2/13/2003 - Men's Lacrosse
Navy Lacrosse Opens 2003 Season At Home

ANNAPOLIS, Md. ? Despite lingering snow on the ground, the Navy lacrosse season will get underway Saturday at 12-Noon when the Mids play host to Marist. Due to renovations at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium this spring, all eight of the Mids? home games will be contested at Rip Miller Field.

Driving access to the Naval Academy is limited to vehicles with a DOD (Department of Defense) sticker, however fans are encouraged to take the free shuttle from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The shuttle, which begins one hour prior to the game and will continue an hour after the game, will pick up fans on the press box side of the stadium and will drop them off at Rip Miller Field. Visitors will be required to have a photo ID to ride the bus.

Tickets may be purchased at Rip Miller Field or to expedite the process, fans will also be able to purchase their tickets at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Tickets are priced as follows ? $40 adult season ticket, $14 youth season ticket; $7 adult single-game ticket, $6 NAAA member single-game ticket or $3 student single-game ticket.

The following is a position-by-position outlook to this spring?s Navy lacrosse team.

Attack

Navy?s attack will center around a pair of juniors and a senior, as Richie Meade must find a replacement for All-ECAC Eddie McKinnon. One of the keys to Navy?s success out of the attack is whether or not senior Eddy Holton can remain healthy. Holton has had multiple surgeries on his ankles since his arrival to Annapolis in 2000, including a surgery that nearly took his leg in the summer of 2001. With that said, the adversity Holton has overcome, along with his fierce love to compete are hard to match.

Holton was the Mids? fifth-leading scorer a year ago, producing a goal or an assist in eight-consecutive games before pulling his hamstring in the first quarter of play at Maryland. He sat out the Penn State and Mount St. Mary?s games nursing his hamstring, before returning for the Johns Hopkins outing where he re-aggravated his hamstring and ankle. He finished his junior campaign with 13 points on 10 goals and three assists.

?I think a big key to our success is Eddy?s fitness,? said Meade. ?If he?s healthy, he will give us such a physical presence on the field. He rides extremely well and is a very aggressive player. He has the ability to make everyone around him better.?

All-ECAC honoree Ben Bailey will see his first full year as an attackman this spring. The midfielder was moved to the attack in several of Navy?s games last season, including one of the most productive contests of his career ? the Army game in which he scored three goals and added an assist. Bailey scored 17 goals and added six assists for 23 points and was honored as the Coach William H. ?Dinty? Moore Award winner as Navy?s most outstanding offensive player. In league action, he recorded seven goals and a pair of assists. For the year, he produced multi-goal scoring outputs in five contests, including against UMBC, Maryland and Army.

?Ben will again play attack after a successful sophomore season,? said Meade. ?He seems a little more comfortable playing attack this year than last, and obviously, he is going to be a very big asset for us this spring.?

Junior Joe Bossi had a solid sophomore campaign, scoring seven goals and adding an assist in the 13 games in which he played. The Mids? seventh-leading scorer last spring, he scored goals against ECAC foes UMBC and Penn State.

?We are really looking for big things out of Joe this year,? said Meade. ?He shoots the ball extremely well left-handed, especially from inside. He has more experience and more confidence coming into this spring which will be a real asset for the team.?

Senior Dustin DiNola is looking forward to an injury-free season after starting off his junior year recovering from ankle surgery. Once healthy, DiNola played in 10 games, scoring a pair of goals against ECAC foe Rutgers.

?I thought Dustin would have been more of a factor had he not gotten hurt a year ago,? said Meade. ?A healthy Dustin DiNola will give us a physical presence on attack.?

Dave Hunter is another senior who was hampered with injuries last season. He played in nine contests despite being slowed by a nagging ankle injury. Most of Hunter?s minutes last spring were spent at defensive midfield due to his inability to make cuts because of his ankle woes.

?David is one of the guys on the team that really exemplifies the team concept,? said Meade. ?He?s played a lot in a riding role, but we think he might be able to expand on that this year. He?s been a very good leader and has been very helpful with the younger attackmen and helping them develop.?

