March 20, 2009

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The 10-ranked Maryland men's lacrosse team (5-2) plays host to No. 11 North Carolina (7-2) in a critical game with conference and national implications on Saturday, March 21 at 2 p.m. at Ludwig Field.

• The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU and ESNPU-HD. Handling the play-by-play will be Rob Simmelkjaer, while Matt Ward will provide the analysis.

• The game between the Terps and the Tar Heels is also scheduled to be broadcast on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network's flagship station, ESPN Radio 1300 AM (WJZ-AM) in Baltimore and surrounding areas. Steve Stofberg (Maryland '94) is in his fourth season as the vioce of Terrapin lacrosse. He will be joined in the booth by analyst Tim McGinnis, who was an All-American goalie for the Terps in 2004.

• Prior to the game the University of Maryland, its athletics department and the men's lacrosse program will honor its 14 seniors: Jason Carter, Anthony Costanzo, Danny Gallagher, Mike Griswold, Dan Groot, Spencer McAllister, Rob Morrison, David O'Quinn, Jeff Reynolds, Chris Rhine, Jeremy Sieverts, Kevin Slafkosky, Scott Tompkins and Nick Ward. The 2009 senior class has compiled a 37-19 (.661) record during the past four seasons in College Park They have also helped Maryland to the 2006 Final Four.

Tickets and Game Promotions
• Click here for ticket information for all 2009 Maryland men's lacrosse home games.

• Click here for a complete list of game promotions for this season.

Coaching Match-up
• Now in his 27th season as a head coach, Dave Cottle enters today's game with a 263-106 career record for a 71.3 win percentage, sixth-highest among active coaches with at least 100 career wins. His win total is tied for fourth among active coaches. He is 82-36 (69.5) in his eight seasons at Maryland.

• Joe Breschi is in his 12th season season as a head coach and holds a lifetime record of 99-65 (.604). He is in his first year with the Tar Heels and has a 7-2 (.778) record as the Carolina head coach.

• Cottle has recorded an 14-10 career record against Carolina. He is 7-1 against UNC since arriving in College Park in 2002. He was 7-9 vs. the Tar Heels while he served as the head coach at Loyola..

Series History vs. North Carolina
• Since Maryland and North Carolina began their series in 1964, Maryland holds a 36-18 (.667) advantage. The Terps have won 12 of the last 13, with the lone loss coming in 2003, a 10-6 UNC victory at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium on March 22. Maryland has not lost to North Carolina in Chapel Hill since 1996, a 17-16 Tar Heel win.

• The Terps entered the 2008 game as the underdog for the first time since 2000, but left the game with their sixth straight victory over the Tar Heels, 13-8. Junior midfielder Jeff Reynolds scored his first career hat trick to lead the Terps. Grant Catalino, Dan Groot, Jeremy Sieverts and Max Ritz each had a goal and an assist in the Maryland victory.

• The Maryland midfield dominated the 2007 game and le the Terps to an impressive 14-8 win over a rising Carolina team at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium. Sophomore midfielder Dan Groot led the Terrapin attack with three goals for his second career hat trick. Freshman goalie Brian Phipps was stellar in the cage for Maryland, stopping 15 Tar Heel shots, while allowing just seven goals.

• The Tar Heels led for nearly the entire game in the 2006 ACC semifinals, but Xander Ritz scored off a brilliant cross-crease pass from Michael Phipps with just 1:25 left in the fourth quarter to give the third-ranked Terps their first lead of the game and the 10-9 victory. Brendan Healy scored three goals and added a pair of assists for Maryland, while Ritz finished with a hat trick and Bill McGlone scored two and assisted on another two scores.

• In the 2006 regular season meeting Joe Walters scored five goals to lead the No. 4 Terps to a 9-6 win at North Carolina on March 25. Sophomore attackman Max Ritz added two goals, while Bill McGlone and Michael Phipps each scored one. Defensively, Harry Alford stopped eight shots and allowed just six goals in net for the Terps.

