May 26, 2011
2011 USILA All-America Teams
BALTIMORE, Md. - Senior LSM Brian Karalunas (Dewitt, N.Y.) has been named a 2011 USILA First Team All-American, as announced by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association on Thursday morning. Karalunas is the first Villanova Lacrosse player in program history to be named a USILA First Team All-American.
Karalunas finishes his career as the most decorated men's lacrosse student-athlete in program history. He is Villanova's first three-time USILA All-American after being named to the honorable mention team in 2009 and 2010 and garnered back-to-back BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2010 and 2011. He has twice been named a First Team All-BIG EAST selection and was the 2009 CAA Defensive Player of the Year while earning First Team All-CAA accolades during his sophomore season.
On the field, the two-time captain finished his senior season with 74 ground balls and 70 caused turnovers, leading the NCAA averaging 4.38 takeaways per game. He also led in the same category during the 2010 season. For his career, the long-stick midfielder is Villanova's and the NCAA's career leader with 153 caused turnovers and ranks ninth all-time at Villanova with 213 ground balls.
During his four years with the team, Karalunas led the Wildcats to their first two NCAA postseason appearances in program history during the 2009 and 2011 seasons and helped Villanova reach their highest ranking at No. 7 in the USILA Coaches poll in 2011. Last weekend, Karalunas earned his first start in the professional lacrosse ranks with the Long Island Lizards, posting six takeaways in his debut with Major League Lacrosse.
In the classroom, Karalunas graduates Villanova with a degree in Honors and Philosophy from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a 3.94 cumulative GPA. In 2010-11, Karalunas was named the American Eagle Outfitters BIG EAST Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award Winner. He is also a current finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award presented to the nation's most outstanding men's lacrosse student-athlete.
Villanova finished the 2011 season after falling in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Denver, 13-10. The Wildcats posted an overall record of 11-5 while going 3-3 in the BIG EAST.