Finally, a handful of new names will likely appear in the mix at some point this year. Freshman Ian Dingman is the younger brother of senior defenseman/face-off specialist Chris Dingman. At 6-3, 250 pounds, Dingman will certainly give the Midshipmen a solid physical presence on the attack.

Another freshman who may see playing time is Taylor Harris out of Clifton, Va. Harris led James Robinson Secondary to back-to-back state championships in 2001 and ?02 and was deemed the team?s most outstanding offensive player.

Rookie Jon Birsner was a three-sport standout at MacArthur High School in Levittown, N.Y. He, too, is expected to see minutes as a member of Navy?s attack.

?I look for Ian Dingman, Jon Birsner and Taylor Harris to earn a good amount of playing time this spring. All three had strong fall seasons.?

Midfield

Navy?s midfield was probably the least-affected position in terms of graduation of players last spring. Returning is All-America midfielder Greg Conklin, who enters his senior campaign with more goals (39), assists (19) and points (58) than any other player on the Navy roster. Last season, Conklin produced 10 goals and six assists out of the midfield en route to being named Honorable Mention All-America. He was the Mids? second-leading scorer in conference play, producing 10 points on five goals and a team-high five assists. Conklin?s offensive prowess speaks for itself, yet so does his presence on the wing on face-offs. Last spring, he snatched 56 ground balls, which ranks 16th on Navy?s single-season ground balls leader board.

?Greg has been an outstanding player in every aspect of the game for the last three years,? said Meade. ?He is going to cap his career here at Navy as one of the most consistent midfielders we?ve had over the last several years.?

Graham Gill returns for his sophomore season after a surprising freshman campaign. He came back from surgery which repaired his medial meniscus in his right knee and scored three goals and added six assists as Navy?s sixth-leading scorer. Gill, who earned four starts among the 12 games in which he played, recorded a pair of goals and an assist against ECAC foe Massachusetts in one of his best performances of the year.

?Graham is a big, strong guy who improved himself physically over the last year,? said Meade. ?He can handle the ball extremely well and has improved his shooting. He is coming off an outstanding freshman season and I believe Graham will have a big impact this year.?

Senior Kelly Nash scored four goals last season, with three of the four against Massachusetts, Georgetown and Johns Hopkins. Nash was slowed up with a shoulder injury towards the end of the season, but looks to by free of injury entering his final year of competition. One of the fastest guys on the team, his speed and ability to allude defenders makes him a strong scoring threat.

?Kelly has been and continues to be an improving player and a very good surprise,? said Meade. ?He is extremely fast and can get to his right hand to either shoot the ball or feed it. He is playing with a lot of confidence and I look for him to be a factor this spring.?

Junior Mike Begley is without injury for the first time since his freshman year. Back to his form that helped lead West Genesee to an undefeated season just a few years ago, Meade believes Begley will factor into the first or second midfield.

?Michael had a great fall season,? said Meade. ?He is in good form and playing extremely well going into the spring. I am looking for him to be able to contribute in a variety of ways to this team.?

Leading the way for the second midfield is senior team captain Dan Kretz. A veteran player of the team, Kretz played in all 13 contests a year ago and produced five goals. He was particularly strong and aggressive by season?s end when he scored a pair of goals in the Star Game at Army.

?Danny is a very good leader, yet a quiet one,? said Meade. ?He?s been injured over the last couple of years, but he?s healthy and he?s going to be the guy we will rely on to become a steady player.?

Juniors Adam Reel and Dan Eddy will both need to step up to the challenge and become offensive threats for the Mids in 2003. Reel netted a trio of goals last spring, including scores against Stony Brook and Penn State. Eddy, meanwhile, provided a pair of assists while scoring three goals of his own.

?We are looking for Adam to improve a little bit this spring,? said Meade. ?He has very good offensive skills and is quick. He can get to the goal by coming from behind using his quickness. He gets himself into the position to shoot and feed because of his physical skill. I?d like to see him take advantage of that, and I think he will with a little more experience.?

