via press release  

Author’s Note:  Louie was also named to the SoCon 1st Team Freshman Team and 2nd Team All-SoCon . . . not a bad first year for the STA graduate!

  Greenville, S.C. – Furman midfielder Lou Yovino has been named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year and head coach Richie Meade has been named the SoCon Coach of the Year, it was announced on Tuesday by the league office. Five Paladins earned second team All-SoCon honors, while Yovino and Alec Van de Bovenkamp were also named to the All-Freshman squad. Meade led the Paladins to a program-best 7-7 overall regular season record, including a 6-1 Southern Conference record, which earned the Paladins a share of the program’s first-ever SoCon regular season title. Under his guidance, the Paladins earned three SoCon Player of the Week awards and set a school single-season wins record. Furman currently ranks in the top three in the SoCon in every offensive category, including leading the league in assists per game and points per game in SoCon play. Yovino, named second team All-SoCon, tied for the team lead in goals with 25 on the year. The Parkland, Fla., native, has scored at least one goal in every game this season, tallying three hat tricks on the season. Yovino was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Week on April 11 following a career-high four goals in Furman’s first-ever win over Air Force on April 8. Van de Bovenkamp, also named second team All-SoCon, appeared in 13 of Furman’s 14 games as a true freshman, ranks second in the league in save percentage (.561), and has tallied double-digit saves in five games this season. The Hinsdale, Ill., native made his first-career start versus then-No. 1 North Carolina on February 11 and turned in 16 saves, which ranks second on Furman’s single-game saves list. Van de Bovenkamp picked up a SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honor on March 8, before tying a career-high with 16 saves against Mercer on March 25. Second-team selection David Williamson tied for the team lead in goals with 25 on the year, including 18 in SoCon play. The Gainesville, Va., native tallied three games of four goals or more on the year and was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on March 28, following a career-high five goals and career-high-tying six points in a win over Mercer. William Holcomb, also a second-team selection, sits second on the team in points (29) and third on the team in goals (18). The Cincinnati, Ohio, native has totaled at least one goal in 13 of Furman’s 14 games this season, including a season-opening hat trick against Vermont. He also turned in a career-high four assists in Furman’s win at Jacksonvill on April 1. Senior Joe Stone, a second-team selection, anchored a Furman defense that ranks third in the SoCon in goals against average (8.77). The Garden City, N.Y., native leads Furman in caused turnovers (14) and has picked up 27 ground balls on the year. Stone has started every game for the Paladins this season and has also tallied three goals and an assist on the year. Furman opens SoCon tournament play on Thursday, May 4, taking on No. 2 seed Richmond at 7:30 p.m. in Richmond, Va. 2017 SoCon Men’s Lacrosse Awards Offensive Player of the Year Chris Walsch, Air Force, Jr., A Defensive Player of the Year Benny Pugh, Richmond, Sr., GK Freshman of the Year Lou Yovino, Furman, M Coach of the Year Richie Meade, Furman All-SoCon First Team (four attackman due to tie) A – Nick Hruby, Air Force, Jr. A – Chris Walsch, Air Force, Jr. A – Teddy Hatfield, Richmond, So. A – Wesley Sanders, VMI, Jr. M – Grant Gould, Air Force, Jr. M – Lucas Wittenberg, Mercer, So. M – J.P. Forester, Richmond, Sr. D – Brandon Jones, Air Force, So. D – Ryan Dennis, Richmond, Sr. D – Brendan Hynes, Richmond, Sr. GK – Benny Pugh, Richmond, Sr. FO – Trent Harper, Air Force, So. LSM – Austin Cates, Richmond, Jr. All-SoCon Second Team A – Tucker Ciessau, Bellarmine, Sr. A – David Williamson, Furman, So. A – Chris Rahill, Mercer, Sr. M – William Holcomb, Furman, So. M – Lou Yovino, Furman, Fr. M – McLean Chicquen, Jacksonville, Jr. D – Sean LaVine, Air Force, Jr. D – Joe Stone, Furman, Sr. D – Collin Massa, Mercer, Sr. GK – Alec Van de Bovenkamp, Furman, Fr. FO – Peter Moran, Richmond, Sr. LSM – Michael O’Brien, Mercer, Fr. All-Freshman Team (seven due to a tie) Matt Schwartz, Air Force, A Lou Yovino, Furman, M Alec Van de Bovenkamp, Furman, GK Dwayne Mattushik, Jacksonville, A Will McCarthy, Mercer, M Tyler Shoults, Richmond, M John Daniel, VMI, A