ANNAPOLIS, Md. –  Four games against teams who qualified for the 2012 NCAA Championship highlight the 2013 Navy men’s lacrosse schedule released by second-year head coach Rick Sowell on Tuesday.  Additionally, Navy will play host to six home games played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, including its April 5 contest against NCAA finalist Maryland.

“We are excited about the challenge our 2013 schedule presents,” said Sowell, who guided the Midshipmen to a 6-6 record in his first season and featured wins over nationally-ranked Colgate and Johns Hopkins.  “Parity in Division I lacrosse is at an all-time high and we’ll need to be on top of our game each and every week.”

The Midshipmen kick off their spring season with a pair of scrimmages on the road against two of the most successful programs in recent memory.  Navy will battle Duke, a team who has played in six consecutive NCAA Tournaments and was a semifinalist a year ago, in Durham on Jan. 26.  Meanwhile, the Mids are set to take on Virginia in Charlottesville on Feb. 2 in their final preseason tune-up.  Virginia has earned the second-most NCAA Tournament invitations with 35, including dates to the Dance in each of the last eight years, and has won five National Championships.

For the sixth consecutive year, Navy will play its season opener against VMI when the two teams face off on Feb. 9 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  Last year attackmen Tucker Hull (Charlotte, N.C.) and Sam Jones (Annapolis, Md.) combined for 17 points, including 11 goals, as the Mids scored a 14-7 victory over the Keydets.

The Midshipmen will play the first of two new opponents on its 2013 schedule with a Friday, Feb. 15 contest against Detroit in Annapolis.  The Titans are in their fifth year as a Div. I program, returning 35 members from a squad that posted a 6-9 record and was the No. 2 seed in the MAAC Tournament last spring.

Just four days later, Navy will make the trek to Fairfield, Conn. to battle the Stags in a midweek meeting at Lessing Field in the inaugural meeting between the two programs.  Fairfield, which was elevated to a varsity program in 1993, won a program-record 12 games in 2012 and twice reached a program-best national ranking of 13th during the year.  For the second consecutive season the Stags upset the second seed to advance to the ECAC Championship Game, where it fell to eventual National Champion Loyola.

The Fairfield contest kicks off three consecutive road games for the Midshipmen.  Following it’s Tuesday matchup against the Stags, Navy rekindles its series with Georgetown on Sunday, Feb. 24.  A scheduling glitch in moving Patriot League foe Lehigh from a week day to a weekend pushed the annual tilt between the Mids and Hoyas off last spring’s schedule.  The two will pick the series in Washington, D.C., meeting for the 23rd time overall and the 23rd time in the last 24 years.

“I’ve always enjoyed adding new teams to the schedule and the addition of teams such as up-and-coming Detroit, as well as Fairfield, who is coming off the program’s most successful season and past rival Georgetown, we will have our hands full leading up to Patriot League play.  This will be a real test and prepare us for league play, a league that by all accounts is the best it has ever been.”

The Midshipmen begin their quest for the program’s sixth Patriot League title when they travel to Lewisburg, Pa. on Saturday, March 2.  Navy will face Bucknell in their league opener for the fifth time overall and the fourth time in the last five years.  While Navy holds a 7-5 advantage, six of the 10 league matchups have been decided by one goal, including five of the last six.

Navy plays its next three games over the course of just eight days with two of the three contests played in Annapolis.  Kicking things off will be a March 9 contest at home against Lafayette, a program Navy owns a 13-1 series record against.  Three days later (March 12), the Mids will briefly step away from Patriot League action to play host toTowson.  Last year the Mids outscored the Tigers 5-1 in the third period to overcome a 2-1 halftime deficit and go on to win by a 10-6 decision.

Navy plays its final game over the eight-day span on the road, traveling to Worcester, Mass. to face Patriot League foe Holy Cross.  The Mids staged a strong second half effort on both ends of the field outscoring the Crusaders 5-1 in the second half and holding them scoreless for the final 26 minutes of the contest en route to a 13-7 win.

Like the Bucknell series, the annual Navy-Colgate matchup has turned into its own rivalry.  Though the Mids have a handle on the series with an 11-4 advantage, the last five games have proven to be nail-biters with each of the last five meetings decided by a goal.  Last year Sam Jones slipped the defense on the crease, scoring the game-winner with 3.4 seconds left and leading the Midshipmen to a 12-11 victory over 12th-ranked Colgate.  The Raiders went on to finish the season with a 14-4 record and played their way into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

This year’s Navy-Colgate matchup is slated to be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md. on March 23 as part of the 2013 Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic.  The Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic will feature the Mids and Raiders in the opener at 2:00 pm, followed by Virginia vs. Johns Hopkins at 4:30 pm.

“We are thrilled to participate in the 2013 Konica Minolta Face Off Classic,” added Sowell.  “To have the opportunity to play before a national audience at such a premier venue, M&T Bank Stadium, against a strong conference opponent is what every coach asks for.  Colgate had a great season last year and returns a very good team in 2013, if not better than the quarterfinal team of 2012.  If this game is anything like last year’s, then the fans are in for a real treat.”

