After defeating Boston College 64-59 Tuesday night, Maryland heads south for a road test at No. 1 Duke on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Terrapins are tied for seventh place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 3-3 record, a game behind second-place NC State and 2.5 games behind Miami, which at 5-0 is the last team with an unblemished league record. The Blue Devils are ranked No. 1 in both polls and are 3-2 in the league after a 90-63 setback at Miami on Wednesday night.

Storyline

• Propelled by a strong second half, Maryland improved its record to 15-4 with the win over BC. Jake Layman scored 10 of his 15 points after halftime, and the Terrapins shot 48.3 percent in the second half. Dez Wells efficiently ran the offense in the second half, recording seven of his career-high eight assists without committing a turnover in the final 20 minutes. Nick Faust scored nine of his 11 points in the second half, including five in the final 1:37 to help ice the game.

• Alex Len recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 boards against the Eagles. He leads the team and ranks 15th in the ACC in scoring (13.5 per game) and sixth in rebounding (8.2 per game). With seven of the 10 players in Maryland’s regular rotation either freshmen or sophomores, the majority of Maryland’s scoring this season has come from underclassmen. Of the 71.8 points per game Maryland is averaging, 58.2 come from underclassmen (81 percent).

• The Terps have held all six ACC opponents under 38 percent shooting and the last five opponents to 65 points or fewer. Opponents are shooting just 35.1 percent against Maryland this season, a mark which ranks third nationally behind just Texas (34.5) and Kansas (34.8). Maryland has also outrebounded all 19 opponents this season and ranks third in the country in rebounding margin (plus-10.4).

Maryland-Duke Series History

• Maryland trails the all-time series 61-112, which dates back to 1925. The Terps trail the series 15-56 on the road, with their last win in Cameron coming on Feb. 28, 2007. In that game, the 24th ranked Terrapins defeated the 14th-ranked Blue Devils, 85-77.

• Duke won both meetings last season, including a 73-55 victory in Durham, and has won five straight in the series. Maryland’s last victory came on March 3, 2010, a 79-72 win in Comcast Center.

Quick Hitters

• Maryland last defeated a No. 1 team on Jan. 19, 2008, when it beat North Carolina 82-80 in Chapel Hill, N.C. That was also Maryland’s last win over a ranked team on the road.

• Maryland’s 51-50 win over then-No. 14 NC State on Jan. 16 was its first win over a ranked opponent since March 3, 2010, when it beat No. 4 Duke 79-72 at home.

• Maryland ranks second in the ACC in field goal percentage at .468, behind just NC State (.510). The Terps shot 42.4 percent against Boston College, snapping a streak of four straight games in which they shot under 40 percent. Prior to that streak of four games, Maryland had shot better than 40 percent in 12 of its previous 13 games.

• The Terps are 14-0 this season when they have the lead with 5:00 left in the game, and 1-0 when tied with 5:00 left.

• The 13-game winning streak Maryland went on earlier this season is tied for the second longest in school history, trailing just the 14-game streak the Terps went on in 1931-32. Maryland also went on a 13-game win streak in 2001-02, the year they went on to win the national title.

• It was also the 11th time in school history Maryland has put together a 10-game winning streak. In the past 30 years, Maryland has gone on a 10-game winning streak on six occasions, and in each of the previous instances it has gone on to play in the NCAA Tournament.

• Logan Aronhalt is averaging one 3-point field goal made for every 7.7 minutes on the floor. By comparison, the ACC leader in 3PT FGs made, Reggie Bullock of North Carolina, makes one every 11 minutes on the floor.

• Seven of the 10 players in Maryland’s regular rotation are underclassmen and 81 percent of Maryland’s scoring (58.2 of 71.8 points per game) is coming from underclassmen. Additionally, Maryland’s top four scorers are underclassmen.

• At least eight players have scored in 16 of Maryland’s 19 games this year. The exceptions are vs. George Mason, at Miami and at North Carolina, when just seven players scored.

• Maryland has nearly made more free throws (262) than the opponent has attempted (276) this season. The Terps are 10-1 when making more free throws than the opponent.

• When Seth Allen, Jake Layman and Shaquille Cleare drew starts against UMES, it marked the first time Maryland started three true freshmen since Dec. 28, 1993, when Keith Booth, Matt Kovarik and Joe Smith did vs. Hofstra.

• Charles Mitchell earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors on Dec. 31 for his play against Delaware State on Dec. 29. Mitchell came off the bench to score 19 points and grab 14 rebounds, both career highs. Mitchell is the second Terp to earn weekly ACC honors; Alex Len was Player of the Week on Nov. 12.

Hitting the Mark

• Maryland has assisted on 61 percent (305 of 500) of its field goals this season. The Terps have recorded double-digit assists in 17 of 19 games (exceptions are at Miami & at North Carolina), and are 14-1 when recording at least 14 assists.

• On average, Maryland has recorded 17.7 assists per game in wins, while in its four losses it has averaged just 9.8.

