BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The LIU men's lacrosse team was honored by the coaches of the Northeast Conference Friday afternoon, as the league announced the annual post season awards. The Sharks took two of the top five major awards, and had five representatives on the All-NEC squads.
 
Sophomore Will Mark was named the NEC's Defensive Player of the Year, and sophomore Richie LaCalandra took top honors as the league's Offensive Player of the Year.
 
In addition to the five major awards winners, the league unveiled its All-NEC first and second teams and an NEC All-Rookie squad. All honorees were determined by a vote of the conference's head coaches.
 
LIU had five all conference honorees in their first full Division I season.
 
Both LaCalandra and Mark earned first team All-NEC honors, and were joined on the first team by graduate student Alex Russell. Graduate student Nick Grassa and senior Ryan Blume were both named second team All-NEC, while freshman Anthony DiMatteo was named to the NEC's All-Rookie squad.
 
Earning distinction as LIU's first-ever NEC Offensive Player of the Year, LaCalandra emerged this season as an elite point producer for the Sharks. His 5.64 points per game leads the NEC by a wide margin and ranks fourth in the nation. LaCalandra also tops the conference in assists per game (2.64) and goals per game (3.08), which put him 10th and 11th in the country, respectively, at this time. The Port Jefferson Station, N.Y. product produced at least five points in eight-of-11 games, highlighted by a six-goal, five-assist outing in a win over Mount St. Mary's on April 17. He ended his season with 33 goals, 29 assists and 62 points, all league-leading figures.
 
Mark also made history as LIU's initial NEC Defensive Player of the Year recipient after serving as a brick wall in between the pipes for LIU. There are few better across the nation than Mark, who leads DI in saves per game (17.45), more than two stops ahead of his closest competitor. His 30 saves in LIU's regular season finale against Bryant stands as the NEC single-game season-high. The Danville, Calif. native also currently ranks first in the NEC and ninth in the country in save percentage, turning away shots at a 57.7 percent clip. Four times this season Mark was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week as he backstopped the Sharks to a 5-3 conference record and the program's first NEC Tournament berth.
 
The complete NEC release is available here.