Navy will travel to Lehigh on March 30 in what will be the fourth game played in Bethlehem between the two programs in the last five years.  Traditionally played in the middle of the week, the two programs made the decision to move the game to a Saturday for the first time since Navy joined the league in 2004.  The Mids own a 28-3 series advantage against the Mountain Hawks who a year ago finished 14-3 and earned an NCAA Tournament berth by way of winning the Patriot League Tournament.

Fans have been treated to some great battles between Maryland and Navy over the last decade and on April 5 the rivalry will continue as the two meet at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  While the two programs have met 87 times, they have battled in each of the last 67 years which is the second-longest continuous series Navy has with another team (Army, 80-consecutive years).  Eight of the last 14 games between the two have been decided by one goal, while five of the last seven battles in Annapolis have been decided by two or fewer goals.

One of the sport’s longest and most cherished rivalries, the Army-Navy Star Game will be played on Saturday, April 13 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis in what will be the 92nd meeting between the two service academies.  The Mids own a 57-31-3 series advantage, including wins in 14 of the last 19 games.

“Having a chance to experience the intense Army-Navy rivalry on the road last season, I could not be more excited to play this game at Navy Marine Memorial Stadium before the entire Brigade and our passionate Navy lacrosse faithful, said Sowell.”

For the 10th straight year, Navy will close out the regular season by facing Johns Hopkins on April 20.  After losing 36 consecutive games to the Blue Jays from 1975-2009, the Midshipmen have taken two of the last three from Johns Hopkins including an 8-2 route in Annapolis last spring.  Navy, though, has not been able to enjoy a win at Homewood Field since 1969 when the Mids claimed a 9-6 win in Baltimore.

Finally, the four-team Patriot League Tournament is slated to be played April 26-28 at the site of the highest seed.  Since joining the league in 2004, the Midshipmen have played host to four of the eight tournaments and have claimed the title five times.  Navy owns an 11-2 all-time record in the Patriot League Tournament.

“The Patriot League has established itself as one of the toughest conferences in Division I,” said Sowell.  “Each of our Patriot League games will be intense and hard-fought battles.  Our focus will be to take one game at a time with the goal of competing in the NCAA Tournament as Patriot League Champions.”

Navy’s television schedule was unavailable at press time and will be released at a later date.

Loyola University Maryland has accepted an invitation to join the Patriot League at the beginning of the 2013-14 academic and athletic year.

“It is an honor to join the Patriot League’s distinguished member institutions, all of which consistently demonstrate a profound commitment to excellence both in the classroom and on the field.That commitment is one we share at Loyola, and we see this move as a vital opportunity to continue to elevate our already outstanding athletics programs in keeping with our goal of becoming the nation’s leading Catholic, comprehensive university,” said Rev. Brian F. Linnane, S.J., Loyola’s president.

The Patriot League’s full members are AmericanUniversity, Bucknell University, Colgate University, the College of the Holy Cross, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Military Academy, and fellow new addition for 2013 BostonUniversity.

“Loyola University Maryland is an outstanding addition to our membership as a private institution with an excellent academic reputation and rich athletic history,” said Daniel H. Weiss, Ph.D., chair of the Patriot League’s Council of Presidents and president of Lafayette College. “The decision to add Loyola reflects the presidents’ commitment to the stability and long-term positioning of the league.”

Since 1998, the Patriot League has ranked first among all Division I conferences in student-athlete graduation rates in the NCAA Graduation Rates report. In the most recent report, Loyola had 11 teams with perfect graduation rates. A total of 15 Patriot League sports are guaranteed advancement into NCAA postseason competition each year, and all Loyola teams currently eligible for automatic bids will have the same opportunity after the move in 2013.

“Loyola athletics’ primary mission is to support the development of student-athletes who thrive academically, athletically, spiritually, and socially,” said James Paquette, assistant vice president and director of athletics at Loyola. “The Patriot League embraces and supports those values, and we are thrilled to become partners with the league. Its members’ histories of academic and athletic excellence are impressive, and consistent not only with Loyola’s past achievements, but our future ambitions as well.”

“We are delighted to expand the Patriot League membership to 10 full members with the addition of Loyola,” Patriot League Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich said. “Loyola further strengthens the league in the southern portion of our footprint. With the addition of both Boston University and Loyola University Maryland for the 2013-14 academic year, we believe that the Patriot League has enriched its future both on the field of play and in the classroom.”

Currently, 16 of Loyola’s teams compete in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, while men’s lacrosse plays in the Eastern College Athletic Conference and women’s lacrosse plays in the Big East. All of Loyola’s NCAA Division I athletics teams will make the conference move with the exception of men’s rowing. The Patriot League does not conduct a championship in the sport, but Loyola will continue to row a regionally competitive schedule.

About Loyola University Maryland:

Established in 1852, Loyola University Maryland is a Jesuit comprehensive university comprising Loyola College, its school of arts and sciences; the Sellinger School of Business and Management; and the School of Education. Loyola enrolls 3,800 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate students from across the country and around the world.

About the Patriot League:
The Patriot League continually demonstrates that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing its high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutionsremain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.

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. — Furman University director of athletics Dr. Gary Clark announced today that U.S. men’s national senior team coach Richie Meade has been named the school’s first men’s head lacrosse coach.

The announcement was made by Clark and Furman president Rod Smolla at a press conference at Gillette Stadium, site of the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship.