?Dan really came on at the end of last year and continued that improvement into the fall,? said Meade. ?He?s a converted attackman, so he can invert nicely.?

Senior Dan Neverosky will focus on just lacrosse for the first time in his career. A two-sport standout at the Academy, Neverosky played a major role in the success of Navy?s men?s soccer program over the last several years. Last spring, he played in 12 contests and produced five assists, including two against second-ranked Johns Hopkins.

?Dan really helped us down the stretch last spring,? said Meade. ?He gives us everything he?s got. He?s quick, smart and he will contribute in a positive manner this year.?

Scott Gaiser, Matt Midura and Bryan Wolfe are expected to make up the third midfield for the Mids. Gaiser burst onto the scene at Maryland as a member of the extra-man squad. He scored two goals in the six games he played, both against Mount St. Mary?s.

?Scott played extra-man for us last year and should again play a role in extra-man this spring,? said Meade. ?He can shoot the ball extremely well left-handed. He?s worked hard in the weight room over the last several months and his continued improvement will help us a great deal.?

Midura also played in six games, while Wolfe saw action in 10 games, scoring a goal in the Mids? opener against St. Joseph?s.

Freshmen Trevor Hoselton, Steve Looney and Kevin Raspet may also see time as reserve midfielders.

Face-Off

Leading the way in face-offs is Chris Dingman. The senior is used in a dual role both as a face-off man, as well as a defenseman. Last season, Dingman played in all 13 games, grabbing the third-most ground balls on the team with 45, mostly off face-offs.

Dingman uses an unusual approach to his style of facing off. He is one of the few players in the country that faces off using a long pole instead of a short stick. Unfazed, however, he produced a 58.1 winning percentage, taking control of 93 of the 160 draws he took. In ECAC action, Dingman?s percentage improved to 61.1 percent, winning 44 of the 72 face-offs. He enters his senior campaign second on the Navy career face-offs list with 170, trailing Jason Hull by 13.

?Chris returns as our top face-off guy this spring,? said Meade. ?We are looking forward to using him in a dual role this spring.?

Sophomore Chris Pieczonka will complement Dingman on face-offs. The second-year player saw time in three contests last season, winning 60 percent (6-for-10) of his face-offs. Two games Pieczonka competed in were against top competition ? North Carolina and Georgetown ? where he was 1-for-3. He gained a great deal of experience as a member of both the varsity and junior varsity clubs and is expected to play a major role in the face-off game this spring.

?Chris works extremely hard at the face-off position and has really improved physically since he got here,? said Meade. ?He shoots the ball well, as well, so he is an offensive threat when winning possession.?

While Dingman and Pieczonka will be the primary face-off guys, look for Mike Begley and Steve Looney to see minutes in the circle, as well. Begley appears to be in as good a shape as he was when he first came to the Academy ? before breaking his fibula his freshman season. Last season, he saw action in 12 contests and posted a 60.0 percent winning percentage in the five face-offs he took.

Meanwhile, Looney is a bit of an unknown in his freshman campaign, but was a standout at the Naval Academy Prep School, as well as DeMatha Catholic High School.

Close Defense

With the graduation of defensemen Marshall Croft and Micah Sybor, as well as All-America goalkeeper Jon Higdon, the Navy coaching staff will look to senior Chris Stebbings as the corner stone of Navy?s defense. Stebbings is one of the most imposing figures in college lacrosse at 6-1, 205 pounds. The four-year starter has never missed a game in his career and is the epitome of Navy?s strong tradition of outstanding defensemen.

?Chris can definitely be an All-American this year,? said Meade. ?He has been an anchor on our defensive unit since his freshman year. He has started every game since he came here and has never been injured. He?s one tough kid. We are going to rely on his leadership as the season unfolds to solidify what will be a young defensive team.?

Chris Dingman will also be relied upon for his knowledge and experience. Dingman shattered his thumb during the fall, so the Navy coaching staff will need to work him back into the lineup this spring.

