined Obringer on the first-team. Army's second-team representatives included; three-time All-Patriot League member, senior John Walker (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hallow Hills West) at attack; and junior Ryan Chase (Webster, N.Y./Webster) and senior Jon Burton (Elbridge, N.Y./Jordan-Elbridge) at midfield.

Colgate's All-Patriot League members were first-team midfield, senior Robert Trasolini (New Hyde Park, N.Y./New Hyde Park Memorial); first-team defense, junior Colin Hulme (Framingham, Mass./Framingham); second-team attack, sophomore Matt Lalli (Princeton Junction, N.J./West Windsor); second-team midfield, freshman Brandon Corp (Chittenango, N.Y./Chittenango); and second-team face-off specialist, junior Chris Eck (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield).

Patriot League Tournament semifinalist Lehigh placed three student-athletes on the All-Patriot League squad with King earning his third-straight nod on defense, and first first-team selection. Junior midfield Alec Hooff (Alexandria, Va./Lawrenceville) earned his second-straight berth at midfield and first, first-team selection. Junior Blake Best (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) rounded out the Mountain Hawks' representation on the second-team attack.

Bucknell placed two student-athletes on the All-Patriot League squad - two-time selection and 2006 second-team defense, senior Michael Abou Jaoude (San Francisco, Calif./St. Ignatius), and two-time second-team honoree in goal, senior Matt Baran (Wilmington, Del./Tatnall).

Lafayette rounded out the 2006 All-Patriot League team with second-team defensive midfield specialist, senior Keon West (Morton, Pa./Springfield).

By capturing its third-straight Patriot League banner on Sunday, Navy earned the League's automatic qualifier to the 2006 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament, its third-straight automatic berth. The Mids will find out their first-round opponent on Sunday, May 7 during the NCAA Selection Show, at which time any at-large Patriot League teams will also be announced. Army has been an at-large selection the past two years.

The Patriot League, which was founded on the principles of admitting athletes who are academically representative of their class, is in its second decade of academic and athletic excellence. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of the undergraduate experience. The Patriot League, which began as a successful Division I-AA football conference in 1986 and became an all-sport conference in 1990, includes American, Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy as full members and three associate members. These institutions are among the oldest and most prestigious in the nation and their alumni have played leadership roles in the shaping of our country. In the most recent NCAA Graduation Rate Report of student-athletes, the Patriot League ranked FIRST among NCAA Division I conferences.