Mario Lavacca Named Men’s Soccer MVP

NEW PALTZ, NY — Port Washington native Mario Lavacca was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the SUNY New Paltz men’s soccer team at the school’s annual Athletic Awards Banquet on May 7th.

Lavacca, a senior forward and co-captain, capped off his four-year career by earning the Huntley Parker Award honoring the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Player of the Year. He became the first player in the history of the New Paltz men’s soccer program to win the award.

Lavacca led New Paltz and finished third in the SUNYAC with a career-high 14 goals and 29 points. He was also named to the All-SUNYAC First Team and garnered National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-New York Region Second Team honors for the second time in his career.

Lavacca also received the Floyd Patterson Award as the most outstanding male athlete. The 2000 graduate of Paul D. Schreiber High School finished his career with 95 points on 44 goals and seven assists.