Central Islip, N.Y. - Senior attackman Greg Cerar of C.W. Post has been named the Division II Most Outstanding Player by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. Cerar also garnered Oustanding Attackman honors while teammate Mike Cama, a junior midfielder, claimed the 2009 Division II Specialty Player award. Senior Keith Galante of Molloy was named the Division II Outstanding Midfielder and junior Joe Biondolillo of Dowling was selected the Long Pole Midfielder of the Year.
A third-year All-America selection, Cerar currently leads the nation with an average 5.4 points per game. Cerar, who was named an East Coast All-Conference selection for the fourth consecutive year, leads the Pioneers with 44 goals this year. He has earned seven man-up tallies and dished out 34 assists. He led the ECC with three man-down goals this season to help his team to a 13-1 record.
Cama, the Pioneers' face-off specialist, has earned a .692 face-off percentage, while scooping up a team-high 161 ground balls.
Galante, an ECC All-Conference First Team pick, totaled a team-leading 65 points on 43 assists and 22 goals. This season Galante became the all-time leader at Molloy in assists and points. He broke both records in a 17-9 win versus Pace University on April 15.
Biondolillo started in all 13 games for Dowling, totaling 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points on the season. The ECC First Teamer scooped up 53 ground balls this year and tallied 20 caused turnovers.
Senior goalkeeper Doug McIver and junior defensemen Drew Bezek, both members of the 2009 Finalist Le Moyne Dolphins' squad, round out the Division II USILA top awards.
AWARD INFORMATION
Player of the Year
The player of the year awards for both Division I and
Division II are named in memory of Lt. Raymond J.
Enners - West Point Class of 1967. He was the recipient of
the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star and the Purple
Heart for Extraordinary heroism in combat in South Vietnam. Enners
was also a member of the 1963 All-Long Island Team, a 1967 USILA
Honorable Mention All-American and was inducted into the Suffolk
County Hall of Fame in 2004.
Outstanding Attackman
The Outstanding Attackman Awards in each division are
named in honor of Lt. Col. J.I. Turnbull. One of
the greatest players to ever play, Lt. Col. Turnbull was an
All-American at Johns Hopkins. He was a club player at Mt.
Washington and a member of both the 1932 U.S. Olympic Team and the
1937 English Touring Team. He was elected into the Lacrosse Hall of
Fame in 1965.
Outstanding Midfielder
The Division I and II Outstanding Midfielder awards are
named in honor of Lt. Donald MacLaughlin, Jr.
MacLaughlin was captain of the 1963 U.S. Naval Academy lacrosse
team and recipient of the Academy's most prestigious award-The
Sword. He also earned First Team All-America honors as a
midfielder.
Outstanding Defenseman
The Outstanding Defenseman Awards in Divisions I and II
are named in honor of William C. Schmeisser.
Schmeisser played defense at Johns Hopkins from 1900-1902. He was
head coach of the Blue Jays from 1907-1911 and an advisory coach
from He was a charter founder of the Mt. Washington Lacrosse Club
and was elected into the Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1957.
Outstanding Goalkeeper
The Outstanding Goalie awards are named in honor of
Ensign C. Markland Kelly, Jr. Ensign Kelly was a
native of Baltimore and a standout goalie for the University of
Maryland. He was reported missing in action after escorting bombers
at the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. The Ensign C. Markland
Kelly, Jr. Memorial Foundation provides several grants for lacrosse
awards, youth programs and civic groups.
- Story contributions from the C.W. Post, Dowling and Molloy Sports Information departments along with Sean Burns (Insidelacrosse.com).