Field-goal Percentage Defense

• Maryland leads the ACC and ranks third nationally in field goal percentage defense at .351. The Terps have held 13 of the last 15 opponents under 40 percent shooting, with Stony Brook and IUPUI being the exceptions. Maryland has held each of its six ACC opponents under 38 percent shooting (VT – .373; FSU – .367; Miami – .349; NC State – .311; North Carolina – .354; Boston College – .357).

• Since 2000, five Terrapin teams have held the opponent under 40 percent shooting. Of those five, four went on to at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Super Subs

• Maryland’s bench has been an asset all season, as the Terps’ non-starters have outscored the opponents non-starters in 16 of 19 games (exceptions are Kentucky, George Mason & North Carolina).

• On the year, Maryland’s bench has a 480-200 (25.3 to 10.5 per game) advantage over the opponent.

• All 10 players in Maryland’s regular rotation are averaging double-figure minutes, and no player is averaging more than 27 minutes per game (Alex Len is first at 26.4).

• Logan Aronhalt has been a consistent contributor as a long-range specialist. He is eight 3-point field goals made shy of qualifying for the ACC lead, but his .476 mark from beyond the arc would lead the league. He has made at least one 3-pointer in 15 of 19 games this season. Of his 32 field goals made this season, 30 are 3-pointers.

Honorable Mention: Golf-PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open (Thursday & Friday 3pm live on Golf Channel Saturday & Sunday 1pm live on Golf Channel 3pm live on CBS); Women’s College Basketball: North Carolina @ Maryland (Thursday 8:30pm from Comcast Center live on Comcast SportsNet PLUS), Maryland @ Clemson (Sunday 5pm from Clemson, SC live on YouTube); Soccer: MISL Rochester Lancers @ Baltimore Blast (Friday 7:35pm from 1st Mariner Arena live on MISLtv.com), Missouri Comets @ Baltimore Blast (Saturday 7:3pm from 1st Mariner Arena live on MISLtv.com); Boxing: Lucas Matthysse vs. Michael Dallas Jr. (Saturday 10pm from Las Vegas live on Showtime), Friday Night Fights: Sergiy Dzinziruk vs. Brian Vera (Friday 9pm from Verona, NY live on ESPN2)

10. Miranda Lambert/Dierks Bentley (Thursday 7:30pm 1st Mariner Arena); The xx (Monday 8pm Rams Head Live); Little River Band (Tuesday 8pm Rams Head on Stage), The English Beat (Wednesday 8pm Rams Head on Stage); Ra Ra Riot (Wednesday 7pm 9:30 Club), Cowboy Mouth/All Mighty Senators (Saturday 8pm 9:30 Club), The Used (Monday 7pm 9:30 Club); Sister Hazel (Saturday 8pm Howard Theatre); Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Friday 8pm Strathmore); Bryan Adams (Saturday 8pm National Theatre); Tony Bennett (Saturday 8pm Warner Theatre); Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite “Get Up!” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

The xx? In the words of Joe Flacco, “I don’t know.”

Forrester and I have gone to see Ra Ra Riot a few times. What of it?

Sister Hazel should legally be forced to play a show here once a week.

This Ben Harper/Charlie Musselwhite thing is a “yes.”

9. Baltimore County Winter Restaurant Week (Tuesday-Sunday); “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters“, “Movie 43” and “Parker” out in theaters (Friday); John Witherspoon (Friday-Sunday Baltimore Comedy Factory), Todd Glass (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge (Saturday Sandy Point State Park)

The Polar Bear Plunge is a FINE reminder that…it’s been awhile since we’ve seen bikinis around here…

Now we should check in on Jennifer Lopez in Parker…

Okay. Nothing to see here obviously.

(Continued on Page 2…)

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Duke’s Seth Curry has been named the ACC Player of the Week while Maryland’s Charles Mitchell has been selected the conference’s Rookie of the Week.

Curry scored a career-high 31 points in top-ranked Duke’s 90-77 win over Santa Clara on Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Charlotte, N.C., senior went 12-of-18 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range, and 3-of-4 from the foul line in recording his first 30+ point game as a Blue Devil. He also added three rebounds and an assist in 36 minutes of action. Curry scored 18 second half points, including 12 points during a 21-3 Blue Devil run early in the half that turned a four-point deficit into a 62-48 lead with 9:13 remaining.

Mitchell led Maryland to its 11th straight victory by coming off the bench and setting season highs with 19 points and 14 rebounds in a 79-50 win over Delaware State Saturday afternoon. The Marietta, Ga., freshman connected on 8-of-12 field goals, while seven of his 14 boards were on the offensive end. Mitchell, who ranks first among ACC freshmen with 6.9 rebounds per game, recorded a double-double for the third time this season.

Drew Forrester is right.

(You better make sure you pocket that one away for the future there, Forrester.)

He wrote Saturday morning here at WNST.net that if the University of Maryland were to jump ship from the ACC to the Big Ten (or B1G if you will), the move would be made entirely based on money.

