Feb. 18, 2004
With the taste of last season's run to the national semifinals still fresh in their mouths, the 2004 Terrapins and coach Dave Cottle have set their sights on a return visit to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Memorial Day.
Despite graduating five All-Americans including National Defenseman of the Year Michael Howley, the Terps have re-stocked and reloaded with the National Championship as the ultimate goal.
After going 12-4 last season, the NCAA Semifinalists finished the year ranked No. 3 in the final USILA poll. They return just 24 letterwinners, losing 16 from that squad, but have the ingredients to make it back to lacrosse's promise land.
"Getting to the national semifinals is what we strive for here at the University of Maryland," said Cottle. "Our goal is to win that national championship and in order to do that you have to go through and win in the final four.
"We lost some major players and personalities on the offensive end of the field and we have yet to determine our personality for this season. We know the defense will be solid, we have two All-Americans back there."
Attack
The Terps feature two of the nation's top freshmen from last season in ACC Rookie of the Year Joe Walters and Xander Ritz, who transferred to Maryland after an outstanding year at Delaware. The Terps can boast they are the only school in the nation with two of the top ten freshman scorers from last season.
Preseason honorable mention All-American, Walters tallied 33 goals, the second-most by a Maryland freshman all-time and will look to continue that high scoring pace in his second collegiate season. He made an immediate impact as the team's top finisher thoughout the season he also showed the ability to pass as he was double and triple teamed later in the season. Walters is the team's leading returning scorer with 46 points a season ago.
Ritz comes to the Terps after piling up 40 points for the Blue Hens, including 23 assists - third most by any rookie in the country. Ritz is a crafty and clever stickman who will be a prime time feeder to Walters and the Terps' midfielders.
Joining the super sophs will be senior J.R. Bordley, who played sparingly last season. As a veteran, Bordley will provide leadership and could be a key contributor with his quickness and speed.
The Terps will run several players at both attack and midfield including the likes of junior Andrew Schwartzman. Freshmen Michael Phipps and Mike Brown, sophomore Bret Caretsky, and redshirt freshman Patrick Howell will also see time on attack. Phipps has a chance to be a special player for the Terps after a star-studded high school career at the Severn School. Brown was an All-American at Conard High School in Connecticut and at 6-4 has a large frame to go with his smarts and slick moves.
Junior college transfer Terence Dorsey could also emerge as a solid contributor. He was a two-time NJCAA All-American at Essex CC and scored more than 90 goals in two seasons with the Knights.
Midfield
Similar to the attack, the Terps are expected to start a senior and a pair of sophomores on the first midfield.
Preseason honorable mention All-American Justin Smith is the leading-returning scorer in the midfield after tallying 12 goals and 16 points in his first season with the Terps after two years at UMBC. The senior has a knack for scoring the big goal and has 29 tallies in his last 23 games, spanning two seasons. A hulking-figure on the field, Smith possesses great size and strength which will be an asset to the Terps this season.
Alongside Smith will be second-year players Brendan Healy and Bill McGlone. Both saw action in 15 games a year ago, playing mostly on the third midfield. Healy is regarded one of the Terps' hardest working players according to Cottle and has gained experience and confidence since his first year in college.
McGlone also picked up great experience as he helped the United States Under-19 World Team to the ILF World Championships this past summer at Towson University. McGlone scored seven goals in the six-game event and has improved his stick skills. Cottle says,'"the sky's the limit" for McGlone, who will be a vital component to the team's success in 2004.
The second midfield will be a mix for the Terps. Senior captain Paul Gillette, who has been established as one of the nation's top short-stick defensive midfielders will also run on the offensive side with the second line. The selfless Gillette scored four goals and added four assists last season. He will be flanked by juniors Ian Healy and Andrew Schwartzman.
Healy, who made a successful return to action last season after sitting 2002 with a hand/wrist injury is a quick sparkplug who is quick and elusive. Schwartzman has played mostly on attack in his two seasons with the Terps and has been a man-up specialist. Last season, he scored three goals in 11 games.
