Eight Marywood Men Earn CSAC Honors
from press release
ASTON, PA – Eight Marywood University
men’s lacrosse players were honored by the Colonial States
Athletic Conference today as the conference announced its year-end
awards today. George Downey IV, Jesse Habich, and William
Roerden became the first Pacers ever to be named to the First Team
All-Conference squad. James Drescher and Nick Johnson honored
as Second Team All-Conference selections while Nick Parks and John
Pelligrini garnered Honorable Mention laurels along with Downey,
who was recognized as a specialty player. Gregory Nester was
named Marywood’s recipient of the CSAC Sportsmanship
Award.
Downey (Palmyra, PA) earns First Team All-Conference honors as a
midfielder a year after being named to the Honorable Mention
squad. The junior currently is third on the team in goals
with 20, including two game-winners, and tied for third in points
with 29. Downey also was recognized as an Honorable Mention
selection as a specialty player for his ability on face-offs.
Downey has won 62.6 percent of his draws on the season, ranking
second in the CSAC and 20th nationally and he has collected a
team-high 87 groundballs, placing him fourth in the conference.
Habich (Broomall, PA) was named First Team All-Conference for the
first for his outstanding play as Marywood’s starting goalie
this season. The junior, who was named the CSAC Player of the
Week once and also to its Honor Roll a single time this season,
currently sports a 6.51 goals-against average ranking second among
CSAC starters and eighth in the nation. Habich, who has
played more than 820 minutes in the Pacers’ cage this year,
ranks third in the country with a .644 save percentage and he has
made 89 saves on the season.
Roerden (Warwick, NY) captures First Team recognition after being
named to the Honorable Mention squad as a sophomore. The
junior attacker leads Marywood with 26 goals and 39 points. A
team captain, Roerden was twice named the CSAC Player of the Week
this season and scored the 100th point of his career in a win over
conference foe Neumann University on March 27th. Roerden
ranks in the CSAC’s top-ten in both goals and points.
Drescher (Davidsonville, MD) garnered his first year-end award
after being selected to the Second Team All-Conference squad.
The junior has anchored the Pacers’ defense which ranks
seventh nationally with 6.25 goals-against average. A team
captain in each of the past two seasons, Drescher has started all
15 games for the Pacers and has collected 22 groundballs and six
caused turnovers.
Johnson (Palmyra, PA) joins Drescher on the Second Team after being
an Honorable Mention pick during his rookie season. Selected
as a long pole midfielder, the sophomore has been key force on the
defensive zone, causing a team-high 18 turnovers while ranking
third on the squad with 50 groundballs. Johnson has playing
in all 15 games this season including 14 as a starter and has been
credited with 14 shots.
Parks (Emmaus, PA), named to the All-Conference Honorable Mention
squad, captures his third-straight year-end laurels after being
named a Second Team selection as a sophomore and earning Honorable
Mention recognition after his rookie season. The junior ranks
second on the team with 36 points on 22 goals and 14 assists.
Parks became the first player in Marywood history to score
100 career points when he netted the game-winning goal in an 8-7
win over Wesley College on March 14th.
Pelligrini (Syracuse, NY) was selected to the All-Conference
Honorable Mention team after starting all 15 games for the
Pacers’ stingy defense. The sophomore ranks third on
the squad with eight caused turnovers and has scooped up 26
groundballs on the year. Credited with one shot on goal,
Pelligrini has been a key reason Marywood’s defense ranks
seventh in the country in goals-against average and has allowed
five or fewer goals against in seven of their 15 contests this
season.
Nester (Morgantown, PA) was named Marywood’s recipient of the
CSAC Sportsmanship Award as the freshman is enjoying a fine rookie
campaign. Appearing in all 15 games to date, Nester ranks
fourth on the team with 16 goals and fifth with 17 points.
Nester’s 50 groundballs are the second-most for the Pacers
this season and the freshman, who has five caused turnovers on the
season, has only committed two technical fouls on the season.
Marywood, 11-4 on the season, has already established a new program
record for wins in a season and clinched the second seed in the
CSAC playoffs with a 5-1 conference record. The Pacers will
host third-seeded Gwynedd-Mercy College (9-4 overall, 4-2 CSAC) in
the CSAC Semifinals Wednesday evening at 5:00 p.m. in
Scranton. After the Griffins used a three-goal, fourth
quarter rally to force overtime, Downey gave the Pacers a thrilling
9-8 win by netting the game-winner just over a minute into the
extra period when the two teams met during the regular season in
Gwynedd Valley.
