MORELLI RECEIVES INAUGURAL JOHN SMILLIE, JR. AWARD FROM ECC

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (Jul. 8, 2009) - The East Coast Conference recently pronounced senior goalkeeper Ettore Morelli (North Bellmore, N.Y.) of the Molloy College men's soccer team as one of its three recipients of the inaugural John Smillie, Jr. Award. The honor is given out by the Sports Medicine staff members of the ECC to student-athletes, who have overcome challenges to participate and contribute to the intercollegiate athletic program of their school.

Morelli, the 2008 East Coast Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, has certainly bit his share of the injury bug over the course of his career at Molloy. Prior to the start of Morelli's rookie season in 2004, he underwent his first knee surgery. Despite that, Morelli played in all 17 games in net, and was selected as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year. However, it was revealed that he suffered a tear in his meniscus the ensuing spring, which required further surgery and rehabilitation.

After redshirting the next year, Morelli returned to the field in 2006. Once again, he managed to play in all 17 contests, and was recognized for his efforts with All-ECC third-team accolades. Then, in 2007, Morelli began the campaign ready to go, but was sidelined with another meniscus injury after just a few games. He found out that he would need to undergo season-ending surgery yet again. The fourth operation on his knee, which was a complete­­­­ menisectomy, showed doubts as to whether or not Morelli would ever play again.

With a lot of fight left in him, Morelli came back for the 2008 season to take his rightful spot in the Lions' net. A team captain, he helped the squad to a program-best 12-6-2 mark, and its first-ever ECC title following a 1-0 win over then eighth-ranked Dowling College on November 8. The Lions then went on to make their first-ever NCAA Division II Tournament appearance, and Morelli was ready for it. However, Molloy fell to 14th-ranked University of Massachusetts - Lowell in the opening round by a final score of 3-2.

Overall, in 2008, Morelli made 91 saves, and notched five shutouts. He also posted a goals-against average of 1.27 in 20 games played. As a result, Morelli was positioned 62nd in the nation in GAA and 63rd in saves. He was also slotted 51st in save percentage (.778). Amongst the ECC, Morelli was first in saves, third in shutouts, save percentage and saves per game, and sixth in shutouts per game.

The other two recipients of the John Smillie, Jr. Award were sophomore forward Linda Velaj (Stamford, Conn.) of the University of Bridgeport women's soccer team and sophomore outfielder Krissy Lacik (Edison, N.J.) of the Mercy College softball team.