TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's lacrosse team has announced its team captains for the upcoming 2011 season and three student-athletes have been selected. Serving in the leadership capacity are seniors Nick Billy and Conor Chocheles, along with junior Tyler Hutchinson.
“We are excited to have three talented and dedicated leaders take on the role of captain in 2011,” said 16th-year head coach Jim Townsend. “In addition to outstanding character and proven leadership, we truly expect great things from them as we build upon the success of last season.”
A midfielder from Redding, Conn., Billy led the team in scoring a season ago with 46 points on 28 goals and 18 assists. A USILA All-America Honorable Mention and All-Liberty League First Team selection at seasons' end, he played in all 17 games, adding a team-high 95 shots with 53 of those on goal. In addition to a game-winning goal, he led the squad with three man-up tallies and scooped up 30 ground balls with six caused turnovers.
The Joel Barlow High School graduate, who was one of three RPI players to earn 2011 Face-Off Yearbook Pre-Season All-America (Third Team), finished fourth in the Liberty League in points per game (2.71). Through 46 career contests, Billy has tallied 83 points on 46 goals and 37 assists.
Chocheles, a midfielder out of Babylon, N.Y., was fifth in scoring with 15 goals and 12 assists for 27 points. Additionally, he tallied a game-winning goal and was tops, alongside Billy, with three man-up goals. An All-League Second Team selection, Chocheles was also one of just five players to start all 17 contests in 2010.
A former standout at Babylon High School, Chocheles has been a solid offensive force for the Engineers during his career, tallying 52 points on 28 goals and 24 assists in just 39 contests. He recorded seven points as a rookie and added eight goals and 10 assists during his sophomore game despite playing in just seven contests due to injury.
Hailing from New Hartford, N.Y., Hutchinson, a defender, was also named a Face-Off Yearbook Pre-Season All-American (Honorable Mention), having started all 17 games for the Engineers in 2010. In addition to scoring a goal and assisting on two others, he had 36 ground balls and caused 15 turnovers to rank second on the squad. For his efforts, he was named to the All-League First Team and was a Second Team selection to both the ECAC Upstate and New York State D-III All-Star teams.
In his career, Hutchinson has helped anchor an RPI defense that has surrendered just 94 goals over the last two seasons, compared to the Engineers' 138 tallies. Individually, he has scooped up 47 ground balls and has caused 20 turnovers in 31 games played.
RPI opens the 2011 season on March 2 when it hosts Manhattanville College at East Campus Arena, at 4pm. The Engineers hit the road for a pair of games before hosting SUNY Oneonta on March 11 (4pm).
