BENIMON NAMED ECAC DIVISION I ALL-STAR
Junior Forward Averaged 17.1 Points and 11.2 Rebounds

CENTERVILLE, Mass. – Towson Junior forward Jerrelle Benimon has been selected to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division I Men’s Basketball All-Star team, announced by ECAC Interim Commissioner Steve Bamford.

Benimon, the 2013 CAA Player of the Year, recorded double-doubles in 20 of the Tigers’ 31 contests, which is currently tied for the second most in Division I. He was the league’s fourth-leading scorer with 17.1 points per game and reached double figures in 27 of 31 outings.

The junior forward led the CAA and ranked third in the nation with 11.2 rebounds per game and his 346 rebounds set a Towson single-season record and were the sixth-most in a season in CAA history. Showing his all-around game, Benimon was also third in the conference in blocked shots (1.9 bpg) and fourth in field goal percentage (53.3 percent) and his 79 assists were the most of any Towson player.

Junior forward Otto Porter from Georgetown and Boston College freshman guard Olivier Hanlan were named ECAC Player of the Year and ECAC Rookie of the Year, respectively.

The teams were selected based on a vote of Division I coaches.

Player of the Year   
Otto Porter, Georgetown University

Rookie of the Year
Olivier Hanlan, Boston College

First Team
Khalif Wyatt, Temple University
Shabazz Napier, University of Connecticut
Lamont Jones, Iona College
Mason Plumlee, Duke University
Otto Porter, Georgetown University
Mike Muscala, Bucknell University

Second Team  
Ramon Galloway, LaSalle University
Joe Harris, University of Virginia
Jerrelle Benimon, Towson University
Jamal Olaswere, LIU Brooklyn

Loyola Men’s Hoops Signee Wright Named Gatorade Maryland Player Of The Year

CHICAGO – Loyola University Maryland men’s basketball signee Marquis Wright was named the 2012-2013 Gatorade Maryland Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports.

Wright, who will don the Greyhounds’ green and grey in 2013-2014, helped his North Point High School team advance to the Maryland Class 4A Semifinals and a 24-3 record this season.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior guard averaged 16.6 points, 6.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 3.9 steals while earning Southern Maryland Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player honors for the second year in a row.

Wright, who has maintained a 3.08 grade point average in the classroom, concluded his high school career with 1,084 points, 560 assists, 325 rebounds and 290 steals as a four-year varsity player at the school in Waldorf, Md.

He is the first player to win the Maryland award from a public school since Oxon Hills High School’s Mike Sweetney (Georgetown) earned the honor in 2000. Prior to Sweetney, the last public school player to win the award was current Loyola women’s basketball assistant coach Keith Booth after his senior season at Dunbar High School in 1993 before heading to Maryland.

“Marquis Wright is a very cerebral point guard who has all the tools to lead a college team,” said Dale Lamberth, head coach at Thomas Stone High in a release by Gatorade. “Having competed against his team over the past four years, I have seen tremendous growth in his leadership and skills on the court.”

Wright will be the second Gatorade State Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year on the Greyhounds’ roster next season, joining current freshman Eric Laster who won the award in Delaware last year.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

JERRELLE BENIMON & PAT SKERRY TAKE TOP HONORS AT ANNUAL CAA AWARDS BANQUET
Tigers Take Home CAA Player and Coach of the Year Honors

RICHMOND, Va. – Towson junior forward Jerrelle Benimon was selected as the Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball Player of the Year in voting by the league’s head coaches, media relations directors and members of the media. The announcement was made Friday night at the league’s pre-tournament awards banquet in Richmond, Va.

Also receiving top honors were Towson’s Pat Skerry as the CAA Coach of the Year, Georgia State freshman guard R.J. Hunter as the CAA Rookie of the Year and Delaware senior forward Jamelle Hagins as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year. Northeastern senior guard Jonathan Lee was the recipient of the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award.

Benimon is the first Towson player to earn CAA Player of the Year honors. The junior forward recorded double-doubles in 20 of the Tigers’ 31 contests, which is currently tied with UNCW’s Keith Rendleman for the most in Division I. He was the league’s fourth-leading scorer with 17.1 points per game and reached double figures in 27 of 31 outings.