Furman, a private, co-educational university of 2,700 students in Greenville, S.C., and member of the Southern Conference, announced on Feb. 9 that it would add men’s and women’s lacrosse to its Division I athletics program.  The teams will begin varsity competition by the 2014-15 academic year.

“Richie Meade is the ideal person to jump start our new men’s lacrosse program at Furman,” Clark said.  “He sports a tremendous combination of experience and leadership to help grow lacrosse in a non-traditional area of the country.  We are thrilled to have Richie join the Furman family.”

Said Meade, “My family and I are very excited with the opportunity to join the Furman community. I am grateful to President Smolla and Gary Clark for their faith and trust in me.  We will build our program with integrity, substance, and toughness.  Our goal will be to compete with passion, skill and honor, and to graduate individuals who will make a difference in the world and reflect the values of a great American university.”

Meade was named head coach of the U.S. men’s national senior team by US Lacrosse in December. He is the 12th head coach in the history of the men’s senior team program, and he will lead Team USA in its title defense at the 2014 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championship in Denver, Colo., July 10-19.

“We are very pleased that such a well-respected and highly qualified coach as Richie Meade has agreed to lead our men’s lacrosse program,” said Smolla.  “His connections in the sport are unparalleled, and he has enjoyed great success in coaching and recruiting at the national level.  We welcome Richie and his family to the Furman community, and we look forward to seeing the men’s lacrosse program grow and prosper under his guidance.”

A 35-year veteran of collegiate coaching, Meade most recently served as head coach for the United States Naval Academy men’s team from 1994-2011, where he led the Midshipmen to a 142-97 (.589) record. In his 21-year career as a head coach, including four years at the University of Baltimore, Meade compiled a 162-120 (.585) ledger.

During Meade’s head coaching tenure at Navy, his teams claimed five Patriot League regular season and tournament titles, appeared in seven NCAA tournaments, and racked up 39 All-America citations. In 2004, Navy advanced to the national championship game and Meade was honored with the Morris Touchstone Memorial Award as National Coach of the Year. He also was twice named Patriot League Coach of the Year (2004 & ’07).

Meade began his coaching career as an assistant at Duke University in 1977. Following a two-year stint in Durham, he moved on to the University of North Carolina, where he served as an assistant for one year before accepting his first head coaching job at the University of Baltimore (1980-83).  In 1984 he was named defensive coordinator at Navy (1984-88) before returning to Chapel Hill (1989-90) for a two-year stint as offensive coordinator.  He accepted the same post, as well as an instructor’s role in physical education, at the United States Military Academy in 1991, remaining there for three seasons, before returning to Navy as head coach in 1994, becoming the seventh lacrosse mentor in school history.

In addition his coaching duties with the Midshipmen, he also served as a tenured professor of physical education and is a Senior Fellow at the Vice Admiral James B. Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership at the Naval Academy.

He has served the sport in a variety of administrative positions, including the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Rules Advisory Committee, U.S. Lacrosse Men’s Coaches Council, and NCAA Rules and Equipment Committee.  Since 2005, he has been president of the Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA) and over the last two years has served as executive director of the Wounded Warrior Project Lacrosse.

A native of Williston Park, N.Y., Meade attended and played lacrosse at Nassau (N.Y.) Community College.  He then transferred to the University of North Carolina, from which he graduated with a B.A. in 1976 with a degree in parks and recreation administration.  He later added an M.S. from UNC in 1979.

Meade is a member of both the New York Metropolitan Long Island Lacrosse Hall of Fame and University of Baltimore Athletic Hall of Fame.

He and his wife, Sue, have three daughters:  Jillian, Shannon Grace, and Cassidy.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT FURMAN’S RICHIE MEADE… 

“Richie Meade represents everything that is good about college lacrosse. Furman University hit a home run. Coach Meade is a well-respected individual that brings instant credibility to Furman. He is an outstanding coach, strong recruiter and dynamic leader. Most importantly, he is a tremendous human being. Hats off to Furman for recognizing what a special individual Coach Meade is.”

Dave Pietramala
Men’s Lacrosse Coach
Johns Hopkins University

“The announcement of Furman adding Division I men’s lacrosse was exciting to all who love the game and want to witness its growth. The hiring of Coach Meade shows great conviction and dedication by Furman to get the absolute best lacrosse man possible to lead that charge.  I am thrilled for Richie, his family, the university, and all of lacrosse, that this great coach is back in the college game.”

Bill Tierney
Men’s Lacrosse Coach
University of Denver
National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Inductee

“Rarely does a start-up program have the chance to hire someone with the experience and ability of Richie Meade. Furman University is fortunate to have a proven winner, a man of integrity and a committed leader like Richie.”

Kevin Corrigan
Men’s Lacrosse Coach
University of Notre Dame

“Furman is not only hiring one of the best lacrosse coaches of all time, but they are hiring one of the best leaders, a tremendous motivator and a wonderful person. You build a program from the ground floor up and this foundation with Coach Meade is rock solid. I couldn’t be happier for both Furman and Coach Meade.”

David Cottle
Chesapeake Bayhawks (MLL)

“Furman University has hit a home run with this hire.  No one is more capable of building a Division 1 lacrosse program from scratch to national prominence than coach Meade.  He is one of the most respected coaches in lacrosse.  He is a proven winner and, most importantly, a leader, teacher and mentor of young men.  Coach Meade’s passion for and commitment to developing leaders of integrity who are also athletes will reverberate across the Furman campus in the same manner that it did at the Naval Academy. I congratulate the search committee on their excellent choice of coach Meade to lead the Furman lacrosse program.”

