Michael Culver Named New Balance Sportsman of the Year

[Sonny]

Major League Lacrosse - the nation's premier professional outdoor lacrosse league - has announced that Chicago Machine defenseman Michael Culver has been chosen as the 2006 New Balance Sportsman of the Year. The award is based upon the votes of general managers and coaches from each of the ten Major League Lacrosse teams.

The New Balance Sportsman of the Year recognizes a player who has consistently demonstrated sportsmanship through tenacity, determination and fair play on the field over the course of the regular season.

Last year, Pat McCabe of the Long Island Lizards won the award and in 2004, Chicago Machine Head Coach Kevin Finneran was awarded the New Balance Sportsman of the Year. The New Balance sportsmanship award began in 2003 and was first honored to New Jersey Pride attackman Jon Hess.

In his first season as a Major League Lacrosse player, Culver was a standout defenseman who started in all ten Machine games after the 2006 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft in May. Culver tallied 27 ground balls throughout the season and managed to hold Ryan Powell - who was averaging over 6 points a game -to only one assist in their last game against the San Francisco Dragons.

"We extremely proud that Mike is a part of our team," said Machine Head Coach Kevin Finneran. "He is truly worthy of this honor and we are looking forward to him leading the Machine for many years to come."

Culver also contributed to the community and donated half of his season salary to The Children's Heart Foundation - an organization that funds "the most promising research to advance the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of congenital heart defects." Since Culver's initial declaration of his donation, other teams and individuals have decided to contribute to The Children's Heart Foundation. If you wish to contribute to The Children's Heart Foundation, visit their website at www.childrensheartfoundation.org.