Eight Wolves Named To All-LEC Teams, Duque Is Offensive Player Of The Year
6/6/2024 12:08:00 PM
DANBURY, Conn. - Western Connecticut State University junior Julian Duque (Mastic, N.Y.)was named asthe Little East Conference (LEC) 2024 Men's LacrosseOffensive Player of the Year and joined five other Wolves on the LEC Men's Lacrosse All-Conference Teams this spring. Duque, graduate students Jonathan Russack-Baker (Groton, Conn.) and Tyler Starrett (Redding, Conn.), junior Nate Caldwell (Cranford, N.J.) and sophom*oreTristan McMahon (Farmingville, N.Y.) were each selected forthe LEC All-Conference First Team, while senior Brendan Grove (Cheshire, Conn.), sophom*oreJames Gitzinger (West Islip, N.Y.) and freshman Cody Suhr (Holbrook, N.Y.) gracedthe LEC All-Conference Second Team.
Most recently, Grove, fellow senior Joseph Boss () and graduate student Harrison Bowen were selected to play in the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) East-West Senior All-Star Game on Friday, June 7 at Roger Williams University. Forty-six players from Divisions 1, 2 & 3 will compete in this year's All-Star Game, which will be played at 7 p.m. at Bayside Field on the campus of Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island.
WestConn, coached by Ryan Cavanagh(5th Season), finished the 2024 campaign with a 13-5 overallrecord and won the the Little East regular season title with a 7-1 mark against conference teams. The Wolves were the top seed in the LEC Championship Tournament and defeated Keene State, 11-9, in the semifinals before falling to Plymouth State, 16-10, in the LEC Championship Finals.
Duque, who repeats on the LEC All-Conference First Team, led the Little East in goals with 58 (22nd in nation) and added 12 assists for a team-high 70 points (6th in LEC) while playing 17 games with 16 starts in the Wolves attack. He also had a team-high five game-winning goals, tied for the team lead with six man-up tallies, and scooped 21 ground balls this spring. He was named the LEC Offensive Player of the Week twice this spring. A graduate of William Flloyd HighSchool, Duqueis majoring in business at WestConn.
Russack-Baker, an All-LEC Second Team honoree in 2023,won 272of his 420attempts and led the LEC with a .648 faceoff percentage (24th in nation) as WestConn's specialist this spring. He also scooped a conference-best 185 ground balls (11th in nation) to go with nine goals, one game-winning tally, and four assists for 13points while starting 18 games for the Wolves. An alum of Robert E. Fitch High School, Russack-Baker is earning his master's degree at WestConn in business administration after completing his undergraduate degree last May in communication.
Starrett notched 43 goals and sevenassists for 50points to go with 12 ground balls in 18 games as a midfielder with the Wolves, having arrived in Danbury as a graduate transfer from SUNY Cortland. He scored two game-winning goals and tied for the team lead in man-up goals with six. An alum of Joel Barlow HighSchool, Starrett is pursuing a master's degree at WestConn in business administration.
Caldwellscored four times with two assists for six points and totaled 40 ground ballswhile appearing in 18 games with 16 starts at short-stick midfielder for the Wolves. A graduate Cranford High School, Caldwellis majoring in health education at WestConn.
McMahon, the 2023 Little East Rookie of the Year and an All-LEC Second Teamer a year ago, had 31 goals, one game-winner, and 11 assists for 42 points in 15 games in the Wolves midfield this spring. A graduate of the Sachem EastHighSchool, McMahonis majoring in business at WestConn.
Groveplayed all 855 of the Wolves' minutes in goal this spring and finished with 151 saves for a .521 save percentage (4th in LEC) anda 9.75 GAA (3rd in LEC) with a 12-5 record. He also picked up 12 ground balls and was named Little East Conference Goalie of the Week once this spring. A graduate of Cheshire High School, Grove is majoring in business managementat WestConn.
Gitzinger played in all 18 games with 17 starts on defense in 2024, totaling 22 caused turnovers and 19 ground ballswhile assisting on a goal.He was named the LEC Defensive Player of the Week once this spring. A graduate of West Islip High School, Gitzinger is majoring in business at WestConn.
Suhrburst on the scene as a Wolves attackman, leading the squad in assists with 29 (6th in LEC) and adding 23 goals for 52 points (9th in LEC) in 15 games and 14 starts. Suhr also scooped22 ground balls and received Little East Rookie of the Week honors once this spring. A graduate of Sachem North High School, Suhr is majoring in finance at WestConn.
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