Havalchak Earns ECAC Defensive Player of the Week Honors
May 09 | Men's Lacrosse
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Senior goalie Greg Havalchak (Corning, NY) has been named the ECAC Defensive Player of the Week for his 21-save effort against No. 11 Massachusetts last Saturday, the league office announced today.
Havalchak was spectacular in his final collegiate game, turning away 21 Minutemen shots, including 13 in the first half. He fell just one save shy of matching his career high of 22 set in the season-opener on Feb. 28, 2004 against Dartmouth. One of the most potent offenses in the nation, Massachusetts generated a season-high 49 shots, but Havalchak was able to keep the Minutemen at bay by making several point-blank saves. It is the second time this season Havalchak has been the ECAC Defensive Player of the Week, previously earning the award after a 16-save performance against Hobart on March 25.
A four-year starter, Havalchak played in 55 career games and finished with a 7.91 goals-against average, .600 save percentage and 663 saves. His 663 saves are the second most in school history, behind only John Kidon (1992-95). He will graduate with a resume that includes back-to-back ECAC Defensive Player of the Year honors (2003, 2004) and a pair of USILA All-America selections (2003, 2004). This season, he ranked in the Top 10 nationally in goals-against average (7.44) and save percentage (.616) while making 16 or more saves in a game four times.
In addition to Havalchak’s two Defensive Player of the Week awards, three other Scarlet Knights earned ECAC Rookie of the Week honors in 2006 – freshmen Mike Dugan (Summit, NJ), Chris O’Dougherty (Kinnelon, NJ) and Tad Stanwick (Baltimore, MD).
A young and competitive Rutgers squad finished 5-9 overall this season but played six one-goal games, the second most of any team in the country. The Scarlet Knights’ lineup featured several freshmen seeing extensive playing time, and RU will return eight of its 10 starters next spring.