Benimon led the CAA and ranked third in the nation with 11.2 rebounds per game and his 346 rebounds set a Towson single-season record and were the sixth-most in a season in CAA history. Showing his all-around game, Benimon was also third in the conference in blocked shots (1.9 bpg) and fourth in field goal percentage (53.3%) and his 79 assists were the most of any Towson player.

Skerry guided Towson to the biggest turnaround in NCAA Division I history this year. After going just 1-31 during Skerry’s inaugural campaign in 2011-12, the Tigers posted an 18-13 mark this season, which was the most victories by a Towson squad since 1993-94. Their 13-5 record in CAA play and second-place finish in the league standings were also the best ever.

Towson won 12 of its 18 games away from home (9 away/3 neutral), which was the program’s highest total since 1976-77. The Tigers closed the season with eight victories in their final nine contests.

Benimon was also named to the All-CAA first team and the CAA All-Defensive Team.

Joining Benimon on the All-CAA first team were Hunter, Rendleman, Delaware junior guard Devon Saddler, and Northeastern senior guard Joel Smith.

Joining Benimon on the CAA All-Defensive Team were Hagins, Rendleman, Hofstra senior guard Stevie Mejiaand Georgia State senior center James Vincent.

Towson was also represented on the CAA All-Rookie team as Tiger freshman Jerome Hairston joined Hunter, James Madison guard Andre Nation, Old Dominion guard Keenan Palmore and Northeastern guard David Walker to make up the squad.

Hairston, who was the only other vote getter aside from Hunter for the CAA Rookie of the Year award, ranked second among freshmen in the league in scoring at 9.9 points per game. He led the Tigers in steals (35) and was second on the team in both assists (77) and three-point field goals (38).

Two Tigers were also recognized for their work in the classroom. Sophomore guard Kris Walden was named to the CAA All-Academic Second Team and graduate student Bryan Blackstone was chosen CAA All-Academic Honorable Mention.

2012-13 CAA Player of the Year - Jerrelle Benimon, Towson
2012-13 CAA Coach of the Year - Pat Skerry, Towson
2012-13 CAA Rookie of the Year - R.J. Hunter, Georgia State
2012-13 CAA Defensive Player of the Year - Jamelle Hagins, Delaware
2012-13 CAA Dean Ehlers Leadership Award - Jonathan Lee, Northeastern

First Team All-CAA
Jerrelle Benimon, Towson
R.J. Hunter, Georgia State
Keith Rendleman, UNCW
Devon Saddler, Delaware
Joel Smith, Northeastern

Second Team All-CAA
Jamelle Hagins, Delaware
Damion Lee, Drexel
Frantz Massenat, Drexel
Marcus Thornton, William & Mary
Sherrod Wright, George Mason

Third Team All-CAA
Quincy Ford, Northeastern
Rayshawn Goins, James Madison
Jonathan Lee, Northeastern
Devon Moore, James Madison
Tim Rusthoven, William & Mary
Jarvis Threatt, Delaware

CAA All-Rookie Team
Jerome Hairston, Towson
R.J. Hunter, Georgia State
Andre Nation, James Madison
Keenan Palmore, Old Dominion
David Walker, Northeastern

CAA All-Defensive Team
Jerrelle Benimon, Towson
Jamelle Hagins, Delaware
Stevie Mejia, Hofstra
Keith Rendleman, UNCW
James Vincent, Georgia State

CAA All-Academic First Team
Kyle Anderson, Delaware
Kyle Gaillard, William & Mary
Donte Hill, Old Dominion
Shane Reybold, UNCW
Tim Rushoven, William & Mary

CAA All-Academic Second Team
Brandon Britt, William & Mary
Daquan Brown, Hofstra
Jonathan Lee, Northeastern
Tanner Milson, UNCW
Kris Walden, Towson

CAA All-Academic Honorable Mention
Bryan Blackstone, Towson
Brett Goodloe, William & Mary
Fred Heldring, William & Mary
Doug Howard, William & Mary
Anton Larsen, Old Dominion
Stevan Manojlovic, Drexel
Andrew Pavloff, William & Mary
Tom Schalk, William & Mary
Will Townsville, Delaware

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Head coach Brenda Frese of the Maryland women’s basketball team was voted ACC Coach of the Year by the league’s head coaches and junior Alyssa Thomas was named ACC Player of the Year by the Blue Ribbon Panel for the second straight season Thursday. Frese’s honor is her first by the conference in her 11 seasons at Maryland. Thomas is the first in school history to be named Player of the Year twice.

