Maine Maritime Academy lacrosse player Nicholas Betti has been named the North Atlantic Conference Man of the Year after a vote by the league’s athletic directors.
“Nick exemplifies what it truly means to be a leader on and off of the playing field,” NAC Commissioner Julie Muller said in a news release. “He earned all-conference and all-tournament honors throughout his four years, while studying Marine Engineering Technology and capped off his career by being named a Scholar All-American. Nick is a superb choice for the NAC Man of the Year Award, as he has shown a true commitment to his team, his studies, and his community.”
Betti, the first NAC Man of the Year recipient for Maine Maritime, was a two-time most valuable player for the Mariners and earned a top-10 national ranking in goals per game for two seasons.
Off of the field, Betti was named a U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Scholar All-American and received New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Scholar All-Region honors, while also being named to the Maine Maritime Academy dean’s list. He served as the company commander of Delta Company.
This season, Betti broke the Maine Maritime Academy record for career goals, tallying an impressive 165 goals in four years. Betti also ranks first all-time in shots (556), shots on goal (305), games played (59) and games started (58), and he is only the third player in program history to surpass 200 points in his career.
“Nick Betti has been an exceptional leader and captain for us over the past few years. We are extremely proud and humbled that Nick is receiving this award,” Maine Maritime Academy coach Adam Sherman said.
“He is the epitome of what a Division III and NAC student-athlete should be. Nick’s ability to excel in the weight room, on the field and in the classroom, has been contagious over the past four years. He has left an undeniable mark and legacy on the Maine Maritime men’s lacrosse program,” he said.
The NAC Man of the Year award honors graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.