First time NEILA has presented a year-end award to a Raven

RINDGE, N.H. (May 11, 2011) -- The honors continued to pile up for freshman midfielder Eddie Noonan (Foxboro, Mass.) on Wednesday as the Franklin Pierce men's lacrosse standout was named the 2011 New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) Division II Rookie of the Year. He was also named to the NEILA Division II Second-Team. The NEILA honor marks the first time in program history a Raven has received a year-end award from the organization.

The latest honors come one week after Noonan was named the Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Year, while also garnering a spot on the league's all-rookie team.

Noonan scored a team-high 19 goals and assisted on seven others for a team-best 26 points this season. His seven helpers ranked as the second most on the team. Noonan's goal and point total led all rookies in the Northeast-10.

Noonan's collegiate career got off to a tremendous start as he registered at least one point in the first six games, while collecting multiple points in five of those contests. He had an assist in a 13-7 win over Curry back in the season-opener on March 2, and then followed with an outstanding three-goal, one-assist, four-point performance in the Ravens' come-from-behind 9-8 win over Dominican on March 5.

He made his first career start against No. 8-nationally ranked Mercy on March 16 and scored a goal, while assisting on another for two points. Noonan scored a pair of goals versus No. 4 Le Moyne on March 19, fired in three markers at Pace on March 26, and then dumped in a trio of tallies in a 10-8 win at American International on March 30. His third goal versus AIC came a minute into the fourth quarter, and that tally ultimately proved to be the game-winner.

Noonan had a four-point (3 g, 1 a) performance against Southern New Hampshire on April 19, and concluded the 2011 season with a goal against No. 5-nationally ranked Adelphi on April 30. He narrowly missed reaching the 20-goal mark early in the fourth quarter as his shot from the slot was deflected away at the last second by Adelphi's goaltender.

It's the second-straight year the program has been recognized by NEILA following the end of the regular season. Following the 2010 season, Franklin Pierce finished with a No. 5 ranking in the organization's regional poll, marking the first time in program history the Ravens were ranked among the top-five in New England.

For more information on Franklin Pierce men's lacrosse, please visit the team's page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceAthletics).