Three Owls Honored by Little East Conference

'KEENE, N.H. 3/24/07 - Keene State College's Matt Johnson Colleen Ferguson, and Beau Darak were recipients of Little East Conference honors on Monday.

Johnson, last year's LEC lacrosse defensive player of the year, picked right up where he left off last season by being named the conference's defensive player of the week.  The junior goalie from Derry, N.H., posted a 4-0 record with 32 saves, a 5.07 GAA, and .690 save percentage.  He had 12 saves in a 9-8 overtime victory against Colby College.

Keene State travels to Williams College on Wednesday (4:30 p.m.).

A transfer from Sussex, N.J., Ferguson was named softball player of the week.  She helped lead the Keene State  to a 9-1 during its spring week trip to Fort Myers, Fla. The junior shortstop posted a .500 batting average on 12-for-24 from the plate, while registering six runs scored, 10 RBI, and three home runs. First week highlights for Ferguson included a pair of home runs and four RBIs against Illinois College, and a third dinger of the season against Carroll College five days later. Ferguson sits atop the conference standings in home runs (3) runs batted in (10), and total bases (22), while ranking second in slugging percentage (.917).

The Owls open their LEC and North schedule at Western Conn. on Saturday (1 p.m.).

Named baseball rookie of the week, Darak began his Owl career by batting .429 (18-for 142) in the Owls first 14 games of the season. The freshman first baseman from Londonderry, N.H. had seven runs scored, three doubles, two triples, a home run and 11 RBIs.  His first college home run was a two-run shot against Simpson College during the team's Phoenix trip.

The Owls travel to Springfield College on Wednesday (3 p.m.).