W&L's Witherell, SU's LaTona Earn Major Honors

FOREST, Va. --- Virginia Wesleyan College attacker Josh Currier and Hampden-Sydney College mentor Ray Rostan highlight the 2016 All-ODAC Men's Lacrosse Awards as the pair were named the ODAC Player and Coach of the Year, respectively.  Washington and Lee University attacker A.J. Witherell received ODAC Rookie of the Year accolades, and Shenandoah University attacker Stephen LaTona secured the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award from the league's sports information directors.

This year's all-conference teams are packed with experienced players as 26 seniors dot the list.  There are also plenty of familiar names with 21 standouts appearing for the second straight year.  The All-ODAC First Team features 12 recurring names.  All four attacking players should ring a bell with ODAC fans as Lynchburg College's Austin Stewart and Aaron Murphy were first teamers last year along with VWC's Currier. Roanoke College's Tyler McWilliams stepped up from the All-ODAC Second Team.  The midfield features repeat first teamer Kevin Jackson from Roanoke, while Jake Koferl was a second team choice for H-SC last season.  W&L's Buck Armstrong is one of three defenseman on the list again as he was a first team choice last year. Randolph College's Baden James and H-SC's Thomas Passenant moved up from the second team.  Three players made the jump to the first team from last season's All-ODAC Third Team.  That contingent includes LC face-off man Bobby Distler, Roanoke long-stick midfielder Conn Curry, and W&L goalkeeper Wyatt Devine.

Currier, a senior from Peterborough, Ontario, adds this year's top honor to the player of the year recognition he received in 2014.  He is just the third player to earn two ODAC Player of the Year awards, joining current Roanoke head coach Bill Pilat (1984-85) and former H-SC standout Jeff Jackson (1987-88).  This season, Currier crossed the 100-point plateau for the second time in his career as he leads the ODAC with 120 points.  He tops the conference charts with 88 goals and sits second with 32 assists, while also leading NCAA Division III in points per game (7.06) and goals per game (5.18).  Currier registered four or more points in all but one game this season, posting a season-high 12 points on seven goals and five assists in a non-conference win at Southern Virginia.  He scored a career-high nine goals in a victory at Shenandoah.  Currier will graduate as the ODAC's all-time leader in career points with 353.  He ranks third on the goals scored charts with 214 and second in assists with 139.

Rostan completed his 32nd season as the Hampden-Sydney men's lacrosse head coach, adding this season's ODAC top coaching honor to the four others he has earned (1989, 95, 98, 2001).  His Tigers posted four more victories this season (13) than last (9), earning the #3 seed in the ODAC Tournament and a spot in the semifinals.  He boasts a 302-172 (.637) career record at Hampden-Sydney.  This year also marked Rostan's 37th and final season as a collegiate head coach as he announced his retirement prior to the start of the 2016 campaign.  In honor of his contributions to ODAC men's lacrosse, the conference's head coaches voted to establish the "Ray Rostan Men's Lacrosse Sportsmanship Team," which you will find at the bottom of this release.

Witherell, a freshman from Wilmington, Del., didn't waste any time making an impact for the Generals as he currently leads the team in all three scoring categories -- 54 points, 33 goals, and 21 assists.  He registered five points on two goals and three assists in his first collegiate outing, helping W&L to a 10-9 non-conference win over Christopher Newport.  He went on to score multiple points in 14 other games, collecting at least one point in 16 of the 19 games he played.  Twice he registered career-highs with six points, including a five-goal effort in a victory at the University of Mary Washington.  Witherell looks to add to his totals as the Generals continue play in the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Tournament.

LaTona, a junior from Ellicott City, Md., pairs this honor with a second straight selection to the All-ODAC Third Team.  LaTona maintains a 3.92 grade point average as a Business Administration major.  The Hornets' co-captain is soon to be a three-time honoree on the All-ODAC Academic Team.  He is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society, and earned Academic All-State honors from VaSID last season.  On the field, LaTona is sixth in the ODAC with 59 points and fifth with 40 goals scored.  He's also handed out 19 assists.  LaTona registered at least one point in all but one of his 16 games played, posting a season-best nine points on eight goals and an assist in a 15-12 non-conference win over Wesley College.

Listed below are the full All-ODAC Men's Lacrosse Teams.  For more information, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow the ODAC on Twitter at @odacathletics.