NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - For the second straight year, the Wilmington University men's lacrosse team carried the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Player and Defensive Player of the Year, as the Wildcats tallied seven on the 2023 CACC All-Conference Teams, as announced by the conference office on Monday morning.
This year's CACC Player of the Year is all-around player TJ Caton (Palmyra, Pa.) while the Defensive Player of the Year was long-stick defensive middie Nick Bruhn (Burke, Va.). They were both joined on the All-CACC First Team by attackman Logan Stinson (Lafayette, La.), and defensemen Jaeden Henson (Annapolis, Md.)
Three Wildcats were also named to the Second Team All-CACC, including reigning CACC Player of the Year Giovanni Marino (Woolwich, N.J.), midfielder Jacob Herman (Palmyra, Pa.), and short-stick defensive middie Matt Kracyla (Middletown, Del.).
TJ Caton has done a lot of everything for the Wildcats this year, ranking fifth in the CACC with 34 goals, ninth in points with 49, seventh in ground balls with 57, and 15th in caused turnovers with 12. He is third on the team with 49 points, playing both ends of the field while leading the team with his 57 ground balls. He is also a major relief on clear attempts for the Wildcats. He had a season high seven goals and eighth points at Felician, adding a season best nine ground balls and three caused turnovers against Post. Her is also third on the team with 15 assists on the year.
Nick Bruhn helps the Wildcats repeat as the Defensive Player of the Year after Connor Graser was voted the award last season. Nick Bruhn leads the CACC with 24 caused turnovers on the year and is the leading long pole on the CACC list of ground balls, ranking eight overall with 48 scoops. He also gets into the mix offensively on transition, scoring a goal and adding two assists.
Joining the two major award winners on the All-CACC First Team was Logan Stinson for the third year in a row. The three-time First Teamer is up to his old way again this year, leading the CACC with 47 goals and 63 points. In the last four games of the regular season, Stinson has racked up 33 points, including a season high eight goals and 10 points in a 24-14 must-win against Post.
This is the third year in a row that Jaedan Henson has been named All-CACC, but the first time he's earned his way into being named First Team All-CACC. On the season, Henson has accumulated 30 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers, including a season high six ground balls at Felician.
For the second year in a row, Giovanni Marino has earned All-CACC consideration, this year being a Second Team attackman. He is fifth in the CACC with 34 goals this year, ranking 14th overall with 39 points. He can fill up a boxscore, scoring a season high eight goals at Bridgeport, and six goals and three assists for a season high nine points against Caldwell.
It is the second year in a row that Jacob Herman has been named All-CACC as well, this year earning Second Team honors as a midfielder. The catalyst for the Wildcats offense, Herman leads the CACC with 43 assists this year, and is second overall with 61 points. He first set a new WilmU program record with five assists against Dominican, but then needed seven helpers at Bridgeport to re-tie the single season record. He had a season high five goals and nine points against Caldwell, while also scoring hat tricks against Dominican and at Felician.
In his first season as a Wildcat, Matt Kracyla has earned the respect of the eight head coaches in the league, earning Second Team All-CACC as a short-stick defensive midfielder. He has two goals and an assist this season, while adding 15 ground balls and causing five turnovers. He is also a key to the Wildcats' transition and clear attempts.
2023 CACC Men's Lacrosse All-Conference Teams:
First Team:
A Brett Bridges (Georgian Court University)
A Dylan Heald (Post University)
A Logan Stinson (Wilmington University)
M Daniel Burnham (Georgian Court University)
M TJ Caton (Wilmington University)
M Braedan Lockyer (Post University)
D Dan Grubb (Chestnut Hill College)
D Jaedan Henson (Wilmington University)
D Joe Murphy (Georgian Court University)
G Austin Jones (Chestnut Hill College)
LSDM Nick Bruhn (Wilmington University)
SSDM Garret Ciccia (Caldwell University)
SSDM Jack Clyne (Chestnut Hill College)
Specialist Zach Schultz (Chestnut Hill College)
Second Team:
A Daniel Carson (Dominican University)
A Noah Hammon (Chestnut Hill College)
A Giovanni Marino (Wilmington University)
M Jacob Herman (Wilmington University)
M Tallen Smith (Georgian Court University)
M Michael Ventresca (Georgian Court University)
D Brian Barker (Dominican University)
D Peter Naboka (Post University)
D RJ Rybicki (Chestnut Hill College)
G Vincent Burkhart (Georgian Court University)
LSDM Chase Snyder (Chestnut Hill College)
SSDM Brendan Kelleher (Post University)
SSDM Matt Kracyla (Wilmington University)
Specialist Justin Iannarone (Georgian Court University)
2023 CACC Player of the Year: TJ Caton (Wilmington University)
2023 CACC Rookie of the Year: Brett Bridges (Georgian Court University)
2023 CACC Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bruhn (Wilmington University)
2023 CACC Goalkeeper of the Year: Austin Jones (Chestnut Hill College)
2023 CACC Coach of the Year: Mickey Hover (Georgian Court University)
2023 CACC Team Sportsmanship Award: Felician University