Frese, the 2002 Associated Press National Coach of the Year, led the Terrapins to the No. 2 seed in this weekend’s ACC Tournament and a record of 23-6 overall and 14-4 in ACC play, despite key season-ending injuries to the Terps’ starting guards Brene Moseley and Laurin Mincy, as well as center Essence Townsend in the fall. As the season wore on, the Terrapins lost freshman Tierney Pfirman to a dislocated knee cap and played a stretch with seven available players.

“I’ve never had a player respond to challenges and have a year like Alyssa Thomas,” Frese said. “She’s willing to give every ounce of herself and do whatever her team needs. When adversity struck our team, she was a leader and always was the first person to step up and do more.”

Thomas, a 6-2 forward, has played every position on the floor for the Terrapins and led the league in rebounding with 10.4 per contest. She was second in assists (5.2) and third in scoring (17.7). In the 18 conference games, she led all players in scoring (19.7), rebounding (11.0) and assists (5.3). She notched an ACC-high 17 double-doubles this year, 12 in conference play.

“This year has been a really interesting road for us, but I think as a team, we’ve taken it all on and never made an excuse,” Thomas said. “To be voted this honor again is really special because there a lot of really good players in our league. I just work hard every day to make my team better and be the best I can.”

Thomas is the fourth Terrapin to earn ACC Player of the Year honors and third under Frese. Kristi Toliver earned the award in 2009 and Crystal Langhorne did in 2008. Last year, she was the first underclassman in school history to earn the league’s top individual honor and just the second in conference history.

“Alyssa Thomas is the most powerful player in the country and the best player in the ACC back to back years,” television analyst Debbie Antonelli said. “One of the best shot-makers and finishers in the country added play-making to her skill set which makes her more dangerous to defend and her teammates more productive and efficient. When she is motoring down the middle of the floor with the ball, there is no one better at making decisions or playing the game with balance and power.”

Frese has now been named Coach of the Year in every conference she’s coached. She was named Big Ten Coach of the Year while at Minnesota in 2002 and Mid-American Coach of the Year in 2000 while at Ball State.

“There’s a tremendous group of coaches in the ACC and to be honored by them is incredible,” Frese said. “I’m really flattered. This is an individual award, but it’s really about every person in our program. I specifically want to thank my staff for their tireless work ethic behind the scenes. Between them and our players, I’m fortunate to be surrounded by great people who make what we do a lot of fun. I couldn’t be prouder of how we’ve fought to get better each and every day, no matter the circumstance.”

Frese and her staff of associate head coach Tina Langley, Marlin Chinn and David Adkins, restructured the team’s practice time, cutting their practice time on the floor to just twice a week at 75 minutes each session.

“Coach Frese continues to validate her system and success by finding ways to win through adversity without excuse,” television analyst Debbie Antonelli said. “It is the true sign of a teacher and definition of a coach who finds ways to put her players in positions to succeed for the good of the team. Maryland finished second in the ACC replacing so many players from last year. They had a great year in the league. Congratulations to Coach Frese and her staff for being recognized by their peers.”

Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie was named ACC Coach of the Year by the Blue Ribbon Panel, which is comprised of media members and representatives from each school, as well as some national media members. Duke’s Chelsea Gray was voted ACC Player of the Year by the league’s head coaches.

Rookies Malina Howard and Chloe Pavlech were named to the All-ACC Freshman Teams Tuesday. Senior Tianna Hawkins and Thomas were voted to the All-ACC First Team Monday.

The 10th-ranked Maryland women’s basketball team will play seventh-seeded Georgia Tech or 10th-seeded Wake Forest Friday at 6 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C. The game will be shown on RSN and specific television channels will be released this week.

Maryland earned a first round bye for the eighth time under Frese. The Yellow Jackets (14-15, 7-11) and the Demon Deacons (12-18, 5-13) will play Thursday at 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to take on the Terrapins. Maryland’s 14 conference wins are a school record.

