May 28, 2008

Danowski Named National Player Of The Year By The USILA (Read More at GoDuke.com)

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke's Matt Danowski has been named the recipient of the USILA's Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award as the National Player of the Year, as announced on Monday by the organization.

Danowski earns the nation's top honor for the second consecutive year.

In 2008, Danowski led the nation in total points (97) and assists (56) while becoming the first player in NCAA history to register three seasons with 40 or more goals and 40 or more assists. The NCAA's all-time leading scorer with 353 career points, Danowski is a three-time USILA First Team All-America and three-time ACC Player of the Year honoree.

A native of Farmingdale, N.Y., Danowski led the Blue Devils to an NCAA single-season record 18 wins against just two defeats this season as Duke earned the number one ranking in the final USILA regular season poll and the top seed in the NCAA Tournament.

He paced the country in total scoring three times with 92 points in 2005, 96 in 2007 and 97 in 2008 and three times led the country in assists with 42 in 2005, 52 in 2007 and 56 in 2008. Danowski is one of just two players in NCAA history to register multiple single-season scoring totals of 90 or more points, joining Cornell's Mike French, who accomplished the feat three times in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

Greer & O'Hara Garner USILA Awards (Read More at GoDuke.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Duke's Zack Greer and Nick O'Hara have been named recipients of the Turnbull and Schmeisser Awards, respectfully, announced by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) on Sunday afternoon.

Greer, a senior from Whitby, Ontario, Canada, received the Lt. Col. J.I. (Jack) Turnbull Award as the nation's top attackman. He currently leads the nation in goals scored with 65, a total that ranks as the sixth-highest single-season total in NCAA history. In 67 career games, Greer has an NCAA all-time best 206 tallies while his career point total of 283 sits tied for 10th on the NCAA list. The three-time All-America and former National Rookie of the Year choice becomes the second Duke player to garner the award, joining Matt Danowski who accepted the honor in both 2005 and 2007.

O'Hara, a senior from Orchard Park, N.Y., was honored with the William F. Schmeisser Award as the nation's best defensive player. A two-time first team All-America and two-time NCAA All-Tournament selection, O'Hara had four goals, four assists and a team-leading 88 ground balls this year. In 80 career games, O'Hara has produced 14 goals and 10 assists while scooping up 304 ground balls. He is the second Blue Devil to earn the honor, joining Tyler Hardy who received the nod in 1996.