The midfield will have many other contributors as the season progresses. Junior Dave Matz, sophomore Michael Hartofilis and redshirt-freshman Brent Hargest all will see their most significant playing time of their young careers.
Freshmen Thomas Alford, Jay Feeley and Chris Feifs will also vie for time in their initial collegiate experiences. Dorsey will also be used in the midfield
Defensive Midfield
The Terps have one of the nation's top short-stick defensive midfielders in Paul Gillette. Recognized as the team's most consistent performer, Gillette led the team in groundballs last season with 66, also causing 16 turnovers. He adds the intangibles in all aspects of the game and will be a major factor in the team's success as a team captain in his senior year.
Also seeing time as short-stick midfielders will be seniors Drew Virk and Alex Melzer and sophomore Ryan Lang and freshman Travis Holmes.
Virk, who doubles as one of the Terps' face-off men, is a hard-hitting weapon. Lang and Holmes figure to see time as the year progresses. Holmes is an incredibly tough competitor who was also a Maryland wrestling state champion in high school.
At long-stick defensive midfield, Cottle will look to Tyler Hereth to start the year. The junior has played sparingly as a defenseman in his two years with the Terps but will be called on to log more minutes and contribute.
Junior Peter Ellis has made the transition from a short stick to long-stick and will also play in his fourth year in the program. Freshman Sean Sullivan comes to Maryland with great hands and stick-work according to Cottle. He is expected to be a key take-away man this year.
Face-Offs
Maryland will use a face-off crew by committee this season with a trio of players who saw time their last season.
Senior Drew Virk took the most face-offs on the team last season with 98 and will be one of the Terps' prime guys again this season. Senior Jeremy Pastula won 58 percent of his 69 draws last season and has good size and strength.
Sophomore David Tamberrino will also be given a chance. He saw his most significant playing time in the national semifinal game with Virginia, winning three of his five draws.
Freshmen Thomas Alford, Paul Andrews and Chris Feifs will also compete for playing time in the face-off circle.
Defense
The Terps team strength lies in the close defense as they return two preseason first team All-Americans as part of the three-man senior crew.
Preseason All-Americans and team captains Chris Passavia and Lee Zink will team with senior captain David Wagner to form one of the nation's premier units.
Passavia was a Second Team USILA All-American last season after a sensational season. He is known for a stripping, slicing and dicing style of defense. He picked up 43 groundballs last season and caused 23 turnovers.
Zink emerged last season to have one of the best seasons in the nation among all close defenders earning Third Team USILA All-American honors. Zink led the Terps in caused turnovers with 32 and also had 41 groundballs. He had an amazing run at the end of the season in which he held the man he guarded scoreless for four consecutive games.
Wagner is an unsung hero on defense who will finally get his chance in his final season in College Park. A steady and solid defender, Wagner is a senior influence on the backline.
Backing up the seniors will be juniors Gavin Webb and Tyler Hereth, both of whom are expected to see additional time in their third year with the Terps. Redshirt freshman Scott Slosson is also in the mix.
Freshman Ray Megill comes in after an All-American career in high school and is a great athlete who has impressed Coach Cottle this spring. Freshman Ryan Clarke, a long-stick from Long Island, should see time as the year progresses
Goalie
The competition for the starting goalie position has been a battle between a pair of decorated newcomers. Graduate student Tim McGinnis comes in after being named a Division III All-American at Gettysburg College three times including being National Goalie of Year in 2002.
Highly-touted freshman Harry Alford joins the Terps after an All-American high school career and leading Team USA to the Under-19 ILF World Championships this past summer.
McGinnis has the experience of a veteran, who has played in two collegiate national championship games. Alford brings in international experience, as he stopped some of the world's finest players.
According to Cottle, the battle was too close to call early in training camp. But he knows one thing: he will be in good hands with either goalie between the pipes.
Sophomore Teddy Murphy, who has good field visision, is also in the battle for the starting job as he is the only Terp netminder with experience at Maryland.
