Chris Daddio won 55 faceoffs as a rookie in 2011.
Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski
2012 Season Preview - Part II
2/1/2012 11:29:19 AM | Men's Lacrosse
2012 Preview - Part I
This is the second installment of SUathletics.com's preview of the upcoming 2012 men's lacrosse season. Part I focused on the attack and midfield. Part II features an overview of the team's defensive midfield, close defense, faceoff specialists and goalies.
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD
The Orange has big shoes to fill with the graduation of Joel White, the first defensive specialist to win the Lt. Donald C. MacLaughlin Jr. Award as the nation's most outstanding midfielder. Sophomore Matt Harris was White's backup at pole last season, playing in 16-of-17 games and collecting 11 ground balls. Like White, Harris also contributed offensively with two goals and one assist.
Senior Gairet Myers brings experience to the long-stick midfield position. In his three seasons at SU, Myers has appeared in 17 games. Peter Macartney has been impressive in the preseason after redshirting the 2011 season.
Freshmen Brandon Mullins and Ralph D'Agostino both excelled as long-stick midfielders in high school. Mullins is a talented athlete who led Coppell High School (Texas) to three state lacrosse championships. He was also named the state's 5A Defensive Player of the Year in football by the Associated Press. D'Agostino was selected to the U.S. Under-19 National Team in the summer after a standout career at Immaculata High School in New Jersey.
Seniors Kevin Drew and Joe Moore will serve as Syracuse's two primary short-stick defensive midfielders. Drew played in all 17 games last season and earned All-BIG EAST Second Team accolades. A scoring threat (Drew has 13 career goals), his speed in transition provides a quick spark for the Orange. Moore also played in every game in 2011. He picked up 13 ground balls, while causing seven turnovers. When not playing short-stick, Moore is also available to play the pole.
True sophomore Drew Jenkins and redshirt sophomore Stefan Carpentieri will also likely see time in the defensive midfield. Last season, Jenkins made nine appearances and contributed three ground balls. Carpentieri played in four games in 2011 and recorded one assist.
CLOSE DEFENSE
With the departures of Thomas Guadagnolo and Schmeisser Award winner John Lade, Brian Megill is the unquestioned leader of the defense. The 2012 BIG EAST Preseason co-Defensive Player of the year, Megill has started every game since he stepped on campus. He earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors last season after leading all SU close defenders with 27 caused turnovers.
Among those vying to join Megill in the starting lineup is redshirt junior David Hamlin. A key member of SU's NCAA-leading man-down unit in 2011, Hamlin started twice when Lade was out with an injury. Overall, Hamlin played in 15 games last season and recorded seven ground balls and four caused turnovers.
Junior Joe Fazio brings game experience and will challenge for a starting position, as will Matt Harris. The Orange's most experienced pole, Harris' game sense and physicality makes him an ideal candidate for the position. His versatility gives the coaching staff options on the defensive end.
The trio of redshirt junior Bryan Clegg, true junior Kyle Carey, and redshirt sophomore Griffin Vehar will also compete for playing time. All three saw limited action last season.
Defensive coordinator Lelan Rogers is also trying Brandon Mullins and Ralph D'Agostino, two exceptional long-stick midfielders in high school, at close defense to determine where they fit best.
Freshmen Bobby Tait and Chris Swanson round out the defensive unit. Tait was a lacrosse and hockey standout at Germantown Academy in Pennsylvania. Swanson starred at Rush-Henrietta High School near Rochester and received All-Greater Rochester honors from The Democrat and Chronicle.
FACEOFFS
The sophomore duo of Chris Daddio and Ricky Buhr combine to make a formidable tandem for Syracuse at the X. Both players gained extensive experience last season as rookies. Daddio posted the highest winning percentage (.500, 55-110) of any player on the team with at least 10 attempts in 2011, and his 55 faceoff wins ranked second on the squad. Buhr played in 15 games and posted a .486 winning percentage (36-74) last season.
Drew Jenkins can also take faceoffs, if called upon. Last season, Jenkins attempted three draws, winning one. Orange assistant coach Kevin Donahue has also been working with freshman Mike Messina at the X.
GOALIE
One of the most frequently asked questions in the preseason was how the Orange would replace John Galloway in goal. And for good reason. Syracuse hasn't had to break in a new goalie since the end of the 2007 season.
Enter redshirt sophomore Matthew Lerman. Lerman was Galloway's backup in 2011 and is the frontrunner to win the job. Last season, he played in seven games and recorded eight saves and .615 save percentage.
Senior Paul Dubas and sophomores Ben Levy and Dominic Lamolinara are the other goalies on the roster with game experience. Dubas and Levy each have played two games during the Orange careers, and Lamolinara appeared in three games as a freshman for 2011 NCAA runner-up Maryland before transferring to Syracuse.
Freshman Bobby Wardwell boasts impressive scholastic goalkeeping a credentials. A five-year starter for Shenendehowa High School, Wardwell was named MVP of the 2011 Under Armour Lacrosse Classic. In addition, he was selected as the Troy Record and Albany Times-Union Player of the Year, and Inside Lacrosse ranked him the No. 2 goaltender in the Class of 2011.
Fellow freshmen Michael George and Ben Romagnoli are also competing for backup roles. George was a three-year starter at Pittsburgh Catholic Central, and Romagnoli helped lead nearby Cazenovia High School to a 22-1 record and the 2011 Class C state championship.
Syracuse begins the 2012 campaign on Feb. 5 with a three-way scrimmage against Le Moyne and Hofstra at the Carrier Dome. It opens the regular season at home against Albany on Feb. 19. Single-game and season tickets are available online, at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B) or by calling 1-888-DOMETIX.
