September 24, 2009

BRYANT MEN'S LACROSSE WELCOMES 14 NEWCOMERS AS BULLDOGS ENTER SECOND SEASON OF DIVISION I PLAY

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Bryant University head coach Mike Pressler is pleased to announce the addition of 14 student-athletes to the 2010 Bryant University men's lacrosse team.

The group of newcomers includes a 13-member Class of 2013 and one junior college transfer.

"It is with great pleasure that I welcome the Bryant University men's lacrosse Class of 2013 to Smithfield, R.I.," said Pressler, who enters his fourth season at the helm of the Bulldog program. "This is our second recruiting class in the Division I model, and we couldn't be more pleased with this group's level of athleticism, talent and commitment, not to mention their undeniable desire to be successful."

Among the 14 newcomers are the brothers of four current Bulldogs (freshmen Kyle Crowley, Michael Rauchut and Glenn Maiorano, as well as junior college transfer sophomore Brock Weisenberg), a student-athlete from our neighbors to the north (Nils Thompson (Alberta, Canada), a pair from the left coast (Nick Miller and Zach Nichelman), and even a local standout (Ben Sternberg (North Kingstown, R.I.).

Also joining to the Bulldogs in 2010 are High School All-Americans Peter McMahon and Mason Poli, as well as highly touted freshmen JK Poirier, Ian Correia, John Wallace and Teddy Mason.

"Without question, these 14 young men are true student-athletes," said Pressler. "With the NEC playing as a conference for the first time in the spring of 2011, this group of young men will certainly help the Bulldog lacrosse program achieve its goals and reach the level of success we are striving for."

The new class of Bulldogs also brings to Smithfield the addition of a trio of offensive weapons, five defensemen, five midfielders and a rookie goalie.

"We are pleased again with our balance at each position, and each of our newcomers has something to contribute to the success of the Bryant lacrosse program," Pressler said. "In just four short days of fall practice, each of them has demonstrated that, without question, they belong here, and we expect many of our newcomers to compete for playing time early on in their freshman campaigns."

The Bryant men's lacrosse program enters its second season of Division I competition in 2010 after a highly successful inaugural campaign that saw the Bulldogs go 10-5, facing off against five nationally ranked opponents and receiving votes in both national polls.

Introducing the Bryant University men's lacrosse Class of 2013:

Ian Correia, Midfield (Malvern, Pa. / St. Joe's Prep)
A 2009 graduate of St. Joe's Prep in Philadelphia, Pa., Correia was a lacrosse and football standout for the Hawks. A three-year letterwinner in lacrosse, Correia joins the Bulldogs having completed a successful career with a strong senior campaign in which he led his team to a 16-2 finish as a first-line midfielder. He led his team to three-straight league tournament appearances and was an all-state nominee as both a junior and senior. After garnering First Team All-Catholic League honors as both a sophomore and a junior, he earned a Second Team All-Catholic League selection as a senior.

Kyle Crowley, Attack/Midfield (Scituate, Mass. / Scituate High School)
A 2009 High School All-American, Crowley graduated from Scituate High School in 2009 as one of the most decorated players in program history. A senior captain, he was a four-year varsity starter on attack, where he led his team to its second-straight Massachusetts state championship in 2009, amassing 84 goals and 49 assists on the season. Crowley scored over 300 points on his Scituate High School career and was named the Boston Globe Division III Player of the Year. Along with his achievements on the lacrosse field, Crowley also found success on the gridiron, where he was a two-year letterwinner, earning First Team All-Patriot League honors in both sports. He was selected to the 2009 Massachusetts Senior All-Star game and was named the recipient of the Norman Walker Award for character and sportsmanship. Named to the Boston Herald, Patriot Ledger and Scituate Mariner All-Scholastic teams in both lacrosse and football, Crowley was a member of the National Honor Society.

Glenn Maiorano, Defense (Easton, Conn. / Fairfield Prep)
An accomplished three-sport athlete at Fairfield Prep, Maiorano was a 2009 graduate and two-year starter for the Jesuits. Lettering in lacrosse, football and ice hockey, Maiorano led his team to back-to-back Connecticut state lacrosse championships in 2008 and 2009, also guiding the Jesuits to a state title on the ice in 2008. He was a member if the 2008 Connecticut Super Junior team and received all-conference honors, as well as the 2009 Coach's Award.

