Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 10/11/17
From Press Release
Following a 2017 season which saw the Lehigh men’s lacrosse team qualify for its seventh straight Patriot League Tournament, the Mountain Hawks reconvened at their annual banquet this past Saturday at the Asa Packer Dining Roll in the University Center. As part of the afternoon, head coach Kevin Cassese touched on top moments of 2017, a highlight video was played, awards were handed out and more.
Lehigh Award winners: (from left), Cody Triolo, Coach Kevin Cassese, Donny Stires, Ian Strain
Ian Strain (Episcopal Academy) was named the team’s Athlete of the Year, following a season which saw him start all 14 games in the midfield. The co-captain recorded 22 points on the season (15 goals, seven assists) while also collecting 26 groundballs and making a strong impact at both ends of the field. He recorded four multi-goal games on the season, highlighted by his first-career hat trick in a Senior Day victory vs. Bucknell. Strain is returning for his fifth season in 2018 due to an injury that kept him out of his freshman campaign. Also on Saturday, Strain was presented the Scott A. Helgans ’80 Memorial Endowed Award, in memory of all-time great Lehigh Lacrosse player Scott Helgans, who led the nation in goals per game in 1978 (4.83 – 58 goals in 12 games). The award criteria was a rising undergraduate on the men’s lacrosse team whose conduct and athletic achievements most closely match those lived and espoused by Helgans.
Cody Triolo was named the Scholar-Athlete award winner after graduating last spring with a stellar 3.97 cumulative GPA as a Civil Engineering and Finance major. Triolo was named a USILA Scholar All-American, was named to the Academic All-Patriot League team and was named a candidate for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award. Triolo also represented Lehigh at the USILA North-South All-Star Game. On the field, he played in all 14 games with 11 starts in the midfield, posting career highs in goals (10), assists (7) and assists (17). Triolo ended his career in impressive fashion, recording his first-career hat trick in his final collegiate game, at Boston University in the Patriot League Quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Donny Stires received the Coaches Award. Named a team captain prior to his senior season in 2017, Stires’ influence was always felt within the team, but his impact got even larger mid-season when he stepped in as starting goaltender. Stires made his first-career start on Apr. 1 vs. No. 16/18 Boston University and stopped 13-of-19 shots sent his way to earn Patriot League Goalie of the Week honors. He promptly made double-figure saves in each of his first five career starts, also making 13 saves in a 15-10 win over No. 13/14 Princeton. Stires ended his senior season with a 0.540 save percentage, along with a 10.38 goals against average and a 3-3 record.
The 2018 Mountain Hawks are set to play in the Nicholas Colleluori Classic this coming Saturday, Oct. 14 at Hofstra. Lehigh will face Penn State at 12 p.m. followed by Hartford at 1:40 p.m. at James M. Shuart Stadium. Lehigh is joining forces with the HEADstrong Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to providing essential services to improve lives affected by cancer. The Mountain Hawks are helping raise awareness and funds for the cause, and seek donations from Lehigh supporters. To donate, please click here.