Maryland is 49-25 (.662) all-time in the ACC Tournament and is 14-8 (.636) under Frese. The Terrapins are 13-6 all-time as the No. 2 seed (.684). Maryland won the program’s 10th ACC title last year as the No. 3 seed with a 68-65 win over fourth-seeded Georgia Tech. ACC Tournament MVP Alyssa Thomas scored 29 points in the championship game to lift the Terps.

For game times and the latest on the ACC Tournament, log on to http://www.theacc.com/championships/acc-womens-basketball-tournament.html. All rounds will be televised.

A printable bracket can be found at http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/md/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013ACCTournamentBracket.pdf.

ATLANTA – Three members of the fifth-ranked Maryland women’s basketball team were named to the Naismith women’s early season watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday. Tianna Hawkins, Laurin Mincy and Alyssa Thomas were all recognized.

The 50 player watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2012-2013 college basketball season. The Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year presented by AT&T will be awarded on April 8, 2013, in New Orleans, La.

In late February, the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors will compile a mid-season team of the top 30 players in the nation. In March, the Naismith Trophy voting academy will vote to narrow the list to the four finalists.

Notable Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year winners include Chamique Holdsclaw, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, and Tina Charles. The Naismith women’s Trophy one of the most prestigious national award presented annually to the women’s college basketball player of the year.

Thomas was named to the Naismith early season list last year as well. She and Mincy were named to the Wooden Award Watch List last week. The Terps’ trio is joined on this year’s list by four other ACC student-athletes in Duke’s Chelsea Gray and Elizabeth Williams, Georgia Tech’s Ty Marshall, and Florida State’s Natasha Howard.

No. 5 Maryland will head north this weekend to take on Saint Joseph’s in Philadelphia Saturday. The Terps (2-0) and the Hawks (1-1) will play at 2 p.m. in Michael J. Hagan ’85 Arena.

GameTracker live stats will be available and the game will be streamed live online for a fee on SJUHawks.com.

Maryland and Saint Joseph’s last met on Nov. 22, 2011 in College Park. The Terrapins won 94-71 behind 21 points from Alyssa Thomas, 17 from Tianna Hawkins and 14 from Laurin Mincy.

Hawkins was named ACC Player of the Week Monday. The senior posted back-to-back double-doubles in the Terps’ two wins, while becoming the 28th player in Maryland women’s basketball history to break the 1,000-point mark on Nov. 9 versus the Mount. In the first weekend of play, she averaged 25.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and shot over 77 percent from the field.

In their first two games, the Terrapins have outscored their opponents in the paint, 110-28, and have won the battle on the boards 109-43.

After Saturday’s matchup, the Terps will return home to take on American Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. in Comcast Center. For tickets, log on to UMTerps.com.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Junior forward Alyssa Thomas of the Maryland women’s basketball team was named to the Associated Press Preseason All-American Team, released this week. The team was voted on by a panel of national media members.

Thomas led the ACC in scoring last year with 17.2 points per game and was named ACC Player of the Year. She was just the second sophomore to earn the league’s top individual honor. She finished the year among the best in the league with 8.0 rebounds per game, assists (3.2), free throw percentage (80.1) and defensive rebounds (5.5).

At the end of the 2011-12 season, she was named an AP First Team All-American, WBCA Division I Coaches’ All-American and a USBWA All-American.

Thomas is joined on the AP’s Preseason All-American Team with Brittney Griner (Baylor), Elena Delle Donne (Delaware), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford), and Odyssey Sims (Baylor).

Maryland is ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press preseason poll, released Saturday, as well as in the preseason ESPN/USA Today Division I Coaches’ poll. The Terps have started the season ranked in each of the last eight years.

The Terrapins, who return four of five starters from last year’s ACC Championship squad, ended the 2012-13 season ranked No. 5 in the AP poll. The Terps went 31-5 last year and went to the NCAA Elite Eight.

The Terrapins were picked to finish second in the ACC this year. 2012 ACC Player of the Year Alyssa Thomas, senior Tianna Hawkins and junior Laurin Mincy were all named to the 10-member Preseason All-ACC Team. Thomas was also voted the Preseason Player of the Year.