Dr. Tom Virgets
Senior Associate Athletics Director/ Head Physical Education
United States Naval Academy

“Richie Meade, USA Team head coach, is arguably the best collegiate lacrosse coach in the country.  With the hiring of Coach Meade to head up its new program, Furman University has stamped its name on the lacrosse collegiate landscape in a most prominent way.  He is an absolute winner. The boys who will experience his leadership will be better men for it and Furman, as time passes, will be increasingly proud to call Richie Meade their head lacrosse coach.”

Coach Jack Emmer
National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Inductee

“This is absolutely a tremendous hire by Furman University!  Richie Meade is one of the most respected, admired and revered men’s lacrosse coaches in the history of our sport. Furman lacrosse has just now burst onto the Division 1 lacrosse world. For Furman to land the next Team USA head job is just brilliant. The future of Paladin lacrosse could not be brighter. I am so happy for Richie, his family, and Furman athletics.”

Mike Pressler
Men’s Lacrosse
Coach Bryant Univeristy
Head Coach, Team USA 2010

“Furman’s hiring of Richie Meade as its lacrosse coach is great news for the sport of lacrosse and also for one of college lacrosse’s most respected coaches. The announcement of a new Division I lacrosse program in South Carolina at a school with Furman’s athletic reputation is a positive step in the growth of the men’s game. Having Richie Meade as the individual responsible for the leadership of a start-up program is another positive in ensuring that Furman lacrosse is in most capable hands.  I think the kids who compete for Furman will benefit by having Richie as their coach.  The people involved in anything you do are the most important and significant factors.  Richie will get good kids. Their experience as undergraduates and lacrosse players will be enhanced by studying at Furman and having a coach like Richie Meade.”

Willie Scroggs
Senior Associate Athletics Director
University of North Carolina
National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Inductee

“Furman’s announcement that coach Meade has been hired to lead the men’s lacrosse program is evidence of the excellence that is a hallmark of the university. Coach Meade brings national credibility to the upstart Furman program, and it is the perfect pairing of a coach whose integrity and coaching prowess have turned young men into leaders and a university whose priorities and goals are perfectly aligned with the coach.  It is a great match.”

Dan Einstein
Furman Lacrosse Advisory Committee

Naval Academy Announces Major Athletic Award Winners

ANNAPOLIS, Md.– The United States Naval Academy announced its major athletic award winners Thursday morning at the annual Prizes and Awards Ceremony at Alumni Hall.

Cody Rome (Eagle, Idaho), a member of the cross country and track & field teams, was awarded the NAAA Sword for Men which is presented to that man of the graduating class who is considered by the Association’s Athletic Council to have personally excelled in men’s athletics during his years of varsity competition.

Rome is a five-time Patriot League track & field champion and a six-time runner-up.  He is the school record holder in the 3,000 meters and helped lead the Mids to four Patriot League cross country titles and two track & field titles.  He is a three-time All-Patriot League selection in cross country and was a 2011 CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-American.   Rome was also the 2011 and 2012 Patriot League Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a three-time NCAA track & field regional qualifier.

Rome is just the sixth dual cross country/track & field athlete to win in the 121-year history of the award and the first since Aaron Lanzel in 2003.

Other nominees for the NAAA Sword for Men included Andrew Faulk (gymnastics), Mark Meyer (swimming), Jabaree Tuani (football) and RJ Wickham (lacrosse).

Jess Palacio (Sun Valley, Nev.) of the cross country and track & field teams was awarded the Vice Admiral Lawrence Sword for Women, which is presented to that woman of the graduating class who is considered by the Association’s Athletic Council to have personally excelled in women’s athletics during her years of varsity competition.

Palacio earned 12 varsity letters and 10 N-Stars in her career on the cross country, indoor and outdoor track & field teams.  Earning 2012 Women’s Indoor Track Second-Team All-America honors in the mile, she in the program’s first indoor women’s track All-American.  Palacio holds five middle distance school records in track and field and is a four-time Patriot League Track-Athlete of the Meet.  She won 11 Patriot League individual track titles and helped lead the Mids to three track & field titles and two cross country titles in her career.  She was a Three-Time First-Team All-Patriot League selection in cross country and was the 2011 Patriot League Cross Country Individual Champion.

Palacio is the fourth dual cross country/track & field athlete to win the award in its 33-year history and the first since Amy Baxter in 2001.

Kierstin King from the women’s lacrosse team was also nominated.

Andrew Faulk (San Antonio, Texas) of the gymnastics team won the Thompson Trophy Cup, which is presented to that midshipman, male or female, who has done the most during the year to promote athletics at the Naval Academy.

Faulk, the gymnastics team captain, won 2012 ECAC titles in the all-around, pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar and was named the ECAC Gymnast of the Year.  He placed 13th in the all-around competition at the 2012 NCAA Championship and was one of six finalists for the Nissen-Emery Award, which is presented to the nation’s top senior gymnast.  He was ranked in the To 10 in the country in all-around average and finished first in the all-around competition in seven different meets.

Faulk is just the second gymnast to win in the 125-year history of the award and the first since N.C. Gillette in 1913.