He’s right about that. Of course, as it always is with Drew-he’s not right about everything.

Drew also said such a move would “stink…plain and simple.”

I’m not buying that whatsoever. I know he isn’t either.

Maryland to the Big Ten rumors have been reheated in recent days, and it appears as though this time there’s the actual bite that has been missing during previous rounds of rumors. In fact, a detailed ESPN.com report said Saturday school President Wallace Loh and Athletic Director Kevin Anderson were directly involved in negotiations.

The single biggest reason why a move like this WOULDN’T happen would be the $50 million exit fee the ACC is charging for a member institution to leave, but there’s monetary incentive for the B1G to be willing to help there.

Should the B1G be able to lure Maryland (and Rutgers as reports have indicated the league would also like to add), they would immediately open up three top 30 markets for likely pickup of the Big Ten Network (New York, Washington and Baltimore). Adding these three markets would prove quite lucrative for a league who created the first ever 24-7 sports television network.

That fact has been deemed understandable by most fans, but what some have struggled to understand is why Maryland would want to give up money-making basketball games against the likes of Duke and North Carolina.

Perhaps Saturday’s football game should teach you a lesson.

To understand why the move would make sense for Maryland, you must first be willing to accept a simple fact. No matter how important basketball is to your program, football is the money maker at (damn near) every major Division 1 university.

Let that sink in.

Maryland needs football revenue. It’s why they’re rotating through many different Under Armour uniforms right now. They’re hoping that with actual healthy players in the near future, they might be able to win games under Randy Edsall. If they do, that will go a long way to helping the program make money. In the meantime, their most lucrative opponents at Byrd Stadium include the likes of Virginia Tech and Florida State.

And thanks to this picture posted by InsideMDSports.com Saturday, here’s what we’ve learned about the lucrative nature of a game against Florida State…

There is no guarantee that a late season game against an Ohio State or Penn State or Michigan or Wisconsin would be significantly better attended than Saturday’s game given the dreadful state of the Maryland program after losing FOUR quarterbacks. But if THIS is as good as the ACC has to offer in football, what really is there to lose by making the jump?

There absolutely WOULD be something lost in basketball with a move to the B1G. Games against Duke and North Carolina have been perhaps the most significant athletic events the school has hosted in the last decade. That said, the conference has been a watered down mess outside the two power programs, and replacing Duke and Carolina with games against Michigan State and Indiana annually (or biannually) doesn’t sound like a terrible consolation prize. Games against Ohio State Wisconsin could serve as replacements for what would have been gained from the pending additions of Pitt and Syracuse to the ACC.

But Maryland’s reason for interest in jumping ship to the Big Ten is still much more tied to football, and namely the Big Ten Network.

The thought process is quite simple. Every Big Ten football game played every year is on television.

I want you to think about that.

Every single game is on television…not ESPN3.com.

That value cannot be dismissed in making a determination for the University of Maryland. Even the early season games against the likes of James Madison or Florida International would actually air on TV in (presumably) almost every home in the area and in other Big Ten markets, which would now include the crucial recruiting areas of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Every single game would also be available for viewing parties of alumni groups in bars and restaurants in those same markets.

Does that make sense?

On top of that, every program aired 24 hours a day, seven days a week on BTN serves as very affordable advertising for the athletic department and university as a whole.

If Maryland makes the move to the B1G, it will ABSOLUTELY be all about money.

It will NOT however “stink”.

Everyone knows (including Drew) that the only thing that actually matters in college athletics is money.

That’s “plain and simple.”

-G

Maryland opens conference schedule Jan. 5, 2013 vs. Virginia Tech

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The University of Maryland men’s basketball team on Wednesday released its 2012-13 schedule, which is highlighted by a season-opener against defending national champion Kentucky and a home-and-home series with Duke and North Carolina.

For the first time the Terps will play an 18-game Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, and in that format will play a home-and-home with Boston College, Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

Maryland will face Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami and North Carolina State once, with the contests against the Tigers and Wolfpack taking place in College Park, Md.

The Terps also have 11 games on the schedule against 2012 NCAA Tournament teams, including the season opener against the Wildcats. Maryland and Kentucky will tip off the first college basketball game in the brand new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., at 8:30 on Nov. 9.

“We have a very exciting and competitive schedule this season,” said head coach Mark Turgeon. “Our non-conference schedule features teams from some of the top conferences in the country, including our first game against Kentucky, the defending national champion. We are focused on building upon what we started last season and look forward to the challenge of the start of our very competitive ACC schedule.”

The Terrapins will hold Maryland Madness on Friday, Oct. 12, and play an exhibition game on Friday, Nov. 2 against Indiana University of Pennsylvania in advance of the regular-season home opener against Morehead State on Nov. 12.

In addition to the Kentucky game, the Terps have a busy non-conference schedule in November. Maryland has four home games that month and plays at Northwestern as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 27.

