Princeton University Athletics
Cocoziello Named Ivy Rookie Of The Year, Becoming First Defenseman Ever To Win Award
May 10, 2005 | Men's Lacrosse
May 10, 2005
Dan Cocoziello, named the top incoming freshman in Division I men's lacrosse before he ever stepped onto the field for Princeton, completed his dominant rookie year by becoming the first defenseman ever named Ivy League Rookie of the Year.
Cocoziello, who became the third Princeton freshman to start every game on defense, becomes the second-straight Princeton player after Peter Trombino a year ago to be Ivy League Rookie of the Year and the seventh all-time.
Cornell's Sean Greenhalgh was named Ivy League Player of the Year.
"I'm happy for Dan," Princeton coach Bill Tierney said. "It's not easy to come in with the expectations of such a highly touted player and perform at this level. It's also not easy to step right in and start right away on defense. To have the league coaches recognize him shows a lot about him."
Senior defenseman Oliver Barry was a repeat first-team All-Ivy League selection. Trombino and classmate Scott Sowanick were second-team All-Ivy picks, while Cocoziello, sophomore Mike Gaudio and seniors Jason Doneger and Tim Sullivan were all named honorable mention.
Cocoziello, from Oldwick, N.J., joined Kurt Lunkenheimer '99 and Damien Davis '03 as the only Princeton players to start every game their freshman year on defense. Cocoziello became a cornerstone of a defense that allowed 7.92 goals per game, 13th best in Division I. Barry, another member of the defense, started every game for the second straight year. After beginning his career as a shortstick defensive midfielder, Barry, a New York City native, moved to close defense full-time a year ago; his selection puts him in the company of recent Tiger defenders such as Davis, Lunkenheimer, Ryan Mollett '01, Christian Cook '98 and Becket Wolf '97 as two-time first-team All-Ivy selections.
Trombino, a sophomore from North Huntington, N.Y., followed his Rookie of the Year season by leading the team with 24 goals and tying for the team lead with 34 points. He also became the first player in Princeton history with at least 20 goals and at least 10 assists in each of his first two seasons, and he will enter his junior year having scored at least one point in every game of his career to date.
Sowanick, from Bethesda, Md., tied Trombino for the team lead with 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists). Like Trombino, Sowanick also had at least one point in every game this season, and he and Trombino became the fourth and fifth players in school history with double figures in goals and assists each of his first two seasons.
Doneger, a senior from Hewlett, N.Y., earned All-Ivy honors for the third time in his career. He finished with 105 goals, seventh-best all-time at Princeton.
Sullivan, from Baltimore, started the final 12 games a year ago on defense and every game this year.
Gaudio scored 16 goals and had three assists as a sophomore after scoring one goal as a freshman. His 16 goals were the most by a Princeton sophomore midfielder since Josh Sims scored 32 in 1998.
Player of the Year - Sean Greenhalgh, Cornell, Sr., St. Catharines, Ontario Rookie of the Year - Dan Cocoziello, Princeton, Fr., Oldwick, N.J.
First Team Attack - Jamie Coffin, Dartmouth, Jr., Greenwich, Conn. Attack - Seth Goldberg, Yale, Sr., Syracuse, N.Y. Attack - *Sean Greenhalgh, Cornell, Sr., St. Catharines, Ontario Attack - Kevin Nee, Cornell, Sr., Canton, N.Y. Midfield - Joe Boulukos, Cornell, Jr., Huntington, N.Y. Midfield - *Ben Grinnell, Dartmouth, Sr., Waccabuc, N.Y. Midfield - Justin Redd, Cornell, Sr., Towson, Md. Defense - Oliver Barry, Princeton, Sr., New York, N.Y. Defense - *Kyle Georgalas, Cornell, Sr., Mahopac, N.Y. Defense - *Pat Keeley, Dartmouth, Sr., Potomac, Md. Goalkeeper - Matt McMonagle, Cornell, So., Bryn Mawr, Pa.
Second Team Attack - Chazz Woodson, Brown, Sr., Virginia Beach, Va. Attack - Peter Trombino, Princeton, So., Huntington Station, N.Y. Midfield - Dan Kallaugher, Yale, Jr., Glyndon, Md. Midfield - David Schecter, Yale, Jr., Sea Ranch Lakes, Fla. Midfield - Scott Sowanick, Princeton, So., Bethesda, Md. Defense - Brian Mulholland, Yale, Sr., New Vernon, N.J. Defense - Bobby Shields, Brown, So., Hampstead, N.H. Defense - Tom Mikula, Harvard, Jr., Chester, Md. Goalkeeper - Andrew Goldstein, Dartmouth, Sr., Milton, Mass.
Honorable Mention Attack - D.J. Andrzewski, Penn, Jr., Parkton, Md.; Jason Doneger, Princeton, Sr., Hewlett, N.Y.; Nick Bonacci, Dartmouth, So., Crofton, Md. Midfield - Kyle Wailes, Brown, Toronto, Ontario; Chuck Mucciolo, Brown, Sr., Manhasset, N.Y.; Britton Derkac, Brown, Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.; Mike Gaudio, Princeton, So., Cheshire, Conn. Defense - Adam White, Dartmouth, Sr., Damariscotta, Maine; Dan Cocoziello, Princeton, Fr., Oldwick, N.J.; Andrew Blechman, Penn, Jr., Potomac, Md.; Tim Sullivan, Princeton, Sr., Cockeysville, Md.; Mike Pisco, Cornell, Jr., Duxbury, Mass. Goalkeeper - Evan O'Donnell, Harvard, Fr., Guilderland, N.Y.; Nick Gentilesco, Brown, Jr., Setauket, N.Y.