• Terrapin goalie Harry Alford stopped 20 UNC shots in the 2005 meeting to lead the fourth-ranked Terps to a 9-4 win over Carolina in College Park. Michael Hartofilis turned in the finest performance of his Maryland career with a goal and a career-best three assists. Brendan Healy, Michael Phipps and Joe Walters each scored twice in the Maryland win.

• The 2004 meeting in Chapel Hill saw Maryland pick up a thrilling 10-9 victory at Fetzer Field on March 27. The Tar Heels used a five-goal third quarter to take a 8-7 lead into the fourth, but two goals by Maryland's Mike Brown and another by Joe Walters gaves the Terps a 3-1 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter and the 10-9 win. Walters finished the game with four goals, while Michael Phipps scored two goals in the victory.

• In the 2003 game at Byrd Stadium, No. 13 North Carolina upset the No. 2 Terps as goalie Paul Spellman had a career-game with 25 saves. Joe Walters scored two goals for the Terps in the defeat. Bill McGlone also added a tally in the win. UNC was paced by Austin Garrison, who had four goals.

• Seven of the last 16 meetings with North Carolina have been decided by one goal.

• The Terps lost their only NCAA Tournament meeting with the Heels in 1986, 12-10.

• In ACC Tournament action, Maryland picked up its first win over UNC since the tournament started in 1989 with a 13-8 win on April 17, 1998. The Terps had dropped the first six games against the Heels in the ACC's all during a stretch from 1990 to 1995.

Defense Ready To Meet Expectations
• On paper this year's Maryland defense may appear to have some holes, but the 2009 Terrapin defense is looking to uphold the Terps' tradition of great defenses. Sure, the unit lost second team All-American Joe Cinosky, as well as 2008 starters Ryne Adolph and Jacob Baxter, but one look at the talent this year's "D" and you'll see it's more than capable. Sophomore Max Schmidt returns for his second season after starting 10 games as a freshman in 2008. Junior Brian Farrell was moved down low, but don't expect him to curtail his offensive ways. Senior Mike Griswold has secured the third spot and has played well. Sophomore Brett Schmidt and junior Dan Halayko are the team's top two long poles. Senior Chris Rhine can play both long pole and short-stick. The Terps' top shorties will be sophomore Dan Burns and junior Dean Hart, along with several offensive middies who are capable of locking down on the defensive side of the field.

• During the last five seasons, Maryland held its' opponents scoreless for long stretches of game time. The 2004 Terps kept opponents scoreless for stretches of 20 or more minutes eight times. In 2005 Maryland did it on seven occasions, and was just seconds away from keeping the high-powered Duke (1st meeting) and Navy offenses off the board for more than 20 minutes. The 2006 season saw the Terrapin defense do it 10 times in 17 games. In 2007 Terp "D" had 11 20+ minute scoring droughts to its credit in 16 contests. Last season, the Terp defense had six 20+-minute scoring droughts. Already this year, the Terps have put up two 20+-minute scoreless stretches.

• The defense turned in its first shutout quarter of the season in the first quarter of the 18-3 win over Presbyterian. The Terps held the Blue Hose scoreless in the first quarter, allowing the offense to jump out to a 7-0 lead. Overall, Presbyterian was held off the board for the first 25:14 of the game. Maryland also shutout the Blue Hose in the third quarter. Defenders Brian Farrell (1-1=2), Dean Hart (1-0=1) and Brett Schmidt (1-0=1) contributed on the offensive end as well.

• The Maryland "D" was just as stingy against Air Force in the Terps' 15-4 victory. The Terps held the Falcons scoreless for a stretch of 23:42, spanning the second, third and fourth quarters. Maryland also shutout Air Force in the third for its third scoreless quarter of the season. Brian Farrell scored a goal to extend his scoring streak to five games, dating back to last season. Danny Burns scored his first career goal and tacked on another for multiple-point game for a Terp defender. After scoring a goal in the opener, Brett Schmidt showed he can dish too, picking up his first-career assist.

