Nov. 28, 2001

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - New Maryland men's lacrosse coach Dave Cottle announced the signing of four high school seniors to National Letters of Intent to begin play at the University of Maryland in the 2002-03 school year. Coming to College Park are attackman Bret Caretsky (Northport, N.Y.), midfielder Brendan Healy (Great Falls, Va.), midfielder Patrick Howell (Arlington, Va.) and attackman Joe Walters (Rochester, N.Y.).

"I'm very excited about the offensive potential of this recruiting class," Cottle said of his first class at Maryland. "We were able to sure up some of our needs with these signees."

Caretsky is a 6-1, 190-pound left-handed attacker from Northport High School on Long Island. He helped the Tigers to their first-ever New York State A Championship this past season. He is already ninth all-time in scoring at Northport with 120 points in two season, scoring 69 goals and handing out 51 assists. He was an all-conference selection and played for the gold-medal winning Long Island team in the Empire State Games in the summer of 2001.

Healy is a 5-11, 180-pound midfielder, who comes to Maryland from high school national champion The Landon School in Bethesda, Md. Healy will join his brother Ian Healy, currently a sophomore midfielder with the Terps. Healy was a Washington Post All-Met first team selection this past season in helping the Bears to their 21st consecutive IAC title. He was an all-conference selection after scoring 22 goals as a junior, including four-goal games against St. Albans and Ohio power Upper Arlington School. He has been a three-year starter for the Bears and has also taken part in the Bay State Games of Maryland.

Howell is a 6-1, 195-pound midfielder from O'Connell High School in Arlington, Va. He has been an all-conference selection in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference in both lacrosse and football. He is a strong-rugged two-way midfielder who will vie for playing time.

Walters is a 5-10, 175-pound left-handed attacker from Irondequoit High School in Rochester, N.Y. -- the same school which produced Terp All-American Andrew Whipple in the late 90s. Walters has been a major goal-scorer for the Indians, which captured the Section V championship in upstate New York this past season spring. He was an all-section selection and member of the bronze-medal winning Western team in the Empire State Games.

Maryland opens its first season under Cottle this spring as the Terps host Mount St. Mary's on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at Byrd Stadium.