This is the second installment of SUathletics.com's preview of the upcoming 2012 men's lacrosse season. Part I focused on the attack and midfield. Part II features an overview of the team's defensive midfield, close defense, faceoff specialists and goalies.
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD
The Orange has big shoes to fill with the graduation of Joel White, the first defensive specialist to win the Lt. Donald C. MacLaughlin Jr. Award as the nation's most outstanding midfielder. Sophomore Matt Harris was White's backup at pole last season, playing in 16-of-17 games and collecting 11 ground balls. Like White, Harris also contributed offensively with two goals and one assist.
Senior Gairet Myers brings experience to the long-stick midfield position. In his three seasons at SU, Myers has appeared in 17 games. Peter Macartney has been impressive in the preseason after redshirting the 2011 season.
Freshmen Brandon Mullins and Ralph D'Agostino both excelled as long-stick midfielders in high school. Mullins is a talented athlete who led Coppell High School (Texas) to three state lacrosse championships. He was also named the state's 5A Defensive Player of the Year in football by the Associated Press. D'Agostino was selected to the U.S. Under-19 National Team in the summer after a standout career at Immaculata High School in New Jersey.
Seniors Kevin Drew and Joe Moore will serve as Syracuse's two primary short-stick defensive midfielders. Drew played in all 17 games last season and earned All-BIG EAST Second Team accolades. A scoring threat (Drew has 13 career goals), his speed in transition provides a quick spark for the Orange. Moore also played in every game in 2011. He picked up 13 ground balls, while causing seven turnovers. When not playing short-stick, Moore is also available to play the pole.
True sophomore Drew Jenkins and redshirt sophomore Stefan Carpentieri will also likely see time in the defensive midfield. Last season, Jenkins made nine appearances and contributed three ground balls. Carpentieri played in four games in 2011 and recorded one assist.
CLOSE DEFENSE
With the departures of Thomas Guadagnolo and Schmeisser Award winner John Lade, Brian Megill is the unquestioned leader of the defense. The 2012 BIG EAST Preseason co-Defensive Player of the year, Megill has started every game since he stepped on campus. He earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors last season after leading all SU close defenders with 27 caused turnovers.
Among those vying to join Megill in the starting lineup is redshirt junior David Hamlin. A key member of SU's NCAA-leading man-down unit in 2011, Hamlin started twice when Lade was out with an injury. Overall, Hamlin played in 15 games last season and recorded seven ground balls and four caused turnovers.
Junior Joe Fazio brings game experience and will challenge for a starting position, as will Matt Harris. The Orange's most experienced pole, Harris' game sense and physicality makes him an ideal candidate for the position. His versatility gives the coaching staff options on the defensive end.
The trio of redshirt junior Bryan Clegg, true junior Kyle Carey, and redshirt sophomore Griffin Vehar will also compete for playing time. All three saw limited action last season.
Defensive coordinator Lelan Rogers is also trying Brandon Mullins and Ralph D'Agostino, two exceptional long-stick midfielders in high school, at close defense to determine where they fit best.
Freshmen Bobby Tait and Chris Swanson round out the defensive unit. Tait was a lacrosse and hockey standout at Germantown Academy in Pennsylvania. Swanson starred at Rush-Henrietta High School near Rochester and received All-Greater Rochester honors from The Democrat and Chronicle.
FACEOFFS
The sophomore duo of Chris Daddio and Ricky Buhr combine to make a formidable tandem for Syracuse at the X. Both players gained extensive experience last season as rookies. Daddio posted the highest winning percentage (.500, 55-110) of any player on the team with at least 10 attempts in 2011, and his 55 faceoff wins ranked second on the squad. Buhr played in 15 games and posted a .486 winning percentage (36-74) last season.
Drew Jenkins can also take faceoffs, if called upon. Last season, Jenkins attempted three draws, winning one. Orange assistant coach Kevin Donahue has also been working with freshman Mike Messina at the X.
GOALIE
One of the most frequently asked questions in the preseason was how the Orange would replace John Galloway in goal. And for good reason. Syracuse hasn't had to break in a new goalie since the end of the 2007 season.
Enter redshirt sophomore Matthew Lerman. Lerman was Galloway's backup in 2011 and is the frontrunner to win the job. Last season, he played in seven games and recorded eight saves and .615 save percentage.
Senior Paul Dubas and sophomores Ben Levy and Dominic Lamolinara are the other goalies on the roster with game experience. Dubas and Levy each have played two games during the Orange careers, and Lamolinara appeared in three games as a freshman for 2011 NCAA runner-up Maryland before transferring to Syracuse.
Freshman Bobby Wardwell boasts impressive scholastic goalkeeping a credentials. A five-year starter for Shenendehowa High School, Wardwell was named MVP of the 2011 Under Armour Lacrosse Classic. In addition, he was selected as the Troy Record and Albany Times-Union Player of the Year, and Inside Lacrosse ranked him the No. 2 goaltender in the Class of 2011.
Fellow freshmen Michael George and Ben Romagnoli are also competing for backup roles. George was a three-year starter at Pittsburgh Catholic Central, and Romagnoli helped lead nearby Cazenovia High School to a 22-1 record and the 2011 Class C state championship.
Syracuse begins the 2012 campaign on Feb. 5 with a three-way scrimmage against Le Moyne and Hofstra at the Carrier Dome. It opens the regular season at home against Albany on Feb. 19. Single-game and season tickets are available online, at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B) or by calling 1-888-DOMETIX.
Postgame | #7 Syracuse at #19 Penn
Monday, March 02
HIGHLIGHTS | #7 Men's Lacrosse at #19 Penn
Sunday, March 01
HIGHLIGHTS | #7 Men's Lacrosse at #10 Princeton
Saturday, February 28
Postgame | #7 Syracuse at #10 Princeton
Saturday, February 28
