April 23, 2008
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Nine members of the 14th-ranked Navy men's lacrosse team were named to the 2008 All-Patriot League Team announced Wednesday, including seniors Jordan DiNola (Ballston Lake, N.Y.) and Brendan Teague (Annapolis, Md.) who became just the fifth and sixth Midshipmen to earn All-Patriot League recognition three times during their illustrious careers. Navy accounted for nine of the 26 spots among the first and second teams, including four first-team selections.
First-Team All-Patriot League
Nick Mirabito - Sr., A, Binghamton, N.Y. (Chenango Forks); 2007, '08 First-Team All-Patriot League
Pacing Navy with 41 points on 20 goals and 21 assists, Mirabito received First-Team All-Patriot League kudos for a second consecutive year. He is ranked 30th in the nation in points per game, boasting 3.15 and is 72nd in goals (1.62) and 18th in assists (1.62). He has turned in multiple points in 10 of the Mids' 13 contests, including five multi-goal and six multi-assist efforts. Fourteen of Mirabito's 21 assists have come in conference play which featured back-to-back four-assist performances against Lehigh and Holy Cross.
Not only has he played in all 59 games during his four-year career, Mirabito has started each of those contests. He has produced a goal or an assist in 57 of the 59 games, as the only team to hold the Preseason All-American scoreless has been Maryland in each of the last two seasons. Behind his one-goal, two-assist performance at Army two weeks ago, he became only the ninth player in program history to reach 150 points and is one of only four players in the school's 101-year history to record 90 goals and 60 assists. He stands eighth on Navy's career scoring list and ninth on the Patriot League scoring leader board with 153 points. His 93 goals are the eighth most by a Navy player, while he stands 12th in assists with 60.
Patrick Moran - So., M, Annapolis, Md. (Severn School); 2008 First-Team All-Patriot League
Navy's third-leading scorer and top out of the midfield, Moran is a first-time recipient of Patriot League postseason recognition. After seeing action off the bench a year ago in five games, Moran stepped into a starting role in his sophomore campaign where he has flourished. With 17 points, he has found the back of the net on 14 occasions including twice each against Lehigh and Colgate. He followed up his performance against Colgate by turning in his first collegiate hat trick against the mighty Hoyas of Georgetown the following week. He has scored a team-high four extra-man goals, and is one of three players who have scored a pair of game-winners (Lehigh, Colgate) this spring.
Jordan DiNola - Sr., D, Ballston Lake, N.Y. (The Albany Academy); 2006, '07, '08 First-Team All-Patriot League
Geoff Leone - Jr., DM, Massapequa, N.Y. (Massapequa); 2008 First-Team All-Patriot League, '07 Second-Team All-Patriot League
To talk about Navy's defense, you must talk about it as a unit. That's exactly the respect the Mids received as two of the three close defensemen garnered all-league honors, along with its top long stick defensive midfielder and short stick defensive midfielder. Jordan DiNola, Brendan Teague, Geoff Leone and Jaren Woeppel all earned recognition from the conference, however, first-year starter Andy Tormey played his part in helping guide the Mids to a No. 1 ranking as the nation's top scoring defense. As the stingiest defense in the country, Navy has surrendered 75 goals in 13 games and is the only team in Div. I lacrosse to allow fewer than six goals per game this year. The Mids have held nine of their 13 opponents to seven or fewer goals this spring, winning 21 in a row when achieving this feat. They have given double-figure goals just seven times in the last 43 games (2006-present) and nine times in the last 59 games (2005-present).
Earlier this season, the Mids held No. 3 Maryland scoreless for the first 41 minutes of the game, an almost unheard of accomplishment as the Terps entered the game averaging better than 12 goals per contest. It was the first time since 2005 that Maryland had been shut out in a half. Meanwhile, Navy held Lehigh and Holy Cross to a combined 36 shots midway through the season. It held Lehigh without a shot in the first quarter of the game, while the Crusaders managed just two shots in the opening half.
Second-Team All-Patriot League
Tim Paul - So., A, Parkton, Md. (Loyola Blakefield); 2008 Second-Team All-Patriot League
A first-time All-Patriot League selection, Paul garnered second-team honors after producing 26 points on a team-high 21 goals and five assists. Paul began his career at the Academy as a midfielder, but a season-ending knee injury suffered by Bruce Nechanicky against Georgetown a year ago moved the Loyola Blakefield product from midfield to attack. It was a move head coach Richie Meade would not regret as Paul produced 10 goals and five assists in the final six games of '07 and has continued to flourish in his sophomore campaign. Paul has produced a goal in 11 of the 13 games this spring, and with the exception of the Lafayette contest, has produced at minimum two goals in each of those 11. He has scored a pair of game-winners this season, including the goal with 1:20 remaining in overtime to lead the Mids to a 4-3 win over league rival Bucknell. Additionally, his second of two goals on the night was good enough to lead Navy to a 5-4 win over third-ranked Maryland.
Basil Daratsos - So., M, Niskayuna, N.Y. (Niskayuna); 2007, '08 Second-Team All-Patriot League
A Second-Team All-Patriot League selection a year ago, Daratsos was Navy's first rookie to garner all-conference honors. A year later, it looked unlikely the standout midfielder would attain the same recognition after tearing a ligament in his knee in late July. Hard work on the part of Daratsos and the Navy athletic training staff proved to get him back on the field this spring. He has played in all 13 games, making starts in each of the last 11. Despite his knee injury, he has earned the respect of the opposition and is regularly defended by a pole. He has scored five goals and added a pair of assists this season, including a two-goal effort against nationally-ranked Georgetown.
