Junior Chris DeLuca (left) received the USILA Iroquois National Award for Outstanding Player in Div. III, while senior Tom Burke (right) received the Div. III Specialty Player Award
Junior midfielder
Chris DeLuca (Sayville) and senior midfielder
Tom Burke (Massapequa) have each earned individual national honors from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA), as well as being named as two of Cortland's school-record eight USILA Division III All-Americans as announced by Inside Lacrosse. DeLuca received the Iroquois National Award – Outstanding Player in Division III, while Burke received the Division III Specialty Player Award.
DeLuca and Burke were joined on the All-America first team by junior defender
Justin Schneidman (Katonah/John Jay-Cross River). Senior attackman
Brian Krol (Niskayuna) and senior midfielder
Brandon Misiaszek (New Hartford) earned third team honors, and junior attackman
Jay DiStefano (Huntington/Harborfields) and junior midfielder
Eric Parah (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) and sophomore attackman
Mike Tota (Webster/Webster Schroeder) were honorable mention selections.
DeLuca, who was named the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Player of the Year and the New York State Division III Player of the Year, finished the season as Cortland's third-leading scorer with 52 points on 37 goals and 15 assists. He also led the team with 84 ground balls and won 133-of-197 (67.5 percent) of his faceoffs. DeLuca earned honorable mention All-America honors last season.
Burke, selected as a short-stick specialist, put up impressive statistics at both ends of the field. He recorded 23 goals and 17 assists and was second on the team with 81 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers.
Schneidman headed a Cortland defensive unit that led the nation in scoring defense despite playing one of the country's toughest schedules. His 67 ground balls rank third on the team, while he easily led the squad with 50 caused turnovers this spring. Schneidman also contributed a pair of assists.
Krol finished his four years at Cortland ranked 24th in career scoring with 139 points on 108 goals and 31 assists. This season, he led the team with 58 points on a team-best 43 goals and 15 assists. He scored a team-high 11 man-up goals and was fourth with 48 ground balls. Misiaszek concluded his four-year career with 102 points on 73 goals and 29 assists. In 2010, he registered 22 goals and 15 assists, including three game-winning tallies, and 20 ground balls.
DiStefano and Tota teamed up with Krol to comprise Cortland's starting attack this season. DiStefano finished the season with 29 goals and a team-best 21 assists, led the team with four game winners and collected 31 ground balls. Tota was second on the squad with 54 points on 39 goals and 15 assists and tied for fifth with 47 ground balls. Both DiStefano and Tota surpassed 100 career points this season.
Parah, who was an honorable mention All-America selection in 2009, appeared in all 20 games for Cortland this spring. He recorded 46 ground balls, was third on the team with 10 caused turnovers and scored eight points on two goals and six assists.
The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) announced its 2010 Division III Upstate New York All-Stars on Wednesday, May 26. DeLuca was named the Offensive Player of the Year as well as a first team selection. Joining DeLuca on the first team were Krol and Schneidman, while DiStefano earned second team All-ECAC honors.
Burke, Krol and Misiaszek have also been chosen to compete in the USILA Division III North-South All-Star Game, Friday, May 28, in Towson, Md.
Cortland finished the season with a 17-3 record and tied for third nationally after reaching the NCAA Division III Semifinals for the fifth consecutive season.
(Release updated 5/28/10 to include All-ECAC information.)