• The defense was thrown a curve ball just days prior to the Duke game when Maryland learned that Brian Farrell would miss the game after being admitted to Shock Trauma due to complications with a pair of broken ribs. To fill Farrell's void, the Terps moved sophomore Brett Schmidt from his normal long pole spot to close defense, junior Dan Halayko to the top long pole slot and switched junior Dean Hart from short-stick to long pole. The changes worked as the Terps held the Blue Devils in check, allowing just eight goals.

• The defense was stout again against a determined Towson team. After the Tigers took a 1-0 lead, the Terrapin defense held Towson to just one goal over the next 31:56, allowing the offense to take control of the game and build a 6-2 lead. Mike Griswold and Brett Schmidt each had two groundballs and two caused turnovers, while Jeff Reynolds led the team with five GBs to go along with two caused turnovers.

• Bryant came into College Park averaging nearly 12 goals per game and had the NCAA's all-time leading goal scorer, Zack Greer, leading its attack. But the Terps were up to the challenge, limiting the Bulldogs to just six goals in a 13-6 Maryland win. Mike Griswold was given the assignment of marking Greer and Griswold was solid, holding him to just a pair of scores and no assists. For the game the Terps harassed the Bulldogs into 32 turnovers, including 16 that were directly caused by a Maryland player. Brett Schmidt was outstanding for the Terps, causing a career-best four turnovers.

Where's the Beef? Check the "D"
• How big is Maryland's defense this season? Take a look at the starting close defensemen for the Terps in 2009 - the average for the group is 6-foot-4, 230 pounds.

37 • Brian Farrell: 6-5, 240
14 • Mike Griswold: 6-4, 230
19 • Max Schmidt: 6-4, 220

Beef: It's Not Just For Defense Anymore
• Maryland defenders have long been known for their size, but what about the offense. That's where the smaller, quick, athletic types are supposed to be, but don't tell that to the Terps.

• Junior Will Yeatman and sophomore Grant Catalino are huge bookends at attack for the Terps. Yeatman checks in at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, while Catalino is an inch shorter and 20 pounds lighter.

• The Terps also boast some beef in the midfield. The first line has a trio that averages nearly 6-foot-2, 197 pounds in seniors Dan Groot (6-1, 190), Jeremy Sieverts (6-3, 210) and Jeff Reynolds (6-1, 190).

Offensive Defenders
• Through seven games Terrapin defensive players have been surprisingly offensive. So far in 2009, four Maryland defenders (close, long poles and short-stick d-middies) have scored goals or tallied assists.

• Leading the way, of course, is Brian Farrell. The junior was moved to close defense this season, but that hasn't stopped him from charging up the field to create offense. He leads the defense with two goals and an assists and is actually tied for fifth on the squad in points. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Baltimore native, has 15 goals and eight assists for 23 career points. Easily the highest-scoring defender in school history, Farrell's 23 points ranks 25th since 2002 at Maryland (the Cottle Era).

• Sophomore long pole Brett Schmidt seems to be taking a page out of Farrell's playbook. He scored a goal in the 2008 finale against Virginia and has picked up right where he left off. This season Schmidt scored a goal in the opener vs. Presbyterian and added an assist vs. Air Force.

• Sophomore short-stick Danny Burns scored two goals vs. Air Force and added an assist at Towson, while his running mate Dean Hart put in a goal vs. Presbyterian.

Fast Starts
• Since Coach Cottle arrived in College Park in 2002 only 12 players (for a total of 18 times) have totaled 17 points or more in the first seven games of a season. Three of those are on this year's team.

• Sophomore Grant Catalino is on an amazing pace (16-14=30), only trailing Joe Walters' 2004 numbers (21-10=31). Catalino's 14 assists ties him with teammate Ryan Young who had 14 through seven games last season.

• Will Yeatman and Young are also on the list for their efforts this season. Yeatman has 18 points on eight goals and 10 assists, while Young has 12 goals and five assists for 17 points.