Mikelis Visgauss - Sr., FO, Setauket, N.Y. (St. Anthony's); 2008 Second-Team All-Patriot League
Over the last five years, Navy has produced some of the premiere faceoff men in the game beginning with Chris Pieczonka in 2004, followed by William Wallace and most recently Mikelis Visgauss. After spending most of his first three seasons sharing his time between the defensive midfield and draw specialist, Visgauss earned his opportunity this spring as the go-to faceoff player for the MIds. Ranked No. 8 in the country, he has won 60.7 percent (102-168) of his draws overall and 63.4 percent (45-71) in conference action. He played particularly strong in Navy's win over No. 3 Maryland, winning 10 of the 13 draws he took. He followed up by taking 11 of the 16 faceoffs against the Black Knights the following week. Visgauss stands sixth on Navy's career faceoff wins list with 157, while his 102 wins this spring are the seventh most by a Navy player. Additionally, Visgauss is pacing the team with 68 ground balls and is ranked ninth nationally, picking up 5.23 grounders per contest.
Brendan Teague - Sr., D, Annapolis, Md. (St. Mary's); 2006, '07, '08 Second-Team All-Patriot League
Jaren Woeppel - So., LSM, Camillus, N.Y. (West Genesee); 2008 Second-Team All-Patriot League
The five major award winners - Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year - will be announced Thursday.
Navy, meanwhile, continues to prepare for its first-round Patriot League Tournament match-up against third-seeded Colgate on Friday. The Midshipmen, who have won four-consecutive Patriot League Tournament titles, will battle the Raiders in the second semifinal beginning at approximately 7:00 pm. Top-seeded Army and No. 4 Bucknell will open tournament play on Friday at 4:00 pm at Michie Stadium in West Point, N.Y.
The Patriot League Championship Game is set for Sunday, April 27 at 2:00 pm and will be televised live on CBS College Sports Network. Major League Lacrosse Director of Broadcast Content Jason Chandler (play by play) and former Syracuse All-American Paul Carcaterra (analyst) will call the action. The tournament winner will receive an automatic bid to play in the NCAA Championship.
Tickets for the Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Tournament can be purchased by calling the Army ticket office at 1-877-TIX-ARMY or logging on to www.goARMYsports.com. Tickets can also be bought on game day at Michie Stadium. Tickets for the semifinal games are $6 for adults and $4 for students, while the championship game tickets have been priced at $10 for adults and $5 for students. All students from the four participating schools will receive free admission to all three games by showing a school ID. Additionally, groups of 10 or more will be admitted for $2 per person, however to take advantage of the reduced rate, please purchase the tickets in advance. The group rate will not be honored by walking up to the ticket counter on game day.
2008 All-Patriot League Lacrosse Team
First Team
Player, School Yr. Pos. Hometown Previous Honors
Brandon Corp, Colgate Jr. A Chittenango, N.Y. '06 Second Team, '07 First Team, '07 OPOY
Nick Mirabito, Navy Sr. A Binghamton, N.Y. '07 First Team
Austin Winter, Bucknell So. A Boonton Township, N.J. '07 First Team
Kevin LoRusso, Army Jr. M Rocky Point, N.Y.
Matt Lalli, Colgate Sr. M Princeton Junction, N.J. '06 Second Team, '07 First Team
Patrick Moran, Navy So. M Annapolis, Md.
Chris Eck, Colgate Sr. FO Fairfield, Conn. '06, '07 Second Team
Geoff Leone, Navy Jr. DM Massapequa, N.Y. '07 Second Team
Jay Larson, Army Sr. D Troy, N.Y. '07 Second Team
Dan Honeywell, Lehigh Sr. D Horseheads, N.Y.
Jordan DiNola, Navy Sr. D Ballston Lake, N.Y. '06, '07 First Team
Adam Fullerton, Army Sr. GK Liverpool, N.Y. '07 First Team
Second Team
Player, School Yr. Pos. Hometown Previous Honors
Jason Peyer, Army Jr. A Williston Park, N.Y.
Kevin Collelouri, Colgate Jr. A Bethpage, N.Y.
Tim Paul, Navy So. A Parkton, Md.
Perry Menzies, Bucknell Jr. M Upperco, Md. '07 Second Team
Ian Murphy, Colgate So. M Constantia, N.Y.
Steve Serling, Lafayette So. M Rockville Centre, N.Y.
Basil Daratsos, Navy So. M Niskayuna, N.Y. '06 Second Team
Mikelis Visgauss, Navy Sr. FO Setauket, N.Y.
Jaren Woeppel, Navy So. LSM Camillus, N.Y.
Craig Massie, Army Sr. D Port Jefferson Station, N.Y. '07 Second Team
Billy Haire, Bucknell Jr. D Darien, Conn. '07 First Team
Brendan Teague, Navy Sr. D Annapolis, Md. '06 Second Team
Nick Sciubba, Bucknell Jr. GK Sea Cliff, N.Y. '07 Second Team
Jeff Canfield, Lafayette Jr. GK Kinnelon, N.J.
### Go Navy ###
