Kearnan, Stapleton & Giarratana Earn Weekly Men's Lacrosse Awards
MAAC Sports
Offensive Player of the Week
Connor Kearnan , Canisius
So., Attack, 5-8, Courtice, Ontario/Saint Joseph’s Univ.
Connor Kearnan led the Griffs to their first victory of the season and the first-ever win in a Division I international game. The Canada native set career highs with five points, three goals and two assists in his home country as the Griffs cruised to an 11-6 win versus Vermont
Defensive Player of the Week
Rich Stapleton, Canisius
Sr., D, 5-10, Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy
Senior defender Rich Stapleton anchored the Canisius defense to its first victory, helping lead the Griffs to an 11-6 win versus Vermont in the first-ever international game in NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse history. Stapleton drew the assignment of covering the Catamounts’ top scorer, who entered the game averaging 4.8 points per game. Stapleton held the attacker to just one point, while forcing him into seven turnovers. Overall, the senior captain anchored a defense that allowed only 20 shots in the 60-minute game, the lowest total allowed by the Griffs since allowing 19 against Providence on March 28, 2009.
Rookie of the Week
Parker Giarratana, Manhattan
Fr., Attack, 6-1, Delray, FL/Boca Raton Community
Scored three goals with four assists to lead a Manhattan squad that collected its first win of the year. Against UMass Lowell, capped the victory with the final goal of the game while also adding three assists to go along with two ground balls. Began the week with a pair of goals and an assist in narrow loss to Delaware. On the year, leads Manhattan in goals (12), assists (10) and points (22) while also adding 11 ground balls.