• Young and Travis Reed are also on the list for their seven-game totals in 2008.

Streaking Terps
• Entering the 2009 season there are several scoring streaks that carry over from 2008 and they have continued in '09.

• Grant Catalino is currently on an 20-game point streak dating back to last year's Providence game. In those 20 games, he has had multiple points in 18 with a current multiple-point streak of 13, dating back to the Hopkins game. Catalino's streak is currently the ninth-longest in the nation.

• Jeremy Sieverts had the next-longest point-scoring streak for the Terps at 10 games, but it was snapped in the Bryant victory.

• Now Dan Groot has the second-longest point-scoring streak, which is currently seven games.

• Ryan Young has scored at least one point in each of the six games he's played in this season and has multiple-points in five of the six games.

Home Cooking
• A lot is made in sports about the home-field advantage, and for the Maryland men's lacrosse team that advantage has held true since Coach Cottle arrived in College Park. Since 2002, the Terps are 43-16 (.729) when playing on the Maryland campus. At Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium Maryland is 27-11 (.711) under Cottle, while the Terps have gone 8-3 (.727) at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex and 8-2 (.800) at Ludwig Field.

First-Time Opponents
• Maryland has played 71 different opponents in its 83 previous seasons. The 2009 season adds Presbyterian, Bryant and Binghamton to that list. In the Terps' 73 first-time meeting, including the 18-3 win over Presbyterian and the 13-6 victory over Bryant, Maryland is 69-4 in those games. Adelphi (12-13, 1982), Army (0-3, 1923), Syracuse (3-10, 1927) and Yale (3-5, 1925) are the only schools to beat the Terps the first time the schools met on a lacrosse field.

Terps' 84th Season Of Lacrosse
• The Terps boast an all-time record of 698-233-4 (.749), dating back to the first varsity team in 1924 (a team was not fielded in 1944 and 1945 due to World War II). Maryland has finished every one of its previous 83 seasons with a .500 or better record, including last season when the Terps went 10-6. The program reached the 650-win milestone with a 16-12 win over Army in the first round of the 2004 NCAA tournament at Byrd Stadium.

• Since 2000, Maryland is 106-44 for a .707 win percentage. In the decade of the 1990s, Maryland posted a 95-47 record. The .669 winning percentage matched Maryland's win percentage of the 1980s when the Terps went 83-41 and also compiled a .669 win percentage.

Yeatman among Tryout Pool For Team USA
• Junior attackman Will Yeatman is one of 84 players selected to try out for the 2010 U.S. men's national team that will compete FIL World Championships in Manchester, England. Yeatman is among 11 current college players selected from more than 200 applications.

• Joining Yeatman in the tryout pool are six former Terrapins: Joe Walters (attack), Bill McGlone (midfield), Joe Cinosky (defense), Chris Passavia (defense), Lee Zink (defense) and Brian Dougherty (goalie).

• The tryouts will be held from June 7-10, 2009 at Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I. Following the tryout weekend, the group will be trimmed to approximately 40 players that will compete in three training weekends during the fall of 2009. After those three weekends, the roster will be cut to the FIL-mandated size of 23 players.

Terps in Pro Stadiums
• Maryland has played nine games in an NFL stadium. All-time the Terps are 5-4 in professional stadiums. Earlier this season Maryland topped Duke, 11-8, at the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic at M&T Bank Stadium.

• In 2005, Maryland was 3-1 in NFL stadiums - 1-1 at Lincoln Financial Field and 2-0 at M&T Bank Stadium.

• In 2006, the Terps were 1-1 at M&T Bank Stadium, defeating North Carolina, 10-9, in the ACC semis at M&T Bank Stadium before dropping an 11-5 decision to Virginia in the finals. Maryland then lost to UMass, 8-5, at Lincoln Financial Field in the NCAA Semifinals.

• Maryland lost to Virginia in the 2003 NCAA Semifinals in M&T Bank Stadium.

