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NEC Player of the Week: Eric Holden, HOB
NEC Defensive Player of the Week: Joseph Cipoletti, SHU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Luke Caracciolo, BRY / Zach Cole, SJU 
Previous NEC Releases: Preseason Poll Release 

NEC MEN’S LACROSSE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Eric Holden, Hobart 
Jr., A, Sudbury, MA/Lincoln Sudbury
A former NEC All-Rookie team member, Holden began his junior season red-hot by racking up seven goals and nine points to break a DI school record in Hobart's first game of the season. The breakout performance led the Statesmen to a statement 21-12 win over the defending MAAC champion Canisius. Holden scored in bunches throughout, finding the net less than three minutes apart for Hobart's first two goals of the game. The Sudbury, MA product scored twice more in the second frame, this time just over a minute apart, to push the Statesmen ahead 11-4 shortly before the end of the half.  Holden continued his two goal per quarter streak in the third, finishing another pair that gave Hobart a commanding 16-8 lead late in the third. He finished his monster night with a seventh tally 29 seconds into the final quarter that made him the first seven-goal scorer in a Hobart uniform since 1986. The junior was one of three Statesmen to finish with five points or more, and played a key role in a relentless offense that totaled a staggering 59 shots.  

NEC MEN’S LACROSSE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Joseph Cipoletti, Sacred Heart
Sr., D, Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West

Following a 2018 season in which he ranked third in the conference in caused turnovers per game, Cipoletti enjoyed a game-high four takeaways in Sacred Heart's tightly contested three-goal loss to No. 18 Georgetown. The senior from Dix Hills, NY also gobbled up five ground balls, which tied for the most on the team.  

NEC MEN’S LACROSSE CO-ROOKIES OF THE WEEK
Luke Caracciolo, Bryant 
Fr., G, Centreville, VA/Paul VI  
Caracciolo impressed in his collegiate debut in between the pipes as he turned away 64.0 percent of his shots faced against Bucknell. The 16 saves were the most by a Bulldog since 2017, as the freshman kept his team in striking distance in a 9-6 setback. Caracciolo, who hails from Centreville, VA, also racked up eight balls, which tied for the game-high. 

Zach Cole, Saint Joseph's 
Fr., FOS, Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape 
Cole dominated at the X in his first college game as the Hawks prevailed 15-7 over St. Bonaventure. The Mount Laurel, NJ native went 19-of-23 and scooped up a game-high 14 ground balls. The .826 face off percentage leads the NEC by a wide margin to open up the new season.  

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS:

Joe Saggese, SHU, R-Sr., A

• Five goals, two assists in 21-12 victory over Canisius