Cole Named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Checo also Lands on All-League Team
1/25/2024 11:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Lehigh men's lacrosse senior Scott Cole was named the Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while sophomore Richard Checo joined him on the preseason all-league team, as announced Thursday morning by the Patriot League.
In addition to the two landing on the all-league team, the Mountain Hawks were projected to finish fifth in the Patriot League after receiving a total of 82 votes and one-first place vote.Â
Last season, Cole was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year while also garnering first team All-Patriot League honors. Cole was Lehigh's first Offensive Player of the Year honoree since 2015. The attackman recorded 75 points last season, tallying a team-high of 49 goals while also dishing out 26 assists. Cole was fifth in NCAA Division I men's lacrosse last season in points per game (5.00). Cole was also eighth in the NCAA in goals per game (3.27).Â
Checo earned first team All-Patriot League honors after leading all of NCAA Division I men's lacrosse in caused turnovers (54) and caused turnovers per game (3.60). Checo also picked up a team-high of 64 ground balls. The sophomore defender also dished out four assists. Checo's 54 caused turnovers were the most in a single season at Lehigh and the second most in a season in all of NCAA Division I men's lacrosse.
Checo and Cole also both earned USA Lax Magazine Preseason All-American honors last week.Â
The Mountain Hawks have 33 returners and 11 first-years. Lehigh will open up the season on Feb. 3 against Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J.Â
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In addition to the two landing on the all-league team, the Mountain Hawks were projected to finish fifth in the Patriot League after receiving a total of 82 votes and one-first place vote.Â
Last season, Cole was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year while also garnering first team All-Patriot League honors. Cole was Lehigh's first Offensive Player of the Year honoree since 2015. The attackman recorded 75 points last season, tallying a team-high of 49 goals while also dishing out 26 assists. Cole was fifth in NCAA Division I men's lacrosse last season in points per game (5.00). Cole was also eighth in the NCAA in goals per game (3.27).Â
Checo earned first team All-Patriot League honors after leading all of NCAA Division I men's lacrosse in caused turnovers (54) and caused turnovers per game (3.60). Checo also picked up a team-high of 64 ground balls. The sophomore defender also dished out four assists. Checo's 54 caused turnovers were the most in a single season at Lehigh and the second most in a season in all of NCAA Division I men's lacrosse.
Checo and Cole also both earned USA Lax Magazine Preseason All-American honors last week.Â
The Mountain Hawks have 33 returners and 11 first-years. Lehigh will open up the season on Feb. 3 against Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J.Â
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