The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) released its 2012 All-Conference Teams on Monday morning as the Falcons have five First Team selections, including the 2012 Defensive Player of the Year Nick Hamasian (Hamden, Conn.). The Falcons have two Second Team members as well.
Hamasian, who earns a spot on the First Team for the third-straight year, was also selected for the Third Team as a freshman in 2009. Hamasian is the first Falcon to earn All-Conference honors all four years of his career since Michael Abbey (2000-03) made the First Team in four-consecutive years while at Albertus.
Hamasian is joined on the First Team by seniors Stephen Zapata (Hamden, Conn.), James Lucchesi (Norwalk, Conn.) and Chris Long (West Haven, Conn.) along with junior Donato Piroscafo (Naugatuck, Conn.).
The senior defender has registered 13 points this season with six goals and one assist as his goals tally is a career high. Hamasian's 23 shots also mark a career high in a single season as well.
Piroscafo, who was tagged as the 2012 GNAC Tournament Most Valuable Player on Saturday, finished the regular season with 13 wins, seven shutouts and 72 saves. He posted a goals against average of 0.79 along with an .837 save percentage. After his brilliant performance in a 6-5 shootout victory over Norwich in the GNAC Championship game on Nov. 3, Piroscafo has 82 saves, 10 shutouts and 15 wins to his credit in 2012.
Zapata also makes the First Team for the third consecutive year as he has led the Falcons in 2012 with 38 points on 13 goals and 12 assists. He has scored six game-winning goals for the Falcons this season and is 4-for-4 in penalty kicks, while he also netted the Falcons' first attempt in their shootout victory on Saturday. The Hamden, Conn. native currently leads the GNAC in points and assists and is second in the GNAC in goals scored.
Lucchesi has 13 points on the year with four goals and five assists as a difference-maker for the Falcons in the midfield. Last season, he made the All-Conference Third Team for his efforts.
Long is also a three-time All-Conference Team member as his 2012 First Team honor marks his second straight as he earned the same honor in 2011. In 2010, Long was named to the Third Team. This season, Long recorded five points on two goals and one assist for the Falcons as he has been one of his team's most dominant defenders.
Hamasian, Piroscafo, Zapata, Long and Lucchesi were all named to the 2012 GNAC All-Tournament Team as well.
For the second-straight season, Lindsley Barrett (Shelton, Conn.) was tagged as a Second Team member as he recorded seven points on two goals and three assists in 21 games played. He also posted 76 shots, the second highest on the team after Stephen Zapata's 92.
Freshman Alex Zapata (Hamden, Conn.), the younger brother of Stephen, was also named to the Second Team for his efforts and was tagged as the 2012 GNAC Rookie of the Year as well. Zapata currently has 20 points in 2012 with nine goals and two assists as he led all freshmen in goals scored during league play. He tallied two game-winning goals for the Falcons and was named the GNAC Rookie of the Week three times during the year.
