Feb. 7, 2009

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - At the beginning of a season no one knows for sure how it is going to end. Before a season starts it is easy to look at the roster and see where the team's strengths are and where its potential weak spots may be. At a glance, the 2009 Maryland men's lacrosse team appears to have a lot more strengths than it does weaknesses and that could mean that the Terps could challenge for the NCAA Championship on Memorial Day.

Head coach Dave Cottle, who is entering his eighth season as the helm of the Terps' program, knows that his team has its fair share of talented student-athletes, but he also knows that talent alone is not enough to win a title.

"We have the potential to be a very good team," admits Cottle, "but we have some holes that we need to fill if we intend to compete for the championship." Chief among those will be replacing all three starters that finished the season at close defense, including second team All-American Joe Cinosky.

"We were kind of in this position last year with our defense," says Cottle. "We have some talented players who will have to step-up and become full-time players. One thing that we have going for us defensively is two top-notch goalies."

The goalie tandem of senior Jason Carter and junior Brian Phipps shared duty in the cage last year and will compete for time again this season. Cottle did not rule out continuing the goalie rotation that he employed last year in some form this season.

One area that looked to be set was the attack, but even that unit was thrown for a bit of a loop just prior to the season with the addition of 2007 All-American Will Yeatman, who transferred to Maryland from Notre Dame. The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder will join with sophomore Grant Catalino, 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, to for the nation's biggest attack duo.

"The addition of Will is an exciting one," says Cottle, "but we still have a lot of work to do in order to get the most we can out of this offense, and offense is not just the attack. We have to get more production from our midfield if we're going to compete for a championship."

Maryland's midfield returns a lot of experience beginning with a pair of senior All-Americans in Dan Groot, a 2007 selection, and Jeff Reynolds, a 2008 honoree. Groot is expected to anchor the first line, along with fellow senior Jeremy Sieverts, while Reynolds will begin the season as the leader of the second unit.

"This is going to be a very interesting season," says Cottle. "We have a lot of talent and the potential to be a good team. But potential doesn't get you anywhere. We have to go out there and earn everything on the field. If we go out there and work hard and get some breaks, who knows where we'll end up at the end of the season."

Attack
The Terps' top three scorers from 2008 were freshman attackmen Catalino (29-13=42), Travis Reed (20-11-31) and Ryan Young (9-18=27). That trio played amazingly well last year, but they are no longer freshmen and will have to continue to improve in their second season.

Catalino enters the season in the best shape of his life and could have "sophomore surge" comparable to what Joe Walters experienced from 2003 to 2004.

Reed will continue to occupy the right side of the Maryland offensive set. His laser-like shooting accuracy will keep defenses honest and help free up space for his teammates.

Young's speed, stick skills and field vision served him well as the unit's "quarterback" at "X". He could also see some time at midfield to free up playing time for other attackmen.

The addition of Yeatman is big - really big. His size and athleticism make match-up problems for opposing defenses.

A pair of freshmen, Owen Blye and Joe Cummings, will also be competing for playing time. Blye has good size and skill, while Cummings is a great "catch-and-shoot" player that could play on the extra-man unit.

Seniors Danny Gallagher, Scott Tompkins and Nick Ward will provide leadership. Gallagher is a good finisher, while Tompkins is a solid all-around player that can play multiple spots. Ward is a crafty lefty that plays well on the crease. Freshman Madison Fiore will also compete for time at attack.

Midfield
A good mix of veteran leadership and youthful athleticism will be the hallmark of Maryland's midfield units this season.

That mix starts with seniors Dan Groot, Jeff Reynolds and Jeremy Sieverts. Groot and Sieverts combined 21 goals and 20 assists last season, mostly as a part of the first line, and are both solid defenders that can push the ball in transition. Reynolds, who led all Terrapin midfielders with 19 goals last season, is a shutdown short-stick defender in addition to being an athletic dodger with a big shot.

Junior Adam Sear will compete for a spot on a unit. The Australia native has the fastest shot on the team, clocking in at 107 mph.

Two sophomores that could see their first significant playing time are Warren Hansen and Bob Kercher. Both are solid all-around players, but each needs to continue to improve.

Another pair that could compete for minutes is freshmen Jake Bernhardt and Michael Shakespeare. Bernhardt is an exceptional athlete that could develop into an exceptional two-way player. Shakespeare's game is more polished and could be an offensive threat.

Senior Rob Morrison is a veteran that know the ins-and-outs of the Maryland offense and will compete for a spot.

Others competing in the midfield will be senior David O'Quinn, sophomores Scott LaRue and Drew Snider, redshirt freshmen Justin Blye and Jared Gangler and freshmen Joey Fontanesi and David Miller.

