Rielly Named 2015 Colleluori Memorial Award Recipient

By Jim Sheehan
Hempstead, NY โ€“Hofstra senior Ryan Rielly has been named the Nicholas Colleluori Memorial Award recipient for the 2015 season, Pride Head Coach Seth Tierney announced.

Since 2010, the Hofstra Men’s Lacrosse program has selected one senior player, who embodies Nick Colleluori’s relentless attitude and spirit. Colleluori, who was a three-sport athlete and graduated from Ridley High School in June 2004, joined the Hofstra Pride Lacrosse team the next fall. With hard work and determination, Nick earned a role on the Hofstra team the spring of his freshman year. Nick was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in September 2005, which started a courageous 14-month battle with cancer. He lost his battle on November 28th, 2006.

During his illness, Nick not only battled cancer physically, but also mentally. He reached out to others with the same illness and counseled them to have the same positive outlook that Nick always possessed. It was Nick’s hope and dream in his waning days and weeks to begin the HEADstrong Foundation, to help those who had been diagnosed with blood cancers, as well as put an end to this horrible disease.

Rielly, a long-stick midfielder from East Northport, New York, will wear the uniform number 27 that the late Hofstra student-athlete wore.

Rielly played in all 16 games last season and recorded career-highs in goals (3), assists (1), points (4), shots (9), ground balls (49) and caused turnovers (23). He led the team in the forced turnovers and was second in ground balls. Rielly tallied a career-high two goals in the Pride’s 8-6 win over Delaware in the CAA Championship semifinals. He also was tied for the season-high on the team with nine ground balls in a 15-10 win over Marist. He also forced three turnovers in games against Princeton, Fairfield and Marist.

Rielly follows previous Colleluori Memorial Award recipients, Adam Swarsen in 2010, Steve DeNapoli in 2011, Cole Koesterer in 2012, John Antoniades in 2013 and Anthony Zappone last season.

Hofstra is coming off an 11-5 season in 2014. The Pride won the Colonial Athletic Association regular season title but dropped an 11-10 triple-overtime decision to Drexel in the CAA Tournament championship game last May.

After three preseason scrimmages in late January, Hofstra begins its 2015 regular season on Saturday, February 14 when the Pride host the Golden Eagles of Marquette University. Game time at James M. Shuart Stadium is Noon.