Returning to the team after a one-year hiatus is senior Matt Mesa. At 6-1, 200 pounds, Mesa is also one of the toughest competitors on the Navy squad. He has a great deal of experience, but his maturity may play a more important factor in leading a youth-packed defense.

?A couple of years ago, Matt was our fourth defensive player,? said Meade. ?He has come back bigger, stronger and a little bit more mature. His leadership and experience will be a positive force on the team.?

The youth Meade is talking about is in the form of junior Jared Bosanko, sophomores Mitch Hendler, Karl Hassenfratz, Pat Reilley and Mike Felber, along with freshmen Chris Barnard and Trevor Knight.

Hassenfratz and Hendler are not only side-by-side in the alphabetical roster, they will likely be brothers in arms on the field, as well. The sophomore tandem will be alongside Stebbings on close defense with both players seeing a fair amount of time a year ago. Hassenfratz played in eight contests, while Hendler saw time in 10 games.

?Karl is a very good athlete and physically tough,? said Meade. ?He has good skills and has the ability to cover a quick attackman.

?Mitch is an extremely talented player who I see in a starting role for us this spring,? said Meade. ?He can cover almost any category of attackman and has great stickwork. He has a solid understanding of our defense and is ready to step up to the challenge this year.?

Reilley is one of the biggest players on the Navy roster at 6-4 and just under 200 pounds. Though he saw playing time in just a pair of games as a freshman, his size and speed will provide a pathway to plenty of minutes this spring.

?Patrick is a big, strong, physical kid who has great size and range at 6-4, 200 pounds,? said Meade. ?He spent last year in a learning mode and came out and competed extremely well in the fall.?

Should Bosanko stay healthy this spring, he will provide Navy with depth at close defense and may be contender for a starting position. Last fall, Bosanko hurt his knee, so the jury is out on how he will respond this spring.

?Jared has blossomed after two years and is prepared to challenge for a starting role,? said Meade. ?He hurt his knee in the fall, but a healthy Jared Bosanko is going to play quite a significant role for us this year.?

Second-year player Mike Felber will be asked to play both close defense, as well as up top in the defensive midfield. Though the High School All-American out of McQuaid Jesuit in Rochester, N.Y., played in just three contests as a freshman, he was tutored by the veteran players and will now be a starter on Navy?s defense.

Finally, Barnard and Knight may see playing time in their first year with the Mids.

Short Stick Defensive Midfield

Navy has a lengthy list of quick, physical short stick defensive midfielders. The epitome of Navy lacrosse may be that of senior Dan Griffin.

?Dan has sacrificed a lot for this team,? said Meade. ?He could be a very god offensive midfielder, but we?ve needed him to play defense because of his athletic ability.?

Griffin is a two-year starter among the ?shorties,? possessing a great deal of experience and knowledge. Last season, he scrambled for 22 ground balls and netted a goal against Lehigh for the second-consecutive year. Griffin?s ability to be both a defensive and offensive threat make him a vital asset to the team.

?Last year, Dan had a stellar season,? said Meade. ?He was on the field a lot and gained a great deal of experience and had to become a leader on that end of the field. His leadership plays a positive role for us.?

While Griffin teamed up with Chris Pintauro a year ago to become one of the most talented short stick tandems in the league, Griffin will look to become a formidable duo with sophomore Clipper Lennon.

A year ago, Lennon was moved to from an offensive middie to play on the defensive side of the stick. As a freshman, he saw action in nine games, scooping up five ground balls in the process.

?Clipper was maybe the biggest and most pleasant surprise of all of last year,? said Meade. ?He?s exceptionally schooled for a younger player and everybody benefits from having Clipper on the team.?

Senior Steve Kuehn will also add depth at the short stick defensive midfield provided he stays healthy. In the last two years, Kuehn has suffered from stress fractures in both legs, while also tearing his lateral meniscus in his right knee. While he has rebounded from each of those setback, he?s not had a year free from injury. If Kuehn is injury-free, he will be a force to be reckoned with. At 6-3, 220 pounds, he is one of the biggest players on the Navy roster. A tenacious defender, his size and strength allow him to cover a strong, physical midfielder or attackman and ability to neutralize that player.