Short Sticks
The emphasis on two-way midfielders doesn't stop with the offensive lines. Maryland expects it's defensive midfielders to be able to push the ball to the offensive end and be threats to score.

Junior Bryn Holmes returns as one of the nation's finest short sticks. As tough as they come, Holmes led the Terps in groundballs last year in addition to scoring three goals and adding four assists.

Along side Holmes will be junior Dean Hart and sophomore Dan Burns. Hart is a smart, tough player who is capable on the offensive end. Burns is among the team's top all-around athletes and has worked hard to improve his stick skills during the offseason.

Senior Spencer McAllister has continued to improve and will be counted on for significant minutes this season. Redshirt sophomore Chris Ready is another outstanding athlete that will provide depth.

Long Poles
All-American Brian Farrell is arguably the nation's best long pole and easily the biggest offensive threat with a long pole, but he's expected to also see time at close defense this season.

Making that possible is the emergence of sophomore Brett Schmidt as a top-notch long pole. Schmidt entered last season fourth or fifth on the depth chart and worked his was to the No. 2 pole spot by the end of the season.

Senior Chris Rhine and junior Dan Halayko will compete for the second long pole spot. Rhine is a solid veteran who can also contribute as a short stick. Halayko has been hampered by injuries, but is fully recovered now and is looking to return to form.

Sophomore Shane Hall will benefit from having a year in the program, while freshman Craig Sullivan could also compete for playing time.

Close Defense
The Terps have to replace three starters, including second team All-American Joe Cinosky, but the pieces appear to be in place for Maryland to continue its tradition of defensive excellence.

Sophomore Max Schmidt started 10 games as a freshman in 2008 and will be expected to be the team's top defender this season. He gained a wealth of experience and confidence last summer as a part of the gold-medal wining U.S. team at the U-19 World Championships.

Farrell will make the transition to close defense, but the best offensive defender in the nation will still be free to break up the field and attack the goal. He can also be used up top as a long pole in certain situations as well.

The third starting spot is up for grabs entering the season. Among the contenders to fill the position are seniors Mike Griswold, sophomore Ryder Bohlander and freshman Grant Oliver. Griswold is a strong, physical defender who has proved to be a good leader. Bohlander has developed significantly over the past year and has good athleticism and toughness. Oliver comes from a solid prep background and could compete despite his lack of experience.

Seniors Anthony Costanzo and Kevin Slafkosky have been solid contributors on the Terps' man-down unit and are expected to serve in that capacity again. The pair also has experience in the system and could see time at close defense as well. Sophomore Michael White is also expected to provide depth.

Goalie
The Terps' boast the best tandem of goalies in the nation in Jason Carter and Brian Phipps. The two split time in the cage last year, rotating starts and halves. Some form of goalie rotation is expected again this season, but the details are not yet set.

Carter is an athletic, shot-stopper who is capable of pressuring opposing offenses with double-teams.

Phipps is a true tactician and has worked hard to improve his athleticism. While known for his savvy goalkeeping, Phipps' precision passing on clearing attempts often helps trigger the Terps' transition offense.

Both goalies have the potential to shut down opposing offenses as they did last year when Carter made 15 saves in the Terps' 13-9 win over No. 1 Virginia and Phipps stopped 17 of 18 shots in a 9-4 victory over Penn.

Sophomore Mark White, who saw limited action last year, will serve as the team's third goalie.

Face-Offs
Maryland took advantage of the NCAA's new face-off rule as much as any squad last season and that should continue this year.

Bryn Holmes returns as the Terps' leading face-off man and is expected to take the majority of Maryland's draws this year. Last season he took nearly 45 percent of the team's face-offs and had a .561 winning percentage.

Other options at the "X" for the Terrapins include Dan Burns, Casey Creaney, Scott LaRue and Ryder Bohlander with a long pole.

The wild card will be Jeff Reynolds. Last season he won better than 61 percent of his face-offs, but only took 18 draws.

2009 Events
While Maryland's schedule is always among the toughest in the nation, the 2009 season finds a trio of highly anticipated events on the Terps' slate.

First, the Terrapins will open the season in the Sunshine State as a part of the annual Wounded Warrior Project fundraiser. Maryland is set to face Presbyterian and Air Force in Jacksonville, Fla., on Valentine's Day weekend.

Maryland will then return to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on the last weekend in February to take on ACC rival Duke in the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic. The doubleheader, now in its third year, will have Johns Hopkins and Princeton facing-off in the opener.

The Terps will return to M&T Bank Stadium for their 105th meeting with Johns Hopkins in the second game of the inaugural Day of Rivals. The annual Army-Navy game will be the opening contest.