After taking on George Mason at the Verizon Center on Dec. 2, Maryland will play eight straight home games. The homestand stretches into the start of conference play, when Virginia Tech visits Comcast Center on Jan. 5, 2013.

Later in January, the Terps will face a difficult road stretch when they play at North Carolina on Jan. 19, at Duke on Jan. 26 and at Florida State on Jan. 30. The Tar Heels make their return trip to Comcast Center on March 6, while the Blue Devils will visit College Park on Feb. 16.

Regional broadcast selections and times for non-conference games will be announced at a later date.

Season tickets are available for sale. Season tickets in Terrapin Club seating areas are priced at $619. A discounted season option is on sale for $469 and flexible payment methods are available. For more information, fans can contact the Terrapin Ticket Office at 1-800-IM-A-TERP.

2012-13 MARYLAND MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Day     Date                Opponent                                                                                  Time                   Television

Fri.      Nov. 2             IUP (Exhibition)                                                                        TBA                   

Fri.       Nov. 9              vs. Kentucky (Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.)                           8:30                     ESPN

Mon.   Nov. 12           MOREHEAD STATE                                                                  TBA                   

Fri.      Nov. 16           LIU-BROOKLYN                                                                        TBA                   

Tue.    Nov. 20           LAFAYETTE                                                                              TBA                   

Sat.     Nov. 24           GEORGIA SOUTHERN                                                              TBA                   

Tue.     Nov. 27            at Northwestern                                                                          9:15                     ESPN2

Sun.     Dec. 2              vs. George Mason (Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.)             TBA

Wed.   Dec. 5             MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE                                               TBA                   

Sat.     Dec. 8             SOUTH CAROLINA STATE                                                      TBA                   

Wed.   Dec. 12           MONMOUTH                                                                              TBA                   

Fri.      Dec. 21           STONY BROOK                                                                         TBA                   

Sat.     Dec. 29           DELAWARE STATE                                                                  TBA                   

Tue.    Jan. 1              IUPUI                                                                                          TBA                   

Sat.     Jan. 5              VIRGINIA TECH*                                                                        Noon                  ACCN

Wed.   Jan. 9              FLORIDA STATE*                                                                     8:00                     ACCN

Sun.     Jan. 13            at Miami*                                                                                     8:00                     ESPNU

Wed.   Jan. 16            NC STATE*                                                                                7:00                     ESPN2

Sat.      Jan. 19            at North Carolina*                                                                       Noon                   ESPN

Tue.    Jan. 22            BOSTON COLLEGE*                                                                 9:00                     ESPNU

Sat.      Jan. 26            at Duke*                                                                                      1:00                     CBS

Wed.    Jan. 30            at Florida State*                                                                          8:00                     ACCN

Sat.     Feb. 2             WAKE FOREST*                                                                        2:00                     RSN   

Thur.   Feb. 7              at Virginia Tech*                                                                          9:00                     ACCN

Sun.    Feb. 10           VIRGINIA*                                                                                   1:00                     ACCN

Sat.     Feb. 16           DUKE*                                                                                        6:00                     ESPN/ESPN2

Tue.     Feb. 19            at Boston College*                                                                       9:00                     ACCN

Sat.     Feb. 23           CLEMSON*                                                                                 Noon                  ESPN2

Wed.    Feb. 27            at Georgia Tech*                                                                         8:00                     ACCN

Sat.      March 2           at Wake Forest*                                                                          Noon                   ACCN

Wed.   March 6          NORTH CAROLINA*                                                                 7:00                     ESPN/ESPN2

Sun.     March 10         at Virginia*                                                                                   6:00                     ESPNU

March 14-17                at ACC Tournament (Greensboro, N.C.)

March 19 & 20             at NCAA First Round (Dayton)

March 21 & 23             at NCAA Second & Third Rounds (Auburn Hills, Lexington, Salt Lake City, San Jose)

March 22 & 24             at NCAA Second & Third Rounds (Austin, Dayton, Kansas City, Philadelphia)

March 28 & 30             at NCAA Regionals (Washington, D.C., Los Angeles)

March 29 & 31             at NCAA Regionals (Arlington, Indianapolis)

Apr. 6 & 8                    at NCAA Final Four (Atlanta)

* – Atlantic Coast Conference game

All times and dates subject to change (times for non-conference home games subject to change with regional TV selections);

All times Eastern; Home games played at Comcast Center (17,950) listed in BOLD CAPS

TV Key – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU – national broadcasts; ACC Network (ACCN), Regional Sports Network (RSN), Comcast SportsNet (CSN); Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) – regional broadcasts. TerpsTV available via live stream on www.umterps.com

CHARLOTTE – Less than 10 days after leading the Loyola University Maryland men’s lacrosse team to its first-ever national title, NCAA Championships Most Outstanding Player Eric Lusby has been claimed by Major League Lacrosse’s Charlotte Hounds and will make his professional debut later this month.

