Men's Lacrosse | 5/25/2018 10:11:00 AM

ROCHESTER, NY – Four members of the RIT men's lacrosse team were honored by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association with individual awards, announced on Friday, May 25, 2018. Senior Kyle Killen (Peterborough, Ontario/Crestwood Secondary) was given the Iroquois National Award as Division III's most outstanding player along with the Lt. Col. J.I. (Jack) Turnbull Award as the outstanding attackman in Division III. Classmate Eli Salama (Coquitlam, British Columbia/Dr. Charles Best) was the Long-Pole of the Year for Division III's finest long-stick midfielder, while Nate Farrell (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) was given the Face-Off Award. Junior Shawn Nally (Rochester, NY/McQuaid) was given the Fran McCall Award as Division III's outstanding midfielder.

Killen, the 2018 Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year, started all 22 games this season. An All-Liberty League first team selection, Killen tallied four goals in the Liberty League title game versus Ithaca to earn Tournament MVP honors. He led RIT and the Liberty League in scoring with 103 points on a program record 86 goals and 17 assists, and finished fifth in Division III, averaging 3.91 goals per game. Killen tallied 16 goals and 21 points in four NCAA Tournament games, including five goals in contests versus New England College, York College and Wesleyan University. Killen, a 2017 Honorable Mention USILA All-American, tallied a program-record 21 man-up goals in 2018 and finished his career tied for 19th all time in scoring with 158 career points. Killen is the second player from RIT to receive the Turnbull Award. Ryan Lee (Sharon, Ontario/The Hill Academy) won the award in 2015 and 2017. Killen also joins Matt Hossack as winner of the Iroquois National Award.
 
Salama, the 2018 Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year, started all 22 games at long-stick midfield in 2018. He led the team with 29 caused turnovers and was fifth with 51 ground balls. Salama helped RIT's defense hold opponents to 8.41 goals per game in 2018, while contributing offensively, finishing 11th on the team in scoring with 21 points on 10 goals and 11 assists. He tallied two goals and three points, grabbed four ground balls and caused two turnovers in a win over Lynchburg College. Salama had seven caused turnovers and four ground balls in the Liberty League Tournament and had seven ground balls and an assist in four NCAA Tournament games. Salama joins Matt Hossack as winners of the Long-Pole Award. Hossack won the award in 2015 and 2016.

Nally, a First Team All-American and All-Liberty League selections in 2018, enjoyed a breakout season. He played in all 22 games and was tied for second on the team in scoring with a career-high 63 points on 30 goals and 33 assists. He was third in the Liberty League in assists (33), and sixth, averaging 1.50 helpers per game. Nally tallied at least a point in all 22 games, including a career-high seven points in a win at Rensselaer. He tallied seven points and four helpers in the Liberty League Tournament and scored five goals and had six points in four NCAA Tournament contests, including two goals and three points versus New England College in the second round. Nally joins Allister Warren as RIT recipients of the award. Warren earned the award in 2015.

Farrell was a stalwart at the face-off "X" for RIT in 2018. He played in 20 games, winning 240-of-352 (68.1 percent) of his face-offs. He led the Liberty League and was fourth in a season at RIT with 240 face-off wins. Farrell finished 12th in Division III in face-off winning percentage, and led RIT and with 115 ground balls, averaging 5.75 per contest. Farrell won 9-of-12 draws and had seven ground balls and scored a goal in the Liberty League title game versus Ithaca College. He won 67-of-97 (69.1 percent) of his face-offs in four NCAA Tournament games, including 20-of-24 versus Stevens in the third round.

RIT finished 2018 with a 21-1 record. The Tigers won their seventh straight Liberty League regular season and tournament titles, earning the automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament for the ninth straight season. The Tigers fell to Wesleyan University 19-18 in the NCAA Semifinals.