(Ann Arbor, MI) - The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) announced its yearly postseason awards on Thursday afternoon. The WHAC Regular Season Champions, Concordia Men's Lacrosse team saw two first-team members as well as five second-team members. Head Coach Ty McGuire was also named the WHAC Coach of the Year.
FIRST TEAM
SAM SAJE | JR | MACOMB, MICHIGAN
The Cardinals' faceoff man, Sam Saje, won 73.6% of his faceoffs this season, while also becoming the program's record holder in ground balls as he picked up 153. The junior won the most faceoffs and picked up the most ground balls in the WHAC this year. Saje scored five goals on the season, as well as two assists on the season. Saje also earned three WHAC Player of the Week honors this season.
NOAH SORENSON | SR | HOLLAND, MICHIGAN
Noah Sorenson was named to the First Team this season after making the Second Team in 2022. The senior midfielder was crucial on both ends of the field for the Cardinals. Sorenson played in all 14 games for CUAA and scored nine goals on the season while tacking on seven assists. He picked up 14 ground balls and caused 10 turnovers as well.
SECOND TEAM
HUNTER MCCARTY | JR | LAKE ORION, MICHIGAN
Hunter McCarty played in 12 games this season and was the Cardinals fifth highest goal scorer with 20 on the year. Not only was he one of the top scorers, he also recorded the second-most assists on the team with 16. The 16 assists were the 17th-most in the WHAC while his 20 goals were the 30th-most. He won a WHAC weekly award earlier this season and has previously been named WHAC Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-WHAC in his freshman season.
TRAVIS WRIGHT | SO | TROY, MICHIGAN
Travis Wright was named to the Second Team as the leading point scorer for the Cardinals with 41 this season. His 24 goals and 17 assists combined for the 17th-most points in the WHAC. Wright also picked up 14 ground balls on the season while causing 4 turnovers.
EVAN STUART | JR | WATERFORD, MICHIGAN
Evan Stuart was the top attacker for the Cardinals, scoring a team-high 34 goals and tallying five assists. His 34 goals were the seventh-most in the WHAC this season. He won the first WHAC Offensive Player of the Week this season.
JOSEPH LORIA | SR | FENTON, MICHIGAN
The senior long-stick midfielder, Joseph Loria, was a crucial part of the Cardinals' defense as he forced the fifth-most turnovers in the conference with 28 on the season. He tacked on one goal and two assists on the year. In addition to the caused turnovers, he picked up 26 ground balls. He won a WHAC Defensive Player of the Week midway through the season.
JAGGER SINES | SO | LAKE ORION, MICHIGAN
Jagger Sines made a major impact in his second year with the Cardinals defensively. He was ninth in the WHAC in caused turnovers with 22 on the season. The sophomore also picked up 64 ground balls throughout the campaign, the third highest total among non faceoff specialists in the WHAC. Sines tallied three points throughout the season as well with two goals and one assist.
COACH OF THE YEAR
TY MCGUIRE | 5TH SEASON
McGuire is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Cardinals. He has led the Cardinals to their best season since the program's inception in 2017 with a 14-1 record. Over the five seasons, McGuire has accumulated a 32-26 overall record.
CHAMPION OF CHARACTER
Luke Hovarter was recognized as the team's WHAC Champion of Character. The senior was honored for his commitment to the five core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership.
ALL-ACADEMIC
The WHAC announced their All-Academic teams, which involve being a junior in Academic standing and having a cumulative GPA of 3.25. Four Cardinals were named to the team including Hunter McCarty, Joseph Loria, Luke Hovarter, and Sam Bowling.