Incoming freshman Malina Howard was named to the ACC’s Newcomer Watch List. Howard, a native of Twinsburg, Ohio, was the No. 1 post player in the country in this year’s freshman class.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Maryland senior defensive lineman Joe Vellano has been named to the watch list for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, marking the fifth different watch list the All-American has been named to in the past two weeks.

Vellano is one of 11 players on the list that earned Walter Camp All-America honors last season. The 50-man watch list includes both offensive and defensive players and will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists in mid-November. The 2012 award recipient, which is voted on by the 124 NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced live on SportsCenter on Dec. 6.

Vellano has started in each of the last 25 games for Maryland, averaging 6.3 tackles per game over that span. His 7.8 tackles per game last season led all FBS linemen.
Joe Vellano’s Watch Lists

Bednarik Award (best defensive player)

Bronco Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player)

Lombardi Award (open to all down linemen)

Outland Trophy (best interior lineman)

Walter Camp Award (player of the year)
About the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award

Walter Camp, “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation (www.waltercamp.org) – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.

The Foundation is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s website, www.ncfaa.org.

– Terps –

It was as if there were some in the sports broadcasting universe that wanted to remind me that the Baltimore Orioles have been struggling mightily as of late.

Sure, they’re just one game out of first place at the time I type this, but the Birds sadly appear to be in a downward spiral that unfortunately most of us expected.

I’ve been a regular “Baltimore expert” for SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio since the channel’s inception, and I rotate having conversations with hosts about the O’s and the Baltimore Ravens. When I received a call last week asking me to appear on the channel, I assumed the conversation would go in the direction of the O’s, as I’ve made about four Orioles-related guest spots already this season.

But when the producer asked me if I’d be interested in talking some Ravens football, I was admittedly caught off guard. “It’s still baseball season” I thought. Just one night later I received a call from another producer on the channel, also asking me to make an appearance to discuss the Purple & Black.

So on both Friday & Saturday night of this past weekend I found myself talking Ravens football across the country on SXM. It was perhaps the single greatest reminder that in Charm City, a “June Swoon” is a great reminder that Training Camp isn’t particularly far away.

As the 2011 football season ended, there were two main narratives surrounding the defending AFC North Champs. One was surrounding the pending free agency of RB Ray Rice. The other surrounded the future of QB Joe Flacco, who was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract. The Ravens’ season ended 132 days ago in Foxborough (at least as of the time I wrote this) and yet seemingly little progress has been made regarding either situation.

It leads to the question (at least for me), “what’s taking so long to get this stuff done?”

ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio said in a recent appearance on “The Reality Check” (an excellent afternoon radio program on AM1570 WNST.net) that Rice’s agent Todd France was dead set on getting a deal similar to contracts given to Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson (seven years, $100 million with $36 million guaranteed) or Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson (four years, $53 million with $30 million guaranteed). The Ravens are believed to be more interested in a deal similar to those recently given to Philadelphia Eagles RB LeSean McCoy (five years, $45 million with $20.76 million guaranteed) or Houston Texans RB Arian Foster (five years, $43.5 million with $20.75 guaranteed).

On top of that, a source with knowledge of talks revealed to me in recent weeks the Rice camp has a desire to see the running back’s deal exceed the overall value of Flacco’s.

A Carroll County Times report this weekend indicated the Ravens “aren’t anywhere close” to getting a deal done with Flacco. Flacco’s negotiating ability has been limited by the fact that contracts signed by quarterbacks not named Peyton Manning this offseason have been less than overwhelming financially. Manning landed a five year, $96 million deal, but if he’s healthy the Denver Broncos believe him capable of being Peyton Manning. The highlights of other QB contracts this offseason have been San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith (three years, worth up to $33 million with with $16.5 million guaranteed) and Seattle Seahawks QB Matt Flynn (three years, $26 million with $10 million guaranteed).

Neither deal is helpful to Flacco’s agent Joe Linta, although despite all of the goofy conversation nationally about Flacco’s standing against other National Football League quarterbacks, there simply could not be any argument either of those two quarterbacks have accomplished as much as Flacco. Humorously, Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo’s deal is up a season after Flacco’s. There had been rumors the Chicago Bears were interested in getting a new deal done with QB Jay Cutler, a decision that could have been helpful in figuring out the parameters of a Flacco contract.

