May 23, 2013
USILA Division I All-Americans | 2013 Penn State Season Highlights
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) named junior Austin Kaut (Morton, Pa.) to its All-America First Team on Thursday, the first time a Nittany Lion earned first-team honors in 73 years. By virtue of his first-team honor, Kaut earned the Ensign C. Markland Kelly, Jr. Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top goalie in college lacrosse.
Graduating senior Jack Forster (Jenkintown, Pa.) and junior midfielder Tom LaCrosse (Canandaigua, N.Y.) picked up their first national honors as USILA Honorable Mention All-Americans. The three combined national honors are the most since 2003 when Rob Bateman (second team) was joined by Chris Garrity and Matt Zappia as honorable mention.
"Our staff is very proud of our All-America honorees," Penn State Head Coach Jeff Tambroni said. "These awards are symbolic of their tireless work ethic and the contributions of their teammates."
Kaut joins George Ritter as Penn State's only USILA All-America First Team members. Ritter was a midfielder for the 1940 Nittany Lion squad. This is the 31st time in the program's 100 seasons that a Nittany Lion garnered first, second or third team recognition. Kaut is also Penn State's first back-to-back honoree on the All-America list since 1981-82 when goalkeeper Joe Guterding was a back-to-back third-team honoree.
For Kaut, he has steadily risen to becoming the nation's top goalie, earning honorable mention in 2011 as a freshman, a third-team honor last season before this year's first-team accolade. In 2014, Kaut will have a chance to become the first repeat Ensign C. Markland Kelly, Jr. Award winner since 1999-2000 (Mickey Jarboe, Navy). Additionally, Kaut is the first goalie from the Colonial Athletic Association to earn a first-team All-America honor.
Kaut, the Colonial Athletic Association's Player and Defensive Player of the Year, posted a career year with a 7.37 goals-against average (third in the nation) while making a career-high 194 saves this season. Kaut also stopped 61 percent of shots on goal (second in the nation) and registered a 12-5 record for the Nittany Lions. Kaut saved 10 or more shots in 12 of 17 games including three 16-save performances.
Forster, who was named to the USILA North-South Game on Wednesday afternoon, posted a career year in his final season in Happy Valley. The redshirt-senior ends his time at PSU tied for second all-time in goals scored with 104 tallies behind his 41 goals this year.
He notched a career-high 16 assists for a grand total of 57 points. He ranked 27th nationally in goals per game (2.41) and 35th in points per game (3.35). Forster's 57 points were the most by a Nittany Lion since 1995 (Erik Merkel, 61). Forster ended his career on a 29-game point streak dating back to March 3, 2012.
A tough-nosed midfielder who has improved every year, LaCrosse showed his guts and guile by carving up opposing defenses to the tune of 23 goals, five assists and 28 points: all career highs. LaCrosse also collected 17 ground balls and caused three turnovers, proving to be one of Penn State's most aggressive players on the attacking end.
LaCrosse tallied three hat tricks this season and was vital to Penn State's offense during a 10-game winning streak, scoring in the final nine victories of the season. The nine-game goal streak was the longest of his career, while also posting a point in all but two games.
The 2013 campaign marks one of the finest awards season for the Nittany Lions as well as one of the best in the program's 100 seasons. Penn State won a school record 12 games in a season and reached the NCAA Tournament for the third occasion overall and the first time since 2005. Earning a national seed and first-round home game was also another team first.
On the awards front, the Nittany Lions had an All-American and two honorable mention All-Americans in the same season for the first time since 2003. Penn State also placed a member on the USILA Scholar All-America list for the second straight year (Nick Dolik; Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and a record six All-CAA First Team honorees. The Lions also swept the CAA individual awards with Kaut earning top player honors, Tambroni garnering Coach of the Year recognition and TJ Sanders (Orillia, Ont.) being named the conference's Rookie of the Year.
--NITTANY LIONS--