Major League Lacrosse announced its weekly award winners Monday, and all have Baltimore-area connections.
Chesapeake Bayhawks midfielder Kevin Cooper (Archbishop Spalding, Maryland) collected Cascade Rookie of the Week honors after scoring on each of his three shots and adding an assists in his MLL debut, a 13-12 win at the Ohio Machine on Saturday night.
Boston Cannons midfielder Paul Rabil (Johns Hopkins) was named Offensive Player of the Week; he recorded a season-high eight points to help send the Cannons past the visiting Charlotte Hounds, 17-16, in overtime Saturday night. His season-high five goals, accompanied by three assists, earned him Player of the Game accolades. Rabil's second goal of the night gave him 283 career points, surpassing Conor Gill (St. Paul's, Washington Bayhawks) as Boston's all-time points leader. Rabil ended the game with 289 career points, with his last of the night coming on a perfect pass to Stephen Berger (Washington College, Mount St. Joseph) for the game-winning goal. The feed marked 100 career assists for the sixth-year veteran.
The Cannons earned their fourth straight victory, bringing their record to 5-5, and now hold sole possession of fourth place in the standings.
Hamilton Nationals defenseman Tucker Durkin (Johns Hopkins) was chosen as the MLL Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in his rookie season. The Nationals held the host Rochester Rattlers to six goals Sunday afternoon in a 10-6 win, marking a season best for the defense. Durkin limited All-Star attackman Ned Crotty to a single shot, which came in the last minute of play.
Bellarmine to A-Sun in 2015
The exodus from the Eastern College Athletic Conference continues.
The Atlantic Sun Conference announced that Bellarmine will leave the ECAC and begin play in as Atlantic Sun affiliate member men's lacrosse in the 2015 season.
The move leaves Air Force as the only ECAC team without a home past next season. The Falcons have been in talks to join the Atlantic Sun as well, Lacrosse Magazine reported last month.
Last week, former ECAC member Hobart announced it would compete in the Northeast Conference as an associate member beginning in 2014. Loyola has left the ECAC and will compete in the Patriot League next season, and Denver will join the Big East. Ohio State and Michigan will depart for the Big Ten's inagural season in 2015, and Fairfield will head to the Colonial Athletic Association that season.
Bellarmine will become the seventh men's lacrosse program in the Atlantic Sun, joining Furman, High Point, Jacksonville, Mercer, Richmond and Virginia Military Institute.
The Atlantic Sun will begin its inaugural men's lacrosse season in 2014.
Bellarmine posted a 7-7 overall mark and a 3-4 record in ECAC play last season, its ninth in Division I.