Other nominees for the award included John Dowd (football) and Taylor Reynolds (lacrosse).

Will Race (Claremont, N.H.) of the men’s rowing team was awarded the men’s Coaches’ Calvert Award, which recognizes a graduating varsity letterwinner who displayed leadership, consistent effort, loyalty and dedication to the sport and who has taken their abilities beyond the expectations of the coach, peers and themselves.

Race was a three-year letterwinner and a member of Navy’s varsity eight boat.  This season he helped the varsity eight to a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Sprints, Navy’s best finish since 2004.  As a sophomore, Race helped the varsity eight to an eighth-place finish at the 2010 IRA National Championship.  He was selected to the under 23 U.S. National Rowing team where he rowed in the four without coxswain boat at the World Rowing Under 23 Championship in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Race is the fifth member of the rowing team to win in the 40-year history of the award and the first since Dean Phillips in 1997.

Erin Edwards (Hockessin, Del.) of the women’s basketball team was awarded the women’s Coaches’ Calvert Award, which recognizes a graduating varsity letterwinner who displayed leadership, consistent effort, loyalty and dedication to the sport and who has taken their abilities beyond the expectations of the coach, peers and themselves.

Edwards helped lead Navy to back-to-back Patriot League Championships including the school’s first women’s basketball championship in 2010.  Over her last two seasons, Edwards started 52 games and scored 329 points. Edwards, who was the 2011-12 team captain, improved her game as a senior scoring in double figures eight times after scoring in double figures only eight times her first three seasons combined.  She led the Patriot League in three-point field goal percentage both as a junior and senior.

Edwards is just the second women’s basketball player in the 23-year history of the award to be recognized and the first since Jennifer Bombinski in 2001.

COLLEGE PARK, MD. - The Maryland men’s lacrosse team will hit the road for its opening round game of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. The Terps will travel to Bethlehem, Pa., to take on No. 7 seed Lehigh. Faceoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at the sold-out Ulrich Sports Complex, as the Terps (9-5) battle the Mountain Hawks (14-2) for the first time since 1928.

• The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU, as well as streamed on ESPN3.com. Fans can also watch the game on their wireless device with the WatchESPN app. Joe Beninati will provide the play-by-play, while the analysis will come from Ryan Boyle.

• The Terps, who received an at-large bid, are making their 35th NCAA Tournament appearance, the second most of any school in NCAA history, while Lehigh, which earned the Patriot League’s automatic bid, is making its first appearance in the NCAA tournament.

• The winner of the Maryland/Lehigh game will take on the winner of the No. 2 seed Johns Hopkins (11-3)/Stony Brook (7-9) game on Saturday, May 19 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. The Blue Jays and Seawolves play in Baltimore on Sunday, May 13 at 3 p.m.

• Maryland enters the tournament with a 9-5 record after finishing the regular season with a 13-11 loss at Colgate, which also earned an at-large bid into the field. The Terps are led by senior attackman Joe Cummings, who has 27 goals and 14 assists for 41 points. Junior midfielder John Haus is the team leader with 16 assists on the season. Maryland’s defense is led the co-ACC Defensive Player of the Year Jesse Bernhardt, who is tops on the squad with 53 groundballs and 29 caused turnovers. Sophomore goalie Niko Amato comes into the postseason with a 7.40 goals-against average and a .551 save percentage.

• Lehigh is 14-2 after defeating Colgate, 16-14, in the Patriot League title game. The Mountain Hawk offense is led by junior attackman Nicky Galasso, who has 44 points on 22 goals and 22 assists. Fellow junior attackman Dante Fantoni also has 22 goals on the season to go along with 19 assists. Lehigh boasts the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense. Freshman Matthew Poillon has started all 16 games in goal for the Mountain Hawks and ranks second in the nation with a 6.55 goals-against average and fourth in the country with a .595 save percentage.

The Count Down
10 … Since 2002 Maryland has won 90 of the 99 games in which the Terps have scored 10 or more goals for a .909 winning percentage.
9 … Maryland is 108-24 in games since 2002 when it allows nine goals or less, for an .818 winning percentage.
8 … Including preseason scrimmgaes, Maryland has played eight games this spring vs. teams in the NCAA tournament field.
7 … Joe Cummings leads all current Terps with seven goals in NCAA tournament play.
6 … Maryland and Lehigh are two of six teams in the NCAA tournament with a faceoff win percentage below .500.
5 … This will be the fifth all-time meeting between Maryland and Lehigh, but the first since 1928 when the two teams were nicknamed the Old Liners and Engineers, respectively.
4 … Niko Amato has a .642 save percentage in four career NCAA tournament games.
3 … This is the third time since 1997 that the Terps have been unseeded in the NCAA tournament.
2 … Two current Terps - Kevin Cooper and Drew Snider - have recorded a hat trick in an NCAA tournament game.
1 … Only one unseeded team (Maryland) advanced past the first round in the 2011 NCAA tournament.

Coaching Match-Up
• John Tillman is in his fifth season as a head coach, and second with the Terps, with a 42-29 career record for a 59.2 winning percentage. Tillman is 22-10 (.688) as Maryland’s head coach. He had a 20-19 record in three seasons as the head coach at Harvard.