Teddy Mason, Defense (Fairfield, Conn. / Fairfield Ludlowe High School)
A 2009 graduate of Fairfield Ludlowe High School, Mason was a four-year starter on defense for the Falcons. He was named a Second Team All-FCIAC selection as a senior, also playing in the 2009 senior all-star game. Another multi-sport athlete, Mason was also a three-year letterwinner for the Falcon football team, starting all three years at tight end and defensive end. He was elected team captain as a senior in both lacrosse and football and was equally committed in the classroom, where he was a four-year honor roll student and was named the FCIAC Scholar-Athlete of the Month in November 2009.

Peter McMahon, Attack (Wilton, Conn. / Wilton High School)
McMahon was named a 2009 High School All-American out of Wilton High School, where he was a four-year varsity starter for the Warriors. Wilton's all-time leading points scorer, McMahon was a senior captain and led his team in points three of his four seasons. A three-time all-state selection, McMahon was named to the all-state first team in his final two seasons, also earning a second team bid as a sophomore. He was a First Team All-FCIAC recipient and three-time all-area selection, twice being named all-area MVP. McMahon was also a two-time Second Team All-FCIAC selection during his Wilton career and was selected to play in the Connecticut All-Star game as a senior. A well-rounded athlete, he was also a four-year starter and ice hockey standout at Wilton, where he earned all-state first team honors and was a three-year captain. On the ice, he was named Defenseman of the Year and team MVP three times, winning the Iron Man Award all four years. McMahon was named the high school Hobey Baker winner as a senior, also garnering the Lt. John G. Corr Award the same year, given to the senior student-athlete who best exemplifies leadership, character and work ethic.

Nick Miller, Midfield (San Francisco, Calif. / St. Ignatius Prep)
Miller was a standout honors student and two-sport athlete at St. Ignatius Prep, where he was a 2009 graduate and two-year varsity starter for the Wildcats. St. Ignatius finished the 2009 season as one of the top high school teams in the nation, garnering a No. 17 Inside Lacrosse national ranking in 2008 and a No. 26 LaxPower national ranking in 2009. As a first-line midfielder his senior year, Miller was the second-leading scorer, helping to lead the Wildcats to a 21-1 finish. A two-sport athlete at St. Ignatius, Miller captained both his JV lacrosse (2007) and JV football (2005-06) teams and was elected Class President in 2006.

Zach Nichelman, Defense (Benicia, Calif. / De La Salle High School)
A 2009 graduate of De La Salle High School, Nichelman was a two-year varsity letterwinner and standout long stick midfielder for the Spartans, captaining his team to a North Coast Section Championship in 2009. Nichelman garnered First Team All-East Bay honors and was named to the All-EBAL team, also being nominated as the De La Salle Athlete of the Year. A member of the 2009 Vail Shootout Champion NorCal Grizzlies, Nichelman was a high honors student at De La Salle.

JK Poirier, Attack (Westchester, Pa. / Malvern Prep)
Poirier was a standout performer on both the men's lacrosse and water polo teams at Malvern Prep, where he graduated in 2009. A three-year varsity letterwinner and two-year starter for the Friars, Poirier led his team to a fourth-place state finish as a sophomore and state runner-up as a junior. He was elected team captain as a senior, where he earned his way onto the 2009 All-Inter AC squad and was recognized as the 2009 team MVP and Sportsmanship Award winner. Poirier also played four years and earned three varsity letters on the Malvern Prep water polo team, where he was named captain as a senior. He was an all-league selection in 2009 and was a four-year honor roll student.

Mason Poli, Defense (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown East High School)
The third of four High School All-Americans to join the Bulldogs for the 2010 season, Poli was a 2009 graduate of Downingtown East High School, where he started on defense all four years for the Cougars. Poli led his team to three-straight 20-win seasons, including a 22-3 record as a sophomore and 21-4 record as a senior, and played a large part in Downingtown East's four-consecutive Chest-Mont League championships (2006-09), as well as the Cougars' 2007 Pennsylvania state title. As a senior, he earned first team all-league, First Team All-EPSLA and first team all-state selections, garnering a second team all-league selection as a junior. Poli also played football for the Cougars.