Lusby set the NCAA Championships scoring record with 17 goals in four games, tallying at least three in each as Loyola defeated Canisius, Denver, Notre Dame and Maryland to claim the school’s first NCAA Division I title. He tallied five against both the Pioneers and Fighting Irish and then had four in the title game against the Terrapins on May 28.

He will remain a Hound at the professional level after Charlotte, which is in its first year as an expansion franchise, claimed him on the waiver wire.

“It has always been something I have wanted to do, play professional lacrosse and with the best players everywhere,” Lusby said. “This has probably been the best six months of my entire life, the success we’ve had, the time with the coaches and then winning a national championship.

“I want to thank all of the coaches at Loyola. Coach (Dan) Chemotti changed the offense a little bit this year, and it was such a fun year to be able to play in that. This was the best five years of my life, and I have my coaches and teammates to thank for that.”

Lusby’s run in the NCAA Championships capped a stellar season put together after recovering from an ACL injury to his right knee that held him out of all but two games in 2011. As a junior, Lusby injured his knee in the NCAA First Round at Cornell in May 2010, and an attempt to return togame action last season came to a close after just two games.

The Severna Park, Md., native received a medical redshirt from the NCAA and after graduating from Loyola in May 2011 with his degree in finance, he returned to action as a graduate student this season.

At his natural position of attack, Lusby became one of the top snipers in the college game, finishing sixth in Division I in goals pergame (2.84). He finished the year with 54 goals scored, a single-season record at Loyola that eclipsed the 50 scored by MLL all-time goal scored leader Tim Goettelmann in 2000 and the 52 by his teammate Mike Sawyer this year.

Lusby and Sawyer became the first pair of Loyola teammates to score 50 or more goals in a season and the first at the NCAA level since Duke’s Max Quinzani and Zach Howell in 2010, a pair of teammates who also won an NCAA title.

Lusby posted hat tricks in 11 games this season after entering the year with just two in his first three season at Loyola. He scored two or more goals in 14 of the Greyhounds’ 19 contests in 2012, helping the team tie an NCAA Division I record with 18 victories. Lusby also posted two or more assists five times this year and finished with a team-leading 71 points as his 17 assists were second-most on the team.

His 71 points are the most by a Loyola player since the Greyhounds joined Division I for the 1982 season, and they are the fourth-most all-time in school history.

Lusby was undrafted in the 2012 MLL entry draft following his injury, but he was the top pick on the waiver wire this year by the Hounds. He will join an offense that features the likes of Stephen Berger, Matt Danowski, Jeremy Boltus and Billy Bitter.

Charlotte’s roster also includes former Loyola standout Andrew Spack, a midfielder who graduated in 2007.

Lusby will most likely begin his time with the Hounds when Charlotte hosts the MLL Champion Boston Cannons on Saturday, May 16. The Cannons feature one of Lusby’s former Loyola teammates, All-Star defender P.T. Ricci.

BRUCE SHINGLER NAMED ASSISTANT MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH AT TOWSON UNIVERSITY
Shingler Joins Tiger Coaching Staff From Morgan State

TOWSON, Md. – Towson University men’s basketball coach Pat Skerry has announced the hiring of Bruce Shingler as an assistant coach for the Tigers. He replaces Kenny Johnson who was recently named assistant coach at Indiana University.

Shingler, who served as an AAU head coach of the DC Assault 17-and-Under team, spent last season as an assistant coach on the Morgan State University staff.

“I’ve gotten to know Bruce the last few years and we’re excited to get him here on our staff,” said Skerry. “He’s young, a great communicator and extremely energetic. He provides us with a really strong recruiting presence in the Maryland, DC and northern Virginia areas. We’re excited to have him on board.”

Prior to his year at Morgan State, Shingler was the head coach at Bladensburg (Md.) High School. While at Bladensburg, he led the Mustangs to an 18-5 record and a No. 12 ranking in the Washington Post final poll.

With DC Assault, Shingler coached several prominent players, including McDonald’s All-Americans Michael Beasley (Kansas State/Minnesota Timberwolves), Wally Judge (Rutgers), Quinn Cook (Duke) and approximately 40 other Division I players.

Prior to his years at the AAU and high school levels, Shingler spent a season as an administrative assistant at Kansas State University under Coach Frank Martin.

“Bruce is one of the bright young stars in this business,” said Martin. “He is a former high school teacher and coach who has a tremendous rapport with kids.”

Shingler was a four-year starter and Academic All-American point guard at St. Augustine’s College from 2001-to-2005. He averaged six points and more than seven assists per game. Shingler earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in Communications in 2005.

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2012 – The Tewaaraton Foundation has announced Peter Baum of Colgate University and Katie Schwarzmann of the University of Maryland as the winners of the 12th annual Tewaaraton Award, presented Thursday at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The Tewaaraton Award annually honors the top male and top female college lacrosse players in the United States.

