Matt Gibson '12, a former Yale All-American, has been named 2012 Cascade Major League Lacrosse Rookie of the Year. The Long Island Lizards attackman earned the honor based on votes submitted by the head coaches and general manager of each of the league's eight teams.

"It's a big honor because there are a lot of good players that are rookies and my goal will be to not think too much about it before the playoffs and to focus on the team, but I know I will enjoy this after the playoffs," said Gibson.
The MLL Championship Weekend presented by Warrior will be held on August 25-26 at Harvard Stadium. The Lizards face top-seeded Denver in the first semifinal at 1 p.m. before No. 2 Chesapeake plays defending MLL champion Boston at approximately 4 p.m. The two semi-final winners will play in the championship game on Sunday, August 26 at 3 p.m.

"The coaching staff has been really supportive of this year's rookies and the transition [from the collegiate level] has been great thanks to the guys I've been working with," Gibson said.
The Lizards' third-leading scorer, Gibson led all MLL rookies with 33 points by scoring 18 goals with 15 assists. He tallied a point in 10 of 12 games this season, including back-to-back five-point outings against Charlotte and Ohio to begin his career.
A two-time selection as the Cascade MLL Rookie of the Week, Gibson earned the award after scoring a goal with four assists in his professional debut, a 10-9 victory over Charlotte on May 19. He also earned the honor on June 25 after scoring three goals with an assist in the Lizards' 14-8 victory over the Denver Outlaws.
The former Bulldog also had a three-goal effort against Ohio on June 16 and scored two goals with two assists in a win against the Hounds on July 28.
"The MLL Rookie of the Year is always a huge source of pride for Cascade Lacrosse," said Cascade Director of Sales and Marketing Tim Ellsworth. "As these players step from the collegiate platform to the professional stage they are emerging as heroes and role models for tomorrow's players. We congratulate Matt Gibson on displaying both of these in his debut season."

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IVY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 3 Yale vs. No. 1 Princeton
When: Sunday at noon
Where: Princeton, N.J.
TV: ESPNU
Records: Yale (10-4); Princeton (11-3)
At stake: NCAA Tournament berth
What to look for: Yale avenged an early-season loss to Cornell to earn a berth in the final. The Bulldogs, ranked 14th in the nation, have won eight straight. They got eight goals from Deron Dempster and eight assists from Matt Gibson in Friday’s 14-10 win over the Big Red. Top-seed Princeton (ranked 9th) edged Brown 9-6 on Friday. The last time these two teams met it was the longest game in the history of both schools. Princeton won the game in the fifth overtime 10-9.