Maryland In Season Openers
• Maryland has a 80-3-1 (.958) lifetime record in season openers dating back to the 1924 season. The Terps have won their last 16 openers and 23 of the last 24, with the only loss coming to Duke in 1993, when they fell to Duke 9-5 on March 6.

• After losing their 1925 opener to Yale, 5-3, the Terps went on to win 40 consecutive season openers from 1926 through 1967. The streak was broken when Maryland tied Princeton, 6-6, in the 1968 opener. Following the deadlock, Maryland went on to win its next 14 openers, giving the Terps a 54-0-1 record over a 57-year span (Maryland did not field a team in 1944 and 1945 due to World War II.)

16 Straight in Season Openers
• After beating No. 4 Georgetown to open the 2008 season the Terps have a 15-game winning streak in season openers. Five of those wins came against Villanova (1994-98) and the last nine over Denver, Mount St. Mary's, Air Force, Hobart, Duke, Georgetown (four times), Bellarmine and Presbyterian. Over the 16-year stretch, Maryland outscored its foes 222-81 (an average score of 13.8-5.1) in those games.

• The Terps have not allowed more than seven goals to any opponent in a season opener over the last 16 years. Maryland has not allowed an opponent to score 10 or more goals in a season opener since Syracuse beat the Terps, 16-13 on March 9, 1983.

A Family Affair
• Many school's refer to their sports programs as families, but under Coach Cottle the Maryland men's lacrosse program has really become a family affair. Since arriving in College Park in 2002, Cottle has had nine sets of brothers don the red and black together for at least one season.

Harry & Harry: 2004-05-06-07
Justin & Owen Blye: 2009
Brendan & Ian Healy: 2003-04-05
Bryn & Travis Holmes: 2007
Dan & Mike LaMonica: 2002
Chris & Willy Passavia: 2002-03
Brian & Michael Phipps: 2007
Max & Xander Ritz: 2005-06
Mark & Michael White: 2008-09

• Maryland's family tradition doesn't end with brothers. Fathers and sons are also part of the Terps' tradition and that's never been more evident than this season. This year's Maryland men's lacrosse roster features three players whose father's not only played at Maryland, but won a nation title together. Mike Farrell, father of Brian, Wilson Phipps, father of Brian, and Jake Reed, father of Travis, were all members of the Terps' 1975 NCAA championship squad.

• The Terrapin family tree doesn't stop there for Brian Phipps. He is the fourth in a line of Phipps that donned the red and black for Maryland. The Phipps-family legacy started in the 1940's with Louis Phipps, who was an honorable mention All-American in 1949. His son, Wilson, was a member of the 1975 Terrapin National Championship squad. Brian is the second of Wilson's sons to play for the Terps. Michael Phipps played for Maryland from 2004-07 and was an honorable mention All-American as a senior after leading the squad in scoring with 50 points.

Home Away From Home
• Due to the renovations currently underway at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium, the Terps will play their five scheduled home games at Ludwig Field. It is anticipated that the Terrapins will return to Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium in 2010.

2009 Captains: Carter, Griswold, Groot, Rhine, Sieverts
• Five players have been named team captains for the 2009 season. The quintet, which was voted on by the team during the preseason, consists of seniors Jason Carter, Mike Griswold, Dan Groot, Chris Rhine and Jeremy Sieverts.

Maryland Men's Lacrosse on Facebook
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Media Information
• Email Straight To You: If you would like the latest Maryland men's lacrosse news emailed directly to you as soon as it breaks, email men's lacrosse contact Patrick Fischer with "Men's Lacrosse E-Mail" as the subject and you will receive every update.

• Terps on the Web: For up-to-date game stories, statistics, schedules and results, and other Maryland athletic department information, please log-on to www.umterps.com on the Internet.

• GameTracker: Follow Terps games live in 2009 on your computer with GameTracker. Links for all games that will be available can be found at www.umterps.com.