Colgate didn’t enter the season on the national radar, but Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Peter Baum ensured the Raiders quickly emerged as contenders. Baum took off after an early-season move to attack and terrorized defenses with his hybrid style. The nation’s scoring leader broke eight school and conference records and led Colgate’s second-ranked offense to a school-record 14 wins and its first-ever NCAA tournament victory.

The Portland, Ore., native is the first men’s Tewaaraton finalist and winner from west of the Mississippi, and the first in Colgate history. The junior ended the season with 97 points (67 g, 30 a), tying Duke’s Matt Danowski (2008) for the most ever by a men’s Tewaaraton finalist.

The winner of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award for Outstanding Player of the Year, Baum was also named to the USILA All-America first team and earned All-Patriot League, All-Patriot League Tournament (tournament-record 18 points) and Academic All-Patriot League honors. His 5.39 points per game and 3.72 goals per game both led the country.

Baum currently ranks second in Colgate and Patriot League history with 130 career goals and fifth in program history with 176 career points. His 67 goals and 97 points this season rank sixth and 13th all-time in NCAA history. He is the first Patriot League representative and the seventh attackman to receive the men’s Tewaaraton Award.

A returning finalist in her junior season, Katie Schwarzmann continued to make her mark in Maryland’s record book. The ACC Offensive Player of the Year was a threat between the lines and ruled the fast break. Schwarzmann finished 2012 first in the ACC and second nationally in goals (72), while ranking second on the Terrapins in points (94), ground balls (31), draw controls (52) and caused turnovers (17).

A three-time Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-American and three-time All-ACC performer, Schwarzmann was a member of the 2011-12 U.S. women’s national team. The Sykesville, Md., native joins Jen Adams (2001) and Caitlyn McFadden (2010) as the Terps’ Tewaaraton winners.

Schwarzmann scored in every game this season and boasted eight games with five or more points. Her 72 goals ranked fifth in Maryland single-season history. The ACC Championship Most Valuable Player tallied a tournament-record 11 goals in three games while leading the Terrapins to a fourth straight ACC crown. She was also named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament team.

Schwarzmann is the fifth women’s Tewaaraton winner in ACC history, the third women’s winner from the state of Maryland and the eighth midfielder to receive the Tewaaraton award on the women’s side.

“Every year, there are 10 worthy candidates and it is a credit to Peter and Katie that they have been recognized as the most outstanding players this year,” said Jeffrey Harvey, chairman of The Tewaaraton Foundation. “We are thrilled to have them join this elite list of those who have received the Tewaaraton Award.”

The five men’s finalists were Baum, Duke University midfielder CJ Costabile, University of Massachusetts attackman Will Manny, Loyola University attackman Mike Sawyer and University of Virginia attackman Steele Stanwick.

The five women’s finalists were Schwarzmann, University of Florida midfielder Brittany Dashiell, University of North Carolina attacker Becky Lynch, Northwestern University midfielder Taylor Thornton and Syracuse University attacker Michelle Tumolo.

Finalists were selected from a pool of 25 men’s and 25 women’s nominees. The selection committees are comprised of 12 men’s and 10 women’s current and former college coaches.

For more information on the Tewaaraton Award, visit www.tewaaraton.com. Like and follow The Tewaaraton Foundation at www.facebook.com/tewaaraton and www.twitter.com/tewaaraton.

About The Tewaaraton Foundation

First presented in 2001 at the University Club of Washington DC, the Tewaaraton Award is recognized as the pre-eminent lacrosse award, annually honoring the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. Endorsed by the Mohawk Nation Council of Elders and US Lacrosse, the Tewaaraton Award symbolizes lacrosse’s centuries-old roots in Native American heritage. The Tewaaraton Foundation ensures the integrity and advances the mission of this award. Each year, the Tewaaraton Award celebrates one of the six tribal nations of the Iroquois Confederacy – the Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora – and presents two scholarships to students of Iroquois descent. To learn more about The Tewaaraton Foundation, visit www.tewaaraton.com.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The Loyola University Maryland men’s lacrosse team checked off a lot of firsts throughout the 2012 season, and the Greyhounds capped their magical season with another on Memorial Day at Gillette Stadium.

Loyola won its first-ever NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship and the first national title in the school’s Division I history. The Greyhounds set a record for fewest goals allowed in an NCAA Championship Game, defeating the University of Maryland, 9-3.

“I thought Saturday was a pretty cool day for the Greyhounds. But, today is special,” said Charley Toomey who became the first coach to win an NCAA title in his first trip to the NCAA Semifinals. “When I look at my locker room, I’m just so proud of them. They’ve handled every situation with dignity and class this year. Coming back on short preparation to play a tough Maryland team, a physical Maryland team, they responded in a big way to give Loyola our first National Championship.”

Eric Lusby was named the Championship’s Most Outstanding Player after scoring four goals in the title game and setting a tournament record with 17 in four games. He also ends his season with a school-season record 54 goals, surpassing teammate Mike Sawyer who set the record two games ago and finished the year with 52.

Four Greyhounds joined Lusby on the All-Tournament Team: Josh Hawkins, Joe Fletcher, Scott Ratliff and Jack Runkel.

