Two Firebirds Earn Men’s Lacrosse All-East Coast Conference Honors

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – University of the District of Columbia's junior midfielder LaRon Hinton was named Men's Lacrosse All-East Coast Conference Second Team, and junior faceoff specialist Teilen Celentano was named All-ECC Third Team in an announcement by the league office on Friday, May 5^th. The voting was conducted by the conference head coaches.

The UDC men's lacrosse program now boasts six All-East Coast Conference honors in four years, with Hinton being the first Firebird to earn higher than Third Team honors, and Celentano becoming the first Firebird to be named to an all-conference team twice.

Hinton set new UDC single-season program records in points (57) and goals (41), and he currently ranks No. 4 in NCAA Division II in both categories. One of the most explosive scorers in the nation all season long, he scored at least two points in every game this season, including three games of seven points and eight games of five points or more.

The Woodbridge, VA native scored a season-high six goals in a 17-9 thrashing of ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas on March 4^th, and he scored five goals on four separate occasions, including the first three consecutive games to start the season. He also had at least one assist in 11 of 12 games, including two assists in five games.

Hinton was also a force defensively with 19 caused turnovers and 44 ground balls. In a thrilling, 16-15 overtime loss at home vs. LIU Post, Hinton had a season-high four caused turnovers and four ground balls. In addition, he had a season-high seven ground balls twice in narrow losses to Mercy College and Post University.

Celentano, meanwhile, set new UDC single-season program records in faceoff wins (160) and ground balls (85). His 160 faceoff wins this season beat his previous program record mark of 149 set in 2015 and his 57.3 faceoff winning percentage ranks No. 22 in NCAA Division II and 5^th in the ECC. Also, his 85 ground balls is tops in the ECC, and his 7.08 ground balls per-game average ranks No. 6 in the nation.

 The Ottawa, Ontario native also registered 15 points on 10 goals and five assists this season, scoring at least one point in 10 of 12 games played. He registered two points on a goal and an assist in four different games, and he scored a season-high two goals vs. Chestnut Hill on April 1^st.

Celentano won 20 faceoffs in back-to-back Firebird wins over Georgian Court and St. Thomas Aquinas. On the road at Georgian Court, he won 20-of-28 faceoffs in an 18-11 victory over the Lions on March 1^st, and then he won 20-of-25 faceoffs in a 17-9 home win over the Spartans on March 4^th.

A Third Team All-Conference selection now in back-to-back seasons (2016 & 2017), Celentano had a season-high 12 ground balls twice this season. First, in a 19-15 road win at Hampton on February 25^th, and then in a home loss to Chestnut Hill on April 1^st.

Hinton and Celentano led the 4^th-year Firebirds men's lacrosse program to school records of five overall wins and three ECC wins in 2017. Under first-year head coach Rodger Colbert, UDC also finished the 2017 season with program records for team goals (148) and team assists (73).