Jan. 10, 2000

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The preseason No. 8 Maryland men's lacrosse team features three preseason All-Americans as named by Face-Off Magazine. Senior defensive midfielder Jeff Shirk (Boonton Township, N.J.) was named to the first team. Seniors midfielder Brian Zeller (Forest Hill, Md.) and defenseman Casey Connor (Baltimore, Md.) were named to the preseason second team. The Terps also feature two honorable mention All-Americans in redshirt freshman attackman Mike Mollot (Holbrook, N.Y.) and senior defender Jason Carrier (Boonton Township, N.J.).

Last season, Shirk was named the toughest hitter by the Baltimore Sun and was honored with the William Cole Award as Maryland's top midfielder. He has played in all 47 games during his three-year Maryland career, scoring two goals and totaling five points. Shirk will serve as a team captain in 2000 along with fellow preseason honorees Zeller, Connor and Carrier.

Zeller is Maryland's top returning scorer for 2000. Last season he was second on the team in goals (24) and points (30). Over his career, he has 57 goals, 20 assists and 77 points.

Connor has been a stalwart on defense starting all 14 games, last season and helping Maryland to a 8.29 goals against average.

The highly-touted Mollot will make his Maryland debut in 2000 after missing last season with a broken leg and torn ligaments in his ankle. At Sachem High School, Mollot set the career records in points (209) and assists (115) in just two seasons.

Carrier is coming off a great defensive season, starting all 14 games. He recorded his first two college points on a pair of goals. Carrier won the Faber-Heagy Memorial Award in 1999 as the Unsung Hero of the Terps.

Face-Off Magazine has picked Maryland to finish third in the ACC behind defending national champion Virginia and Duke. Mollot, Shirk, Zeller, Connor and midfielder Chris Malone (Timonium, Md.) are listed as Maryland's "Players to Watch in `00" by Face-Off.

Maryland's 2000 men's lacrosse schedule features games against nine teams ranked in the Face-Off Magazine Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Terps will also play host to the 2000 ACC Men's Lacrosse Tournament on April 21 and 23, and the NCAA Final Four, on May 27 and 29 for the eighth time in the last nine years. The Terps open the regular season on Feb. 27 against Mount St. Mary's.