The Greyhounds trailed on two occasions during the game, 1-0 and 3-2, but after Maryland’s Kevin Cooper scored at 10:40, Loyola did not allow a goal for the remaining 40-minutes, 40-seconds of the contest.

Loyola’s win capped a season that it started outside the national Top-20 after concluding 2011 with an 8-5 record. The Greyhounds’ 18 wins set a program record, and Loyola became just the ninth team to win an NCAA Division I title since the first Championship in 1971.

The team is also the second in Loyola history to win a national crown, joining the 1976 men’s soccer side that won the NCAA Division II title.

Maryland took a 1-0 lead 5:26 into the game when Jesse Bernhardt caused a turnover and went the distance to score. The Terrapins (12-6) held Loyola scoreless for more than four more minutes, but Davis Butts broke through for the Greyhounds, scoring on a bouncer from nine yards out after taking a feed from Chris Layne.

Lusby pushed Loyola in front at the 1:55 mark in the first quarter, spinning free from a defender to dump in his first goal of the game.

Maryland, however, scored two in a row in the first five minutes of the second quarter to take brief 3-2 lead. Mike Chanenchuk got loose curling around the crease and scored at 12:12, and Cooper’s goal off a Joe Cummings feed made it 3-2 with 10:40 left in the frame.

The Terrapins’ advantage, however, did not last long as Pat Byrnes dodged around a defender from goal-line extended on the right side, putting a low-to-low shot around Maryland goalkeeper Niko Amato 1:18 after Cooper’s goal.

Layne then found Sawyer open about seven yards out, and Sawyer put a low-to-low shot into the net at 5:57 to put the Greyhounds up for good.

With 3:57 to go before the half, Phil Dobson came down the right side and ripped a shot to make it 5-3 at the break.

From that point, it was the defense’s turn to take over. Maryland took 19 shots in the third and fourth quarters, but Loyola did not yield a goal. Runkel made six of his seven saves in the second half in goal for the Greyhounds.

“Jack was tremendous this week, but that is what we see of him in practice every day,” Toomey said. “I felt like he got his first save, and that started things off right.”

Runkel was quick to credit the defense in front of him.

“A dream come true to play with these guys,” he said. “They give me shots that I want to see. I’m a lot better up top seeing shots and saving them.”

The close defense of Fletcher (2 ground balls, 1 caused turnover), Reid Acton (3, 2) and Dylan Grimm (1 gb) and rope unit of Ratliff (5, 2), Hawkins (2, 2), Pat Laconi (1 gb), Kyle Duffy and Kevin Moriarty led the way in front of Runkel.

Justin Ward scored the only goal of the third quarter,wrapping around the crease and depositing a high-to-high shot into the goal at 10:12, making Loyola’s lead 6-3.

The fourth quarter offense, then, belonged to Lusby.

He took a Layne pass and whipped a hip-high shot for a goal with 11:12 on the clock, and he made it an 8-3 Greyhounds lead with 5:07 toplay when Layne worked the ball to Sawyer, and Sawyer found Lusby alone on the top right side, and he scored from eight yards in front of the crease.

Lusby scored his record-setting goal with 3:45 left on the clock after Maryland had called a timeout to set up a ride.

Butts carried the ball around a double team for the Greyhounds, and then when he appeared to be trapped near the top of the box, Butts split the defenders and raced toward the goal. He sliced a pass in front of the crease to Lusby who finished his fourth goal of the afternoon.

“I just got hot at the right time,” Lusby said of his 17-goal outburst in the Championships. “I knew going into the tournament, my shot was a little off. I kept missing the cage, so I knew I wanted to shoot for net. But I have to give credit to all the other guys in the offense. From the middies to Davis Butts and Pat Byrnes, all those guys.”

“They were dodging hard all weekend and drawing slides and giving me all the opportunities I had. And, Mike Sawyer drawing all the attention on his side of the field. When I had the opportunity to shoot andscore, I wanted to make sure I made it count.”

Lusby opened the Championships with three goals and two assists against Canisius, and he then scored five goals with two assists in a Quarterfinal win over Denver. Saturday, he tallied five goals and a helper in the Semifinals against Notre Dame, leading to his four-goal performance in the title match.

He eclipsed the previous record of 16 goals set in 2006 by Virginia’s Matt Ward and tied a year later by Duke’s Zach Greer.

Lusby’s 17 goals came on 40 shots, and his 22 points were just three shy of tying the Championships’ record set in 1977 by Cornell’s Eamon McEneaney and tied in 1987 by Cornell’s Tim Goldstein.

The Greyhounds, who had made one previous appearance in the Division I Championship Game (1990 when Toomey was a co-captain and starting goalkeeper) and one in the Division II title contest (1981), joined Cornell, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Maryland, North Carolina, Princeton, Syracuse and Virginia as teams that have won Division I titles.

