Liberty League All-Conference Release

TROY, N.Y. – Following one of the best seasons in program history, the #12 Union College men's lacrosse team was recognized with a school record-tying eight All-Liberty League selections as well as earning the Conference Coaching Staff of the Year award, the Liberty League announced on Tuesday morning.
 
Junior Edward Winters led the Dutchmen honorees with a spot on the All-Conference first team, while the team had six players named the second team: seniors Alex Newhouse and Jack Santilli, junior Jimmy Connelly, and sophomores Hayden Frey, Keaton McCann and Kieran McGovern. In addition, sophomore Ryan Puglisi earned All-Conference honorable mention as well.
 
The eight All-Conference selections are tied for the most in a single season in program history, matching teams from 2016, 2015, 2012 and 2008. The seven first- and second-team selections match the 2015 squad for the most ever in a season as well.
 
Winters has had an excellent season defensively for Union in his first season as a starter, leading the team with 30 caused turnovers and grabbing 43 ground balls in 16 starts. He enters the NCAA Tournament ranked fourth in the conference and 43rd in the North Region in caused turnovers per game.
 
Santilli has been a standout in goal for Union as a senior, posting a 13-3 record with a 7.90 goals against average and .596 save percentage. He is the only conference goalie to rank in the top-two in both categories, and ranks 14th nationally in GAA and 18th in save percentage. His 13 wins are tied for first on the school single-season list with former Union All-Americans Sean Aaron '12 and Stefan Basile '15.
 
Newhouse has had an excellent season at the X for Union, ranking second in the Liberty League with a .617 winning percentage (137 of 222) and grabbing 78 ground balls to sit third in the conference. He enters the NCAA Tournament ranked 48th in Division III in face-off winning percentage.
 
Connelly has been a force at short-stick midfield for the Dutchmen in 2019, scoring five goals with five assists for 10 points while also ranking third on the team with 43 ground balls and causing 15 turnovers. He has been joined in the midfield by McGovern, who has scored a career-best 11 goals with two assists for 13 points, with seven of those goals coming in conference play.
 
The tandem of Frey and McCann has been huge for Union this season, with both players making huge leaps forward in their second seasons. Frey ranks second on the team in scoring with 32 goals and 10 assists on attack, including 13 goals and six assists for 19 points in seven conference contests. McCann is Union's leading scorer with 17 goals from the midfield in seven Liberty League games, and ranks third overall with 30 goals and 10 assists as the only Dutchmen to score at least once in all 16 games this season.
 
Puglisi has also stepped up into major role in the team's stifling defensive unit, ranking second on the team with 22 caused turnovers and picking up 29 ground balls.
 
Head coach Paul Wehrum and his staff earns Coaching Staff of the Year honors for the second time in his tenure at Union, elevating a team that was picked fifth in the preseason poll to a second-place finish in the Liberty League and the highest national ranking since 2015. Wehrum shares the honor with associate head coach Derek Witheford '11 and assistant coaches Stefan Basile '15 and Richard Aberle.
 
Union begins NCAA Tournament play on Wednesday, when the 12th-ranked Dutchmen host SUNY Cortland in the second round of the NCAA Tournament beginning at 5 p.m. at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium. Tickets for the game are $8 for adults and $4 for students and seniors.