Hoboken, N.J. (May 27, 2009) – NYIT lacrosse player Matt Messina (Sayville, N.Y.) was selected in the fourth round of the 2009 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) collegiate draft as the 30th pick by the Boston Cannons. NYIT head coach Jack Kaley shared his thoughts about the senior midfielder: “This is a great personal achievement for Matt and a credit to his dedication and hard work. During his career, he not only improved as a player, but as a teammate as well. I'm confident he’ll have a successful career in the MLL.”

This year Messina earned United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Asociation (USILA) First Team All-American honors and East Coast Conference (ECC) All-Conference First Team honors. He also was selected to play in the USILA North-South Senior All-Star Game. As a junior, Messina helped NYIT win the 2008 NCAA Division II national championship, earning ECC All-Conference Second Team honors and USILA Second Team All-American honors that year. Messina, who finishes his career at NYIT with 59 goals and 65 assists for a total of 124 points, is the ninth player in the program's history to play in the MLL. He will join NYIT alum Tom Zummo, a four-time USILA All-American, on the Boston Cannons.