SPARTANBURG, S.C. – High Point’s Matt Thistle and Richmond’s Brendan Hynes have been named Southern Conference Lacrosse Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for games played April 26-May 1, the league office announced Monday.
Thistle, a senior attacker, was sensational in the Panthers’ 20-6 home win over VMI on Saturday, scoring five goals and tallying four assists on Senior Day. All five goals and three of Thistle’s four assists came before the halftime whistle, and his nine total points broke his own program record. The Chelmsford, Mass., native has racked up 199 points during his career as a Panther.
Hynes helped lead Richmond to a 12-6 road triumph at Mercer on Saturday. The junior defender grabbed eight ground balls and caused four turnovers in the win, both of which marked season highs. He and the rest of the Spiders’ defense limited the Bears to only two second-half scores. Hynes ranks sixth nationally with 2.07 caused turnovers per game.
The 2016 SoCon Men’s Lacrosse Championship begins Thursday at Robins Stadium in Richmond, Va. Top-seeded Air Force will take on No. 4 seed Bellarmine at 5 p.m. followed by a tussle between No. 2 seed Richmond and No. 3 seed High Point at 7:30 p.m.
Other nominees for offense: Christopher Allen (Air Force), Jack Perkins (Bellarmine) and J.P. Forester (Richmond).
Other nominees for defense: Doug Gouchoe (Air Force), Connor Harryman (Bellarmine) and Zack Price (High Point).
2016 Offensive Players of the Week
Feb. 16: Mitch Goldberg, Richmond, A
Feb. 23: Chris Walsch, Air Force, A
March 1: Michael LeClair, High Point, A
March 9: Mitch Goldberg, Richmond, A
March 15: Christopher Allen, Air Force, M
March 22: Christopher Allen, Air Force, M
March 29: Chris Walsch, Air Force, A
April 5: Stephen Wierzbicki, Furman, A
April 12: Chris Walsch, Air Force, A
April 19: Dan Lomas, High Point, A
April 26: Michael LeClair, High Point, A
May 2: Matt Thistle, High Point, A
2016 Defensive Players of the Week
Feb. 16: Bobby Schmitt, Bellarmine, LSM
Feb. 23: Doug Gouchoe, Air Force, GK
March 1: Doug Gouchoe, Air Force, GK
March 9: Benny Pugh, Richmond, GK
March 15: Doug Gouchoe, Air Force, GK
March 22: Mike Nugent, Mercer, GK
March 29: Doug Gouchoe, Air Force, GK
April 5: Tim Troutner, High Point, GK
April 12: Ben Gleichenhaus, Jacksonville, GK
April 19: Zack Price, High Point, D
April 26: Mike Nugent, Mercer, GK
May 2: Brendan Hynes, Richmond, LSM
-www.SoConSports.com-