University of Hartford senior attack Brian LaMastro, who is second in the nation in scoring, was named America East Player of the Year in voting conducted by the conference's head coaches. University at Albany goalkeeper Kevin Rae was named Rookie of the Year while the Great Danes' Scott Marr, who guided his team to the America East regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the conference championship, was selected as Coach of the Year.
LaMastro becomes the third Hawk in 11 years to win the conference's top individual honor, joining Tracey Keluskey in 2000 and Chris LaMonica in 1997. A second-team all-conference choice in 2000 and 2001, LaMastro has scored 47 goals and added 26 assists for 73 points this season. He has 137 goals in his four-year career and holds the Hartford school record for assists (128) and points (265).
Rae has played in all 14 games for the Great Danes. He is 8-6 overall with an 8.72 goals against average and a conference-best .616 save percentage. His save percentage ranks seventh nationally. Rae is the first goalkeeper to win the America East Rookie of the Year since the conference began that honor in 1992.
Marr, in his second season at Albany, has led his team to the No. 1 seed in the America East Championship in the Great Danes' first year in the conference. The Great Danes were chosen fifth in the preseason coaches' poll, yet finished a perfect 5-0 in America East and are 8-6 overall.
LaMastro is joined on the all-conference first-team by seniors Mike Baglio of Quinnipiac University and Kevin Pall of Stony Brook University at attack. Mike Baglio leads America East in goals (40 in 12 games/3.33 gpg) and ranks second to LaMastro in scoring with 47 points (3.92 ppg). Pall ranks fourth in the conference in scoring with 43 goals and two assists for 45 points.
The first-team midfielders include seniors Tyler Francey of Hartford, Joe Baglio of Quinnipiac and Dennis Scannell of Stony Brook. Francey has 19 goals and 17 assists for 36 points. Joe Baglio ranks sixth in America East in scoring with 21 goals and 12 assists for 33 points. Scannell has 17 goals and eight assists for 25 points and 79 grounds balls, to lead the Seawolves and rank third in America East in that category.
The defenders are seniors Chris Zaffiro of Albany and Tony Senia of Hartford and junior Eric Hatkewitz of Stony Brook. Senia was a second-team all-conference choice in 2000.
The first-team all-conference goalkeeper is junior Rorke Greene of Hartford, who is 9-6 with a 10.17 goals against average and a .593 save percentage. He has made a conference-high 192 saves.
The second team consists of rookie Luke Daquino of Albany, junior Travis Eckler of Hartford and sophomore Phil McKnight of the University of Vermont at attack. Daquino leads the Great Danes in scoring with 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points. Eckler ranks third in the conference in scoring with 28 goals and 25 assists for 53 points. McKnight led the Catamounts in scoring this season with 32 goals and six assists for 38 points.
The second-team midfielders are junior Jon Smith of Albany and seniors Frank Fenimore and Kevin Garvey, both of Hartford.
The second-team defense includes Andrew Verkey of Binghamton University, junior Eugene Fusco of Hartford and rookie Kyle Pearl of Stony Brook. Verkey, a graduate student, was a four-year letter winner in basketball at Binghamton, playing for the Bearcats while in NCAA Division III and NCAA Division II. He then played for the lacrosse team this season, serving as the captain of the first-year Division I program. He is believed to be the first student-athlete to play athletics in all three NCAA Divisions (I, II, III) while at the same school.
Rae was selected as the second-team goalkeeper.
Rae, Verkey, Daquino and Pearl were joined on the all-rookie team by attack Brendan Russell and midfielder Lee Busino of Albany, attack Jeremy Gage of Hartford, midfielder Colin Thompson and long-stick midfielder Jon Belmonte of Quinnipiac and attack Steve Conlon of Stony Brook. The all-rookie team is chosen regardless of position.
Each of the first-team all-conference selections and eight of the 10 second-team choices will be in action this week at the America East Championship. No. 1 seed Albany plays host to No. 4 Quinnipiac in one semifinal at 3 p.m. Wednesday. No. 2 Hartford plays host to No. 3 Stony Brook that night at 7 in the other semifinal. The America East Championship game will be played Saturday afternoon at the home field of the higher seed.
First Team
Player School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Brian LaMastro Hartford Sr. A Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raynham
Mike Baglio Quinnipiac Sr. A Brightwaters, N.Y./Bay Shore
Kevin Pall Stony Brook Sr. A Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun
Tyler Francey Hartford Sr. M Brampton, Ontario/Mayfield
Joe Baglio Quinnipiac Sr. M Brightwaters, N.Y./Bay Shore
Dennis Scannell Stony Brook Sr. M Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur
Chris Zaffiro Albany Sr. D Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown
Tony Senia Hartford Sr. D Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy
Eric Hatkewitz Stony Brook Jr. D Shirley, N.Y./Longwood
Rorke Greene Hartford Jr. GK Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth
Second Team
Luke Daquino Albany Fr. A Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem
Travis Eckler Hartford Jr. A Endicott, N.H./Union-Endicott/Herkimer CC
Phil McKnight Vermont So. A Baltmore, Md./Boys Latin
Jon Smith Albany Jr. M East Islip, N.Y./Islip Terrace
Frank Fenimore Hartford Sr. M Lynnbrook, N.Y./Lynnbrook
Kevin Garvey Hartford Sr. M Merrick, N.Y./Nassau Community College
Andrew Verkey Binghamton Gr. D Seneca Falls, N.Y./Mynderse Academy
Eugene Fusco Hartford Jr. D Floral Park, N.Y./Floral Park/Nassau CC
Kyle Pearl Stony Brook Fr. D Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside
Kevin Rae Albany Fr. GK Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown
All-Rookie Team (regarless of position)
Kevin Rae Albany Fr. GK Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown
Luke Daquino Albany Fr. A Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem
Brendan Russell Albany Fr. A DeWitt, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt
Lee Busino Albany Fr. M Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna
Andrew Verkey Binghamton Gr. D Seneca Falls, N.Y./Mynderse Academy
Jeremy Gage Hartford Fr. A Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills
Colin Thompson Quinnipiac Fr. M Shelburne, Vt./Champlain Valley Union
Steve Conlon Stony Brook Fr. A Rehobeth, Del./Cape Henlopen
Kyle Pearl Stony Brook Fr. D Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside
Player of the Year: Brian LaMastro, Sr., A, Hartford
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Rae, Fr., GK, Albany
Coach of the Year: Scott Marr, Albany