May 24, 2018
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's lacrosse team saw a trio of student-athletes named United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA)/Nike Division I All-Americans after their play in the 2018 season.
Sophomore Gerard Arceri was named to the third team for the first USILA All-American honor of his career, while sophomore Mac O'Keefe and junior Chris Sabia earned honorable mention honors, both for the second-straight season.
Arceri, a faceoff specialist from St. James, New York, earned third team honors and is the first Nittany Lion to earn a spot on the top three teams since the 2014 season when Austin Kaut ('14) earn his third consecutive honor. Arceri was one of four faceoff specialists honored to the top three teams. The first team honoree was the 2018 Lt. j.g. Donald MacLaughlin, Jr. Award Outstanding Midfielder Trevor Baptiste (Denver), with TD Irelan (Albany) landing on the second team. Yale's Conor Mackie joined Arceri on the third team.
The 2018 Big Ten Specialist of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten finished the season with a 68.1-winning percentage at the `x,' earning 216 wins this season. He scooped up an impressive 145 groundballs, for 10.36 per game, adding a career-best six goals, while dishing out one assist. His ground balls per game and his winning percentage at the face are good for fourth and fifth, respectively, in the NCAA and both lead the Big Ten. Arceri claimed a Big Ten Conference single season-best six Specialist of the Week honors in 2018.
Arceri is just the 24th Nittany Lion, 32 total honors, to earn a spot on one of the top three USILA All-American teams, dating back to the 1924 season, and he is just the third athlete to earn honors since 2000.
O'Keefe, an attackman from Syosset, New York, earned honorable mention honors for his play this season. The 2018 All-Big Ten First Team honoree netted a team-best 35 goals, adding 11 assists to his stat line. O'Keefe's 2.5 goals per game stand in the top-20 in the nation. He also scooped up 17 ground balls, while causing an impressive seven turnovers as an offensive player. O'Keefe is now a two-time USILA honorable mention All-American as he earned the honor after his freshman season as well.
Sabia, a native of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, also was named a USILA honorable mention All-American, an honor the defenseman has earned in back-to-back seasons. Sabia led the team with 19 caused turnovers this season, as well as scooping up 23 ground balls. The defenseman also added a career-best five goals. Sabia's 1.36 caused turnovers per game is second in the Big Ten and earned him 2018 All-Big Ten Second Team honors.
The charge of the USILA is to recognize the accomplishments of the student-athletes in their member institutions. The USILA has provided All-American recognition through the presentation of certificates to the student-athlete and the institution at an annual banquet at the site of the North/South All-Star Game. The USILA has an All-American selection committee chair for each NCAA division.