• Lehigh’s Kevin Cassese is in his fifth season as a head coach, all at Lehigh, and has a 39-38 (.505) record.

• This will be Tillman’s first game as a head coach vs. the Mountain Hawks.

Tillman in the NCAA Tournament
• The meeting with Lehigh will be John Tillman’s fifth NCAA tournament game as a head coach.

• Maryland’s run to the 2011 NCAA title game gave Tillman his first four NCAA tournament games as a head coach. He has a 3-1 record after the Terps defeated No. 8 seed UNC in the first round on May 15, No. 1 seed Syracuse on May 22 and No. 5 seed Duke on May 28 before losing to No. 7 seed Virginia.

• As an assistant coach, Tillman helped guide Navy to four consecutive NCAA tournaments from 2004-07, including a run to the 2004 championship game.

Series History vs. Lehigh
• The series history between Maryland and Lehigh is more like ancient history, but the Terrapins lead the series 3-1.

• The series dates back to 1924 – the very first varsity season of men’s lacrosse at Maryland. Lehigh is one of just four teams to win the first game of a series with Maryland, winning 3-0 in 1924.

• The two teams played in 1925 and 1926 with Maryland winning both games, 5-3 and 7-3, respectively. The last time the two schools met was 1928 and Maryland took that one by a final of 15-2.

• The last time these two programs met neither school had the nickname it currently has. Until the early 1930′s Maryland’s athletic teams were the Old Liners, while Lehigh changes its nickname from the Engineers to the Mountain Hawks in 1995.

Maryland’s 35th Time in the NCAA Tournament
All-Time NCAA Tournament Results

• Maryland is making its 35th overall NCAA Tournament appearance in 2012. The Terps have played in the second-most tournaments since the event began in 1971. Only Hopkins has played in more, making its 41st appearance this season. Virginia is also making its 35th NCAA appearance.

• The Terps have captured two NCAA championships, 1973 and 1975.

Maryland’s Record in the NCAA Tournament
• The Terps have won the fourth-most Division I NCAA Tournament games, compiling a 45-32 overall record in 77 games. Only Johns Hopkins (66-31), Syracuse (59-20) and Virginia (47-29) have won more Division I tournament games.

• Maryland is seventh by percentage (.584) among all teams ever to play in the tournament. Only Syracuse (59-20, .747), Princeton (30-13, .698), Johns Hopkins (66-31, .680), Virginia (47-29, .618), Duke (22-14, .611) and Cornell (30-21, .588) are ahead of the Terps.

• The Terps have captured two titles. Only seven other schools have ever won the NCAA Championship: Syracuse (10), Johns Hopkins (9), Princeton (6), North Carolina (4), Virginia (5), Cornell (3) and Duke (1).

Maryland Unseeded in the NCAA Tournament
• This season marks the sixth time that Maryland has been unseeded since the tournament began in 1972. The Terps were previously unseeded in 1993, 1994, 1997, 2009 and 2011.

• In those first two unseeded-years Maryland lost its first round game to the No. 8-seeded team, which were Army and Duke, respectively.

• The Terrapins were much more successful in 1997, advancing to the NCAA championship game. Maryland defeated No. 7-seed Georgetown in the first round before knocking off No. 2 Virginia in the quarters. In the 1997 Final Four Maryland upset No. 3 Syracuse, but couldn’t topple No. 1-seed Princeton in the finals.

• The 2009 Terps were the lone unseeded team to win a first round game, knocking off previously unbeaten Notre Dame, 7-3. The Terps lost to eventual national champion Syracuse in the quarterfinals.

• Last season saw the Terps head into the tournament unseeded, but Maryland advanced to the NCAA title game, knocking off No. 8 seed North Carolina in the first round, No. 1 seed Syracuse in the quarterfinals and No. 5 seed Duke in the semifinals. The Terrapins’ run ended with a 9-7 loss to No. 7 seed Virginia in the championship game.

The Terps vs. the No. 7 Seed
• This marks the 10th time that Maryland has faced the No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament. Maryland is 6-3 all-time when playing the No. 7 seed.

• The Terps previously played the No. 7 seed in 1975, 1979, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2001. En route to its second NCAA title, the 1975 Terps toppled No. 7 Washington & Lee, 15-5, in the semifinals. The 1979 Maryland team opened the tournament vs. No. 7 Syracuse and beat the Orangemen 16-13. After losing in the 1996 quarters to No. 7 Johns Hopkins, an unseeded Terrapin squad took down No. 7 Georgetown, 14-10, in the first round. Maryland dropped a quarterfinal game to No. 7 Princeton in overtime in 2004, but had some measure of closure in 2005 when the Terps beat No. 7 Georgetown in overtime in the quarterfinals. Maryland was the No. 2 seed in 2006 and again matched up with No. 7 Princeton. This time it was the Terps heading to the Final Four as they defeated the Tigers 11-6. Maryland was the lone unseeded team to advance past the first round in 2009, topping previously unbeaten Notre Dame, 7-3, in South Bend, Ind. Last season, the Terps were also unseeded when they played No. 7 seed Virginia in the NCAA title game, but were unable to overcome the Cavaliers, who pulled out a 9-7 victory in Baltimore.

The Terps On ESPNU
• Maryland has had 42 games on ESPNU since 2006. Maryland is 23-19 (.548) all-time in games broadcast on ESPNU.