“For our alumni, for our past presidents (Rev. Joseph Sellinger and Rev. Harold Ridley), for our current president (Rev. Brian Linnane), (Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics) Jim Paquette, for (Athletic Director Emeritus) Joe Boylan, (Executive Vice President) Susan Donovan, the people (who) have supported us for so many years to allow this team to be what it is, I’m just so happy for those people,” Toomey said.

“This is a special group of guys. This is a special group of young men that fought through a lot of things this year to put themselves in position, and they stood tall on the biggest day.”

It’s a particular shame Monday’s NCAA lacrosse Championship Game was in Foxborough instead of right here at M&T Bank Stadium. It would have been a special celebration of a beloved game in Charm City.

Instead, Memorial Day became a special celebration of a deserving champion at Gillette Stadium.

I was at Ridley Athletic Complex Saturday, March 10 to see the Loyola University Maryland Greyhounds face the Duke Blue Devils. The Hounds had gotten off to a nice 4-0 start at that point in the season, reaching double digit goals in every game and holding their opponent to single digits in every game as well.

The issue at that point was the competition. Home wins over Delaware and Towson and road victories at Bellarmine and Michigan did little to convince anyone the Greyhounds were on the cusp of a breakthrough campaign.

It changed that day.

Star attackman and eventual Tewaaraton Award finalist Mike Sawyer put on an absolute clinic for Charley Toomey’s team, scoring six goals and leading the Hounds to a 13-8 win over the Devils. The Hounds were actually ranked ahead of the Devils in one of the recognized college lacrosse polls, but the victory still had the feel of an upset, as Duke was viewed as a legitimate national title contender.

From the opening whistle, it was apparent the Hounds were the more focused, determined squad. The 13-8 final didn’t even necessarily reflect the nature of the game, as Loyola held a 12-5 advantage after three quarters and appeared to let up late. The win came just after Toomey installed Jack Runkel as his starting goalie ahead of Michael Bonitatibus, a move that he would not have to reconsider at all the rest of the season.

On that day at Ridley Athletic Complex, the Loyola Greyhounds became more than just a team with a capable combination of scorers (Sawyer and graduate student Eric Lusby). They became more than just a fun team to watch. They became a legitimate threat to make a run to the Final Four.

Two and a half months later, they found themselves there. It wasn’t a fluke. It wasn’t a run of good fortune. It wasn’t about bad luck for other teams. It wasn’t about an easy schedule.

This Loyola team proved that for the 2012 NCAA lacrosse season, they were unquestionably the best team in the country.

In Monday’s NCAA Championship Game, the Hounds dominated the University of Maryland in a way that perfectly encapsulated their entire season. They showed an incredible ability to score goals at times, but also showed that their midfield unit was as capable as their attack. Their wings battled for balls when face-offs appeared to be lost. Their defense was SUFFOCATING, preventing even a single goal from Maryland for a stretch of more than two and a half quarters, stifling a unit that had tallied 16 just two days prior against those same Duke Blue Devils. On top of all of that, Runkel was spectacular for a second straight game.

They left no doubt not only about who was the best team on Memorial Day Monday, but who was the best team in the country. They were a deserving #1 seed and they worked to become a deserving national champion.

A deserving national champion that didn’t play a single game on television until the postseason.

They lost just one game along the way, an overtime heartbreaker to a fine Johns Hopkins squad. They won THREE games over ECAC rival Denver University, two of those wins coming in the Mile High City. They recorded a win over every team that reached Memorial Day weekend.

Lusby and Sawyer now have name recognition, but the work of Runkel, Scott Ratliff, Chris Layne, Josh Hawkins, Pat Byrnes, Davis Butts, Justin Ward, Joe Fletcher, Nikko Pontrello, Patrick Fanshaw, Kevin Ryan, Phil Dobson, Sean O’Sullivan, Dylan Grimm, Pat Laconi, Kevin Moriarty and J.P. Dalton were deserving of having their names typed in a column like this as well.

Loyola becomes the smallest school to ever win a national championship in lacrosse. The title is the first and only Division 1 title in any sport for the school. The team was unranked before the season started. Toomey was able to accomplish the feat after being on the losing end as a goalie in the school’s only ever run to the National Championship Game back in 1990. Lusby broke the record for most goals in a single NCAA Tournament in the process.

The word amazing keeps coming to mind.

The title drought continues for the Terrapins, as they have not held the trophy since 1974. John Tillman has been to the title game twice in his two seasons in College Park, but the inability to win the big one will now already become a topic of conversation for the Terps’ alumni and fan base. They were a remarkably young team this season and will likely be right back in the title picture a year from now. It won’t help the sting of a Championship Game loss, but they showed many signs of being a team on the verge of greatness.

Loyola however was the definition of greatness. They were exceptional. And perhaps they even earned a measure of revenge for the city of Baltimore on the field where the Ravens saw their season end months earlier in the AFC Championship Game.

Eh…they were the best lacrosse team in the country. We’ll be more than happy to have that in Charm City.

-G