University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutemen Well-Represented On MLL Awards List
August 23, 2004 | Men's Lacrosse
Aug. 23, 2004
AMHERST, Mass. - Former Minutemen lacrosse players Kevin Leveille, Sal LoCascio and Mark Millon were all honored by Major League Lacrosse (MLL) on Saturday during the league's awards luncheon. Leveille was named Warrior Most Improved Player, LoCascio was selected as Warrior Coach of the Year and Millon was named to the All-MLL team.
Leveille enjoyed a breakout season for the Boston Cannons, which fell to the Philadelphia Barrage in Sunday's MLL title game, 13-11. He tallied 40 points (28 g, 12 a) in 12 regular-season games after scoring only seven as a rookie in five games. Leveille finished second in the league in both power-play and game-winning goals. He showed right from the start of the season that he was a vastly-improved player. In a week two win over Baltimore, he scored seven points (5 g, 2 a) matching his total from the previous season. Then in week twelve, Leveille moved up to attack and netted a career-best eight points (6 g, 2 a).
LoCascio was named the 2004 Warrior Coach of the Year after leading the Philadelphia Barrage to the league title over the weekend. He entered the season with a 4-22 career record in two seasons, LoCascio revitalized a Barrage team to a 9-5 record and a league title in the team's first-ever postseason berth. As a player, he led the Long Island Lizards to the league's first-ever title in 2001, before retiring as a player and beginning his coaching career. After posting a 3-11 mark in 2002 and a winless home campaign en route to a 1-11 record last season, the Barrage relocated before the season and turned into the league's best team. LoCascio announced that he will be stepping down as head coach of the Barrage.
Millon was named to the All-MLL team after another outstanding season. Regarded as one of the world's best lacrosse players, Millon ranked second in the league with 61 points (42 g, 19 a), his third straight season of at least 60 points. Millon is one of the league's most prolific all-time leading scorers, and was named Warrior® MLL Offensive Player of the Year in 2002 and 2003.
"It's great to see those three succeed at the next level," said UMass head coach Greg Cannella. "They are great ambassadors for our program and I am really happy for them. For Millon, its an every-year thing. Sal stayed persistent and I am not surprised at his success. And for Kevin, it says something about the year he had this year after last season. All three of them had great seasons."
Two other former Minutemen were well-represented in Sunday's MLL title game. Boston Cannons head coach Scott Hiller was a four-year letterwinner from 1987-90 and Leveille's teammate Chris Fiore, starred with him at UMass from 2000-03. He finished the regular-season with 25 points (18 g, 7 a).