• The Terps will have at least four games (at UNC, vs. Virginia, at Johns Hopkis, at ACC tournament) Maryland will play on ESPNU in 2012.

Cummings Named Male Athlete of the Year at the Inaugural Terp Awards
• Senior Joe Cummings took home the top honor at the inaugural Terp Awards celebration on Tuesday, May 8, being selected as the 2012 Male Athlete of the Year. The Towson, Md., native was also recognized by the ACC for his community service efforts.

• Junior Owen Blye was the recipient of the men’s lacrosse Academic Achievement Award, which is presented to the junior or senior from each team with the highest cumulative GPA.

• Senior Jake Bernhardt may have been sidelined from the field this season due to injury, but that didn’t stop him from contributing in the community and he was honored with the men’s lacrosse Community Service Award.

Bernhardt, Murray Earn Annual ACC Awards
• Junior long pole Jesse Bernhardt and freshman defender Goran Murray were among the five student-athletes recognized as recipients of the annual ACC men’s lacrosse individual awards, the conference announced Tuesday.

• Bernhardt, a native of Longwood, Fla., shares the inaugural ACC Defensive Player of the Year award with Duke’s CJ Costabile. Bernhardt, who is also a 2012 Tewaaraton Trophy nominee, leads the Terps with 22 caused turnovers and leads the conference with 2.0 caused turnovers per game. He is also averaging 3.3 groundballs per game and is the captain of a Maryland defense that currently ranks seventh in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 7.45 goals per game.

• Murray, a native of Merion Station, Pa., becomes the seventh Terp to be named the ACC Freshman of the Year. He is the first since 2007 when Brian Phipps earned the honor and the first Maryland defender since Michael Howley won the honor. Murray was a long-pole midfielder coming into preseason practice, but was converted to close defense and has become Maryland’s shutdown defender. Murray has started all 11 games for the Terps and became the first freshman close defender to start a season opener since 2008. He currently ranks sixth in the conference with 1.1 caused turnovers per game.

• Virginia senior Steele Stanwick earned ACC Offensive Player of the Year honors, while Duke’s John Danowski was named the ACC Coach of the Year.

League-Best Four Terps Named To All-ACC Team
• Maryland placed a league-high four players on the 2012 All-ACC Men’s Lacrosse Team, which was announced today by the Atlantic Coast Conference. Senior attackman Joe Cummings and sophomore goalie Niko Amato made the team for the second-straight season, while junior long pole Jesse Bernhardt and junior midfielder John Haus are first-time selections.

• All four ACC men’s programs are represented on the annual All-ACC team, which was determined by a vote of the four head coaches. Maryland’s four honorees were the most by any school. Duke and Virginia each had three selections, while North Carolina had one player make the team.

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2012 – The Tewaaraton Foundation has announced the 2012 Tewaaraton Award men’s and women’s finalists lists, presented by Panama Jack. Five men and five women were selected as finalists and will be invited to Washington, D.C. for the 12th annual Tewaaraton Award Ceremony, May 31 at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian.

The five men’s finalists are Colgate University attackman Peter Baum, Duke University midfielder C.J. Costabile, University of Massachusetts attackman Will Manny, Loyola University attackman Mike Sawyer and University of Virginia attackman Steele Stanwick.

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

This year marks the first time that 10 different schools are represented among the finalists, as well as the first time finalists originally hailing from North Carolina, Oregon and Texas have been selected. Returning 2011 finalists include Stanwick (2011 men’s winner) and Schwarzmann. All ten finalists will compete in this month’s NCAA lacrosse championships, at the conclusion of which the selection committees will vote on and select this year’s winners.

“It is the ultimate recognition for these 10 finalists to have been recognized by the game’s very best coaches,” said Jeffrey Harvey, chairman of The Tewaaraton Foundation. “They are all worthy of the sport’s ultimate award, and we could not be more excited to have this group come to Washington, D.C. on May 31.”

The Tewaaraton Award annually honors the top male and top female college lacrosse player in the United States. 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.

Brief bios of the finalists:

Peter Baum (Portland, Ore.) leads the nation in goals (64) and points (93), setting Colgate and Patriot League records in both categories en route to being named the 2012 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year. The junior attackman’s 93 points are the most in NCAA Division I play since 2008, when Tewaaraton Award finalist Zack Greer recorded 95. Baum is the first finalist in Colgate lacrosse history.

C.J. Costabile (New Fairfield, Conn.) is looking to become the third Duke Blue Devil to receive the Tewaaraton, following Matt Danowski (2007) and Ned Crotty (2010). On his way to being named the 2012 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Co-Defensive Player of the Year, the senior long-stick midfielder grabbed an ACC-best 113 ground balls along with 18 caused turnovers, 10 points (6g, 4a) and 119 of 231 draws.

Will Manny (Massapequa, N.Y.) led Massachusetts’ third-ranked offense (13.07 goals per game) and the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in both goals (43) and points (75), helping the Minutemen to an undefeated regular season in which his team led the nation in scoring margin. The junior attackman ranked in the nation’s top six in goals (2.87), assists (2.13) and points (5.00) per game and earned 2012 CAA Player of the Year honors.