Michael Rauchut, Defense/LSM (Philadelphia, Pa. / William Penn Charter School)
One of the Class of 2013's most well-rounded multi-sport athletes, Rauchut was a standout not just in lacrosse, but in football, wrestling and boxing as well. Rauchut graduated from William Penn Charter School in 2009, where he was a three-year letterwinner in lacrosse for the Quakers, leading his team to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs as a sophomore and a fourth-place state finish as a junior. He was named captain and team MVP as a senior, when he was also awarded First Team All-Inter AC honors. Rauchut was a four-year football standout at Penn Charter as well, earning four letters as a starter and captaining the team as a senior. He earned an all-league honorable mention nod as a senior and helped the Quakers win the league in 2007. In addition to his success on the field and the gridiron, Rauchut also took part in Penn Charter wrestling for two years and boxing for four. As a wrestler, Rauchut placed eighth in the state as a freshman. As a competitive boxer, he took third place in the National Junior Olympics and won second in the National Golden Gloves Tournament.

Ben Sternberg, Midfield (North Kingstown, R.I. / North Kingstown High School)
The final incoming High School All-American and only newcomer to earn the recognition twice, Sternberg lead his North Kingstown High School team as a two-time captain and is arguably one of the top lacrosse prospects to ever come out of the state of Rhode Island. A 2009 graduate of North Kingstown, Sternberg was a four-year varsity letterwinner for the Skippers, where he was twice named a first team all-state selection. He led his team to state championships as a freshman and a junior and collected over 50 points and 139 groundballs as a senior, boasting a 90 percent faceoff percentage in 2009. A two-time team MVP, Sternberg was selected to represent Rhode Island in the North/South Senior Showcase held at Bryant University in the summer of 2009. He also played two years of football and a year of basketball and was a four-year honor roll student at North Kingstown.

Nils Thompson, Midfield (Ponoka, Alberta (Can.) / The Hill Academy) 
A 2007 graduate of Ponoka Composite High School in Alberta, Canada, Thompson spent two postgraduate years at The Hill Academy in Toronto, were he was a two-year varsity starter and captain. He helped lead a lacrosse team that went 18-2 in two seasons of exhibition play against the top teams in the United States and led The Hill Academy to a 21-1 year as a senior in 2009. A tri-sport athlete in high school and postgrad, Thompson competed in cross country and hockey for four years at Ponoka Composite and continued his hockey days at The Hill Academy, where he was also a two-year captain. Thompson played Midget AAA hockey in the Toronto area, and in the summer of 2008 played Junior A box lacrosse for the Edmonton Miners Lacrosse Club. He captained the Miners in the summer of 2009 and with them won the Alberta Championship and competed in the Minto Cup. A four-year honors student in Alberta, Thompson was named The Hill Academy valedictorian for the 2007-08 academic year, also receiving The Hill Academy Leadership Award in 2008.

John Wallace, Goalie (Winchester, Mass. / Avon Old Farms School)
A 2009 graduate of Avon Old Farms School, Wallace was a two-year starter and letterwinner for the Winged Beavers after playing varsity lacrosse for the Bishops of the Brooks School in North Andover, Mass. in 2006 and 2007. Wallace was a senior captain and two-year starter between the pipes at Avon Old Farms, being named a New England Prep All-Star as a senior. He also earned the Skip Flannagan Award as a senior. At Brooks, Wallace was also a two-year varsity starter, earning an all-league honorable mention selection as a sophomore and setting the school save percentage record. Wallace also played hockey at both Brooks and Avon Old Farms and played football at Brooks. As a junior, he was an honor roll student at Avon Old Farms and was named to the Headmaster's List in 2009.

Brock Weisenberg, Midfield (Long Beach, N.Y. / Long Beach HS / CCBC Essex)
Weisenberg joins the Bulldogs after an impressive year for CCBC Essex, where he was named a Junior College All-American. He is a 2007 graduate of Long Beach High School and a 2009 graduate of the Community College of Baltimore County Essex, helping lead CCBC Essex to an NJCAA Final Four appearance in 2009. Named a first team all-region and first team all-Maryland JUCO selection, Weisenberg was named to the NJCAA All-Tournament team, chipping in 35 goals and 19 assists in 2009. At Long Beach, Weisenberg was twice named an all-Nassau County performer, where he lettered in lacrosse and wrestling all four years.

Click here to see the full 2010 Bryant University men's lacrosse team roster.