?Steve is big, strong, physical and fast ? he?s got all of the tools,? said Meade. ?If he can stay healthy, he will be a huge asset for us. He can play on the wing on the face-off and he can cover a big, strong midfielder inverted with his physical ability. He gives us athletic ability at that position in which we always need.?

Sophomore Dan Harris played in just one contest with the varsity squad last season, but oh what a year of difference a year makes. The Navy coaching staff is extremely fond of Harris and the improvements he has made. Like Griffin, he is an offensive threat coming from the defensive side of the field to the offensive side.

?Dan has really improved over the last year and had a great fall season,? said Meade. ?If he continues at the pace where he left off in the fall, he?s going to see a significant amount of playing time. He?s a smart guy who possesses good physical ability.?

Rounding out the corps of short stick defensive midfielders is junior Brendan Looney. Just a second-year player after coming out for the lacrosse for the first time a year ago, Looney also has the size and speed that is a formidable combination for a good shorty.

?Looney got a lot of experience last year and had a strong fall season,? said Meade. ?He?s a very physical player who has a lot of speed. He?s another guy we can use in a role position to get him on the field and utilize his ability.?

Long Stick Defensive Midfield

Junior Thomas Morris returns as Navy?s top long stick defensive midfielder in what Meade says could be an All-American year for the Alexandria, Va., product. Once described as a fearless leader, he provides Navy with a strong physical presence in the middle of the field at 6-1, nearly 200 pounds. Last season he played in all 13 contests, scoring a pair of goals and more than doubled his ground ball effort from his freshman season.

?Bucky returns as our best long stick defensive player and probably one of the best defensive players in the country,? said Meade. ?He can get the ball from defense to offense on a consistent basis. He?s just a very poised player. He understands our defense extremely well and has developed into one of our leaders on that end of the field.?

Sophomore James Sullivan played exclusively with the JV team, but his efforts in the fall impressed the Navy coaching staff. He will likely take the place of Phill Emery who graduated last spring.

?Jimmy really came on in the fall...in fact, he had a great fall,? said Meade. ?He?s a smart player with great stickwork. I really feel very good about him in our lineup this year.?

Aforementioned Mike Felber will be asked to play both close defense, as well as up top in the defensive midfield.

In Goal

Perhaps the biggest question mark of the season for Navy is protecting the goal. There?s little doubt the credentials of Seth DiNola, Keith McGilvray and Matt Russell are top notch. It?s the fact Navy must look to one of these three guys who have very little game experience. It?s sophomore DiNola who appears to have the early edge coming off a solid fall season.

?Seth is a guy that is a tremendous leader,? said Meade. ?He?s a student of the game, if you will. He has improved tremendously after watching most of the year last year as a plebe and earned valuable playing time with the JV team. I think he?s prepared to step in and be the starting goalie.?

The younger of the DiNola brothers saw action in three contests as a rookie ? St. Joseph?s, Stony Brook and Johns Hopkins. In both the Stony Brook and Johns Hopkins games, he was utilized in the waning moments of the game for his athleticism. An accomplished all-around athlete at The Albany Academy, DiNola?s greatest asset is his quickness.

Fellow sophomore McGilvray played all of his freshman campaign with the junior varsity. Physically, he?s much bigger and stronger than the other goalkeepers. He possesses great hand quickness, is poised in the cage and throws good outlet passes. He, too, had a strong fall season competing for the Midshipmen.

?Keith had a tremendous fall,? said Meade. ?We feel he is very capable of stepping in at any time and will be able to contribute.?

Russell is a rookie out of Madison, Conn., who was a highly-touted high school player two years ago. A High School All-American at Fairfield College Prep, Russell attended the Naval Academy Prep School last season where he was able to hone his skills. Russell, however, injured his shoulder early in the fall and underwent surgery. He will be ready for competition this spring and could see some minutes for the Mids.

G-o N-a-v-y