CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (Feb. 3, 2016) - On Wednesday afternoon, LIU Post men's lacrosse senior attackman Matty Beccaris (North Babylon, N.Y.) was selected as the East Coast Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

Beccaris, who also earned Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-America first-team praise, had 44 goals and 20 assists for 64 points last year. His 44 tallies were the second-most in the league and are tied for tops amongst returning players for 2016.

In 2015, Beccaris was named to the All-ECC First Team and the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-America Second Team. It was the third time in as many seasons that he was recognized as a USILA All-American.

Through his first three years at LIU Post, Beccaris has scored 112 career goals. That total puts him 33 tallies shy of breaking the program's all-time record of 144, set by Athletic Hall of Famer Tom Postel from 1963-65.

In the ECC Preseason Poll, the Pioneers were tabbed as the favorite to three-peat, collecting 78 points and six first-place votes. They were followed by New York Institute of Technology, Mercy College and Dowling College.

The top four teams in the final regular-season standings will qualify for the ECC Men's Lacrosse Tournament on May 4 and 7. The finals are scheduled to be held at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium at LIU Post.

The Pioneers open the 2016 campaign on Saturday, Feb. 20, when they square off with No. 4/2 Merrimack in North Andover, Mass. at noon.

2016 ECC Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
1. LIU Post (Six First-Place Votes) - 78 Points
2. NYIT (Two First-Place Votes) - 73 Points
3. Mercy - 58 Points
4. Dowling - 50 Points
5. Chestnut Hill (One First-Place Vote) - 48 Points
6. Molloy - 43 Points
7. Roberts Wesleyan - 27 Points
8. Dist. Columbia - 17 Points
9. Dominican - 11 Points