Eight Pirates Receive All-Conference Awards; Bill Bowman Earns Coach of the Year
Posted: May 04, 2022
CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Lacrosse Conference (HCLC) released the 2022 Men's Lacrosse All-Conference teams and award winners on Wednesday.
Cody Foster (Plano, Texas) of Southwestern University was named the 2022 HCLC Offensive Player of the Year in a vote of league coaches. The Senior led the Pirates this season with 36 goals and 16 assists for 52 points. His 2.57 goals per game and 3.71 points per game averages are top-five in the league, and when called on, Foster stepped up for Southwestern in some of their biggest games of the year.
Voted as the league's 2022 Defensive Player of the Year was Sam DiMaio (Westport, Conn.) of Colorado College. DiMaio has stepped up over the course of the year, marking every opponent's best attackman and has been a major catalyst on transition for the Tigers. DiMaio leads the CC squad in caused turnovers with 23 and ground balls with 38. He has also racked up four goals and two assists for six points.
Mount St. Joseph University first-year Mason Meilinger (Centerville, Ohio) was recognized as the 2022 HCLC Newcomer of the Year. In his first season in a Lions jersey, Meilinger racked up 45 goals and four assists for 49 points. He also added 21 ground balls and three caused turnovers, starting in every contest for The Mount. He is third in the league for goals per game (3.21) and seventh in the rankings for points per game (3.50)
For his part in leading Southwestern to a 10-4 overall mark in, and a No. 2 seed in the southern division, Bill Bowman was voted as the HCLC Coach of the Year.
Offensive Player of the Year:Cody Foster, Southwestern University Defensive Player of the Year: Sam DiMaio, Colorado College Newcomer of the Year: Mason Meilinger, Mount St. Joseph University Coach of the Year: Bill Bowman, Southwestern University
The HCLC also honors an All-Conference First Team and Second Team. The members of those teams are selected by a vote of league coaches.
The Pirates received a total of eight All-Conference selections, five First Team, and three Second Team.
For more information on HCLC Men's Lacrosse, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.
