July 8, 2008

BALTIMORE, MD - A total of 38 players have been selected to compete in the 2008 Major League Lacrosse All-Star game on July 17 at Denver's Invesco Field and eight of those are former members of the Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse program. No other college or university produced more than three MLL All-Stars this season. Five former Blue Jays will represent the Western Conference, while three will play for the East. Five of the eight were members of Johns Hopkins' 2005 NCAA Championship team, while three were members of both the 2005 and 2007 national championship teams.

Representing the Eastern Conference will be rookie midfielder Paul Rabil (Boston), 2003 graduate and New Jersey Pride goalie Rob Scherr and 2001 graduate and Washington Bayhawks defenseman Shawn Nadelen. Rabil has made an immediate impact as he has scored four goals in each of his last three games and currently has 13 goals and one assist in four games. Scherr fashions a 13.4 goals against average and a league-best .610 save percentage. Nadelen anchors the Washington defense and has 14 ground balls on the year.

The Western Conference team will be led by five former Blue Jays, including former high school and college teammates Kyle Harrison (Los Angeles) and Benson Erwin (Denver). They will be joined by attackmen Jake Byrne (San Francisco) and Matt Hanna (Denver) and goalie Jesse Schwartzman (Denver).

Harrison counts 14 goals and eight assists to his credit and his 22 points this season are already just five shy of his personal best of 27 set last season. Erwin is one of the top defensive midfielders in the league and has three assists and a career-high 24 ground balls through eight games. Byrne made an immediate splash last season with 26 points in 10 games, a total he's nearly matched with 13 goals (including three, 2-point goals) and three assists for 20 points this season. His three, 2-point goals are tied for the league lead.

Hanna has emerged as a legitimate goal-scoring threat this season as he has 16 goals (including a pair of 2-pointers), a total that is just four shy of his total (20) of the last two seasons combined. Schwartzman has been solid in goal for the Outlaws throughout the season and currently leads the league in goals against average (12.90) and ranks fifth in the league in save percentage (.548). His six wins this season are the most of any goalie in the league.

Former JHU Men's Lacrosse Players in the 2008 MLL All-Star Game

Eastern Conference
Shawn Nadelen - Washington
Paul Rabil - Boston
Rob Scherr - New Jersey

Western Conference
Jake Byrne - San Francisco
Benson Erwin - Denver
Matt Hanna - Denver
Kyle Harrison - Los Angeles
Jesse Schwartzman - Denver

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