Mike Sawyer (Waxhaw, N.C.) helped the Loyola Greyhounds land the No. 1 seed in the NCAA men’s lacrosse championship as well as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) regular season and tournament titles. The junior attackman was a first-team All-ECAC performer, leading his team and the ECAC in goals (45), and his 3.00 goals per game average ranked third nationally. Sawyer is the first men’s finalist in Loyola lacrosse history.

Steele Stanwick (Baltimore, Md.) is looking for a repeat of his 2011 Tewaaraton Award-winning campaign, when he led the Virginia Cavaliers to the national title. The senior attackman claimed his second straight ACC Player of the Year award, leading Virginia with 71 points (26g, 45a). Stanwick led the nation in assists and is ranked second in the country with 5.07 points per game.

On the women’s side, the five finalists represent the top five schools in the final regular season Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) coaches’ poll.

Brittany Dashiell (Bel Air, Md.) was a catalyst for the Florida Gators third-ranked offense, leading the Gators to the program’s first American Lacrosse Conference (ALC) tournament title and the No. 1 seed in the NCAA women’s lacrosse championship. The junior attacker led Florida with 23 assists and was third on the team with 59 points. Her 27 ground balls and 42 draw controls ranked second on the Gators and helped her garner a first-team All-ALC selection. Dashiell is the first finalist in Florida lacrosse history.

Becky Lynch (Garden City, N.Y.) ranked in North Carolina’s top two in goals, assists, points (team-leading 55), ground balls and draw controls (team-leading 37). The senior attacker became the Tar Heels’ career assist leader (89) en route to first-team All-ACC honors and the ACC regular season championship. She paced the Tar Heels with six points in the ACC tournament and became the only player in program history to earn all-tournament honors in four consecutive seasons.

Katie Schwarzmann (Sykesville, Md.) has the opportunity to join two other Maryland Terrapins as Tewaaraton winners: Jen Adams (2001) and Caitlyn McFadden (2010). Schwarzmann led the ACC and ranked third nationally with 63 goals. Her 78 points were second best in the conference, and she also led the Terrapins in ground balls (29) and recorded 40 draw controls, second on the team. A member of the 2011-12 U.S. women’s national team, the junior midfielder was named 2012 ACC Offensive Player of the Year and received her third straight all-conference selection. She paced the Terrapins with a tournament-record 11 goals in their run to the ACC tournament title, earning MVP honors.

Taylor Thornton (Dallas, Texas) was the leader for Northwestern’s fourth-ranked defense and was named 2012 ALC Player of the Year, earning her third-straight all-conference selection. The junior midfielder, who in 2011 was named IWLCA Division I Defensive Player of the Year, was also a member of the 2011-12 U.S. women’s national team. She set a career high with 27 goals and ranked in the top two for the Wildcats in ground balls (team-leading 44), draw controls (59) and caused turnovers (24). She is looking to become Northwestern’s record sixth Tewaaraton winner, following the likes of Kristen Kjellman (2006, 2007), Hannah Nielsen (2008, 2009) and Shannon Smith (2011).

Michelle Tumolo (Mullica Hill, N.J.) paced the Syracuse offense, ranking in the Orange’s top two in goals (43), assists (team-leading 40), points (83), ground balls (20) and caused turnovers (11). The junior attacker made her second appearance on the All-Big East First Team and was named Big East Attack Player of the Year. A member of the 2011-12 U.S. women’s national team, she became only the second player in Syracuse history to record 200 points and 100 assists in her career.

For more information on the Tewaaraton Award or to attend the ceremony, 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.

TIGERS TO HOST PENN STATE IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

Towson to Host NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history 

TOWSON, Md. – The Colonial Athletic Association Champion Towson University women’s lacrosse team will host Penn State University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The game will be played on Saturday, May 12 at 3 p.m. in Johnny Unitas Stadium.

The Tigers (16-3), who will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time since 2005, will be hosting an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in program history.

“Obviously this is super exciting for us and the program,” said Towson coach Sonia LaMonica. “To have a chance to play at home where we have had success this season is great for the team.”

Towson will face a familiar opponent in the first round as the Nittany Lions (11-6) are coached by Missy Doherty. Doherty coached the Tigers for seven seasons before heading to Penn State prior to the start of the 2011 season. She had a 79-46 record in Towson and won three CAA Championships and made four NCAA Tournament appearances with the Tigers.

The Tigers, who earned the eighth seed for the Tournament, won their program record 10th straight game on Saturday night with a 15-5 victory over Monmouth in the NCAA Play-In game.  Sophomore attacker Andi Raymond is one of seven Tigers to have scored at least 15 goals this season. Raymond has 66 points this season on 33 goals and 33 assists. Fellow sophomore attacker Ashleigh Rohrback has contributed 26 goals and 22 assists. Senior goalkeeper Mary Teeters leads the team with an 8.13 goals against average and a .513 save percentage.

 “Penn State is a good team that had some quality wins this season,” said Coach LaMonica. “The chance to get to face Missy (Doherty) will add a special aspect to this game for us.”

Penn State earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after falling to Johns Hopkins, 13-12 in the first round of the American Lacrosse Conference Tournament. Mackenzie Cyr and Maggie McCormick lead the Nittany Lions with 55 points each this season. Cyr has 33 goals and 22 assists while McCormick has contributed 28 goals and 27 assists. Dana Cahill had a 9.93 goals against average and a .491 save percentage.