Remember when I asked “what’s taking so long to get this stuff done?” Yeah, I’m aware that I’ve essentially answered my own question.

In both of my chats on SiriusXM this weekend I was asked what expected would ultimately happen with these situations. It was remarkably difficult to answer.

(Continued on Page 2)

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.

Game Data

Loyola University Maryland will play for the NCAA Championship for the third time in the school’s 73 seasons of lacrosse history when it takes on the University of Maryland at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 28.

Despite just 30.67 miles (as the crow flies according to DaftLogic.com) separating the campuses, the game will be played 338 miles from Loyola’s campus at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

On The Tube, Web And Radio

The game will be broadcast live on ESPN with Eamon McAnaney and Quint Kessenich calling the action. Paul Carcaterra will be the sideline analyst.

The action can also be seen worldwide on ESPN3, the broadband arm of the ESPN, and on the WatchESPN app on mobile devices.

Westwood One Sports/Dial Global will provide the NCAA Radio Network broadcast of the Championships with Dave Ryan on the play-by-play and Steve Panarelli on analysis. It can be heard on Sirius/XM 91 worldwide. A complete list of stations can be found at dialglobalsports.com.

Series History

Loyola and Maryland will meet for the 21st time in series history – the Terrapins hold an 18-2 lead in the previous 20 games – and the second time in NCAA Championships play. (complete list of games on page six of notes)

The teams have not squared off since Maryland won a 19-8 decision on May 23, 1998, in the NCAA Semifinals at Rutgers University. Monday’s game will be just the third meeting of the teams since 1989 and the third since Loyola joined NCAA Division I in 1982.

Loyola won the initial meeting between the schools, 17-6, on April 6, 1940, but the Terrapins then won 17 in a row before the Greyhounds scored a 10-8 victory on March 19, 1989.

NCAA Championships History

Loyola is making its 20th all-time appearance in the NCAA Championships, 18th at the Division I level. The Greyhounds are 11-19 all-time in Championships play, 11-17 at the Division I level.

Monday’s game will be Loyola third appearance in an NCAA Championship Game and second at the Division I level.

Loyola, with current Head Coach Charley Toomey as the team co-captain and goalkeeper, last played in the title game on May 28, 1990, when Syracuse defeated the Greyhounds, 21-9.

The Greyhounds also took part in the NCAA Division II-III Championship Game on May 17, 1981, when it lost to Adelphi, 17-14.

As an institution, Loyola has won one national title, the 1976 NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer crown.

Five, Twice In A Row

Eric Lusby scored five goals in the NCAA Semifinal against Notre Dame, duplicating a performance he had in the Quarterfinal round against Denver. Lusby is the first Loyola player to score five in consecutive games since Mike Sawyer did it against Bellarmine (March 5) and Duke (March 11) during the 2011 season.

Lusby’s Tournament

Eric Lusby is thus far the leading scorer in this year’s NCAA Tournament, tallying 13 goals and five assists for 18 points. He is three goals shy of tying the tournament record of 16 set in 2006 by Matt Ward and matched in 2007 by Duke’s Zach Greer.

His 13 are tied for seventh all-time. Loyola’s Chris Colbeck scored 14 in the 1990 tournament and is tied for fourth with Paul Rabil (Johns Hopkins, 2008) and Gary Gait (Syracuse, 1988). Gait is also third with 15 in 1990.

He has hat tricks in all three games Loyola has played after scoring three in the First Round against Canisius and five in both sequential games.

Runkel Stops 15

Loyola goalkeeper Jack Runkel set a career-high in the NCAA Semifinals with 15 saves against Notre Dame, setting a career-high. He narrowly eclipsed his previous best of 14 set on April 28 against Johns Hopkins.

The game was Runkel’s seventh this season with 10 or more saves in goal. The others came against Duke (12), at UMBC (13), at Fairfield (12), Johns Hopkins (14), at Denver in the ECAC Semifinals (10) and versus Denver in the Quarterfinals (11).

Runkel has played to a 5.97 goals against average and .622 saves percentage in three NCAA Tournament games.

Defense Limits Chances

Loyola’s defense held Notre Dame to just 28 shots, four below the Fighting Irish’s season average of 32.3 heading into the game, and the Greyhounds’ unit helped goalkeeper Jack Runkel make 15 saves by limiting inside chances.

As a unit, Loyola forced Notre Dame into 14 turnovers, although the team was credited with just seven caused turnovers.

Joe Fletcher caused three of the turnovers and picked up a career-high seven ground balls, while Reid Acton, Scott Ratliff, Josh Hawkins and Runkel each had a caused turnover.

50-50

Eric Lusby and Mike Sawyer became the first duo in Loyola history with 50 goals each in the same season. Sawyer now stands with 51 goals, a Loyola single-season record, while Lusby has 50, tied with Tim Goettelmann for second in season history at the school.

They are two of three players in the NCAA this season to score 50 or more goals, joining Colgate’s Peter Baum (67). Last season, just one player (Robert Morris’ Trevor Moore, 50) had 50 or more.

The last time a pair of Division I teammates had 50 or more goals was 2010 when Duke’s Max Quinzani finished the year with 68, and Zach Howell tallied 51.

And, 60-60

Lusby and Sawyer are also the only Loyola players to reach 60 points in the same season.

With his six-point effort on Saturday afternoon, Lusby set the school Division I record for points in a season with 67, eclipsing the 66 (29g, 37a) Brian Duffy had during the 1995 season.

Gary Hanley has the top three points marks in school history with 89 in 1981, 86 in 1980 and 83 in 1979 when Loyola played Division II lacrosse.

Seven Earn All-America Honors

Attacker Mike Sawyer was named to the USILA All-America Second Team, and long-stick midfielder Scott Ratliff earned Third Team honors earlier this week from the coaches’ association.

Five other Greyhounds – attacker Eric Lusby, midfielders Davis Butts and Josh Hawkins and defenders Reid Acton and Joe Fletcher – received honorable mention.

The seven honorees are the most for Loyola since seven received plaudits following the 1999 season. Sawyer and Ratliff are also the first Loyola players to receive All-America nods other than honorable mention since Gavin Prout was a first teamer in 2001.

Sawyer Sets Goals Record

Mike Sawyer scored the first goal of Loyola’s NCAA Quarterfinal game against Denver and broke the school single-season record for goals in the process.

Sawyer now has 51 goals this season, breaking the previous best of 50 set by Tim Goettelmann in 2000. Goettelmann went on to become Major League Lacrosse’s all-time leading goal scorer.

Earlier this season, against Hobart, he became the first Loyola player to reach 40 goals in a season since Tim Goettelmann and Gavin Prout scored 50 and 41, respectively, in 2000. They are the only three Loyola players to top 40 this century.

In the ECAC Semifinal against Denver, Sawyer pushed his season point total to 50, a number that is now at 60, making him the first Greyhound to reach 50 in a season since Prout had 58 (37g, 21a) in 2001. It is the fourth time this century that a Loyola player has scored 50 or more points in a season. Goettelmann (65) and Prout (53) both reached the mark in 2000, and Prout did it again the following season. Sawyer’s teammate, Eric Lusby, has since joined him with more than 50 points (more later).

Three-For-Three

Loyola completed a three-game sweep of Denver with its 10-9 NCAA Quarterfinal victory last Saturday, marking the first time in school history the Greyhounds had ever played a team three times in a season.

It is the third time a team has beaten another three times in a season (thanks to Patrick Stevens of The Washington Times for the research). Loyola joins the 1992 Maryland (vs. Duke), 2007 Duke (vs. North Carolina) and 2009 Duke (vs. North Carolina) teams to have accomplished the feat.

Sawyer, Lusby Form Rare Tandem

Graduate student Eric Lusby and junior Mike Sawyer have formed the top attack tandem in the nation this season, combining for 101 goals in 18 games this season, an average of 5.61 per game.

Sawyer has scored 51 goals, and his 2.83 goals per game average is sixth-best in Division I. Lusby, meanwhile is right behind with 50 goals and a 2.78 goals per game mark, a number that is eighth in the country. Loyola is the only school to have two players in top 10 nationally.

The Greyhounds have not had two players score 40 or more goals in the same season since 2000 when Tim Goettelmann set the school single-season record with 50, and Gavin Prout tallied 41. As a side note, the Goettelmann-Prout duo has gone on to highly successful professional careers. Goettelman recently retired from Major League Lacrosse as the league’s all-time leading scorer with 268 goals in 11 seasons. Prout has been an MLL Champion and has scored 314 National Lacrosse League goals to go with 625 assists as a multiple-time all-star.

The duo is now the top goal-scoring tandem in Loyola single-season history, eclipsing the performance in 2000 by Goettelmann and Prout.

A Lot Of Everything

The adage that a player does a little bit of everything does not necessarily apply to long-stick midfielder Scott Ratliff. The Loyola junior does a lot, as he leads the team in ground balls (83) and caused turnovers (35), is fifth in goals (12) and is seventh in assists (7). His 34 caused turnovers are second-most in Loyola history – behind P.T. Ricci’s 51 in 2009 – since the stats became official that year.

A Tewaaraton Award nominee earlier in the year, Ratliff was named the Most Outstanding Player of the ECAC Championships after scoring three goals, one a game-winner, and recording two assists and 16 ground balls.

He had two goals, including the winner just eight seconds into overtime, and an assist versus Denver while picking up a career-high nine ground balls.

Ratliff, who was also an All-ECAC First Team honoree and ECAC Defensive Player of the Year, then scored twice in the first quarter against Canisius to go along with six ground balls and three faceoff wins in the game.

Ratliff’s Scoring

Scott Ratliff had his third multi-goal game of the season in the NCAA First Round against Canisius, and he then added a goal in the Quarterfinal against Denver, raising his season totals to 12 goals and seven assists.

With his game-opening goal against the Golden Griffins, he set the Loyola single-season record for long-pole scoring, surpassing the record of 16 points set by current assistant coach Matt Dwan his senior season in 1995 when he tallied 11 goals and five assists and earned All-America honors.

Ratliff is second nationally this season in goals and points by a long pole, and his seven assists are tops in the country. Bryant’s Mason Poli leads all long poles this year with 19 goals and 24 points.

Ward Dishes Out Assists

Justin Ward was credited an assist on an Eric Lusby goal against Notre Dame raising his season total to 31, and his 1.72 assists per game are 21st nationally. Those numbers are tops among the players on the four teams in the NCAA Semifinals.

Ward is the first Loyola player this century to reach 30 assists, and his total is the most since Brian Duffy had 34 in 1996.

Top Spot

Loyola entered the NCAA Championships as the No. 1 seed for the third time in school history. The Greyhounds were also the top seed in 1998 when they defeated Georgetown, 12-11, in the Quarterfinals to move on to the Final Four for the second time in school history. There, the Greyhounds lost, 19-8, to Maryland. They were then the No. 1 seed in 1999 when they fell in the Quarterfinals to Syracuse, 17-12.

School Record In Wins

Loyola’s victory over Notre Dame in the NCAA Semifinals was its 17th of the season, setting a school record for victories in a year. The Greyhounds eclipsed the previous best of 13 that the 1998 squad achieved with a 13-2 record.

This is Loyola’s 15th season all-time with 10 or more wins with 12 coming since the Greyhounds joined Division I in 1982.

The Hardware Department

In the span of seven days, three teams in Loyola’s Department of Athletics advanced to their respective NCAA Championships by winning titles in three different conferences.

The men’s golf team started the trend with its fifth-straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference crown on April 29, and the men’s lacrosse team followed by taking the ECAC title on May 4. The women’s lacrosse team completed the trifecta on May 5 when it defeated then-No. 2 Syracuse to win its second-straight BIG EAST Championship. Also, in March, Loyola’s men’s basketball team won its first MAAC title in 18 years and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994.

Sawyer Named One Of Five Tewaaraton Finalists

Mike Sawyer was named one of five Tewaaraton Award finalists on Thursday, joining Colgate A Peter Baum, Duke LSM C.J. Costabile, Massachusetts A Will Manny and Virginia A Steele Stanwick.

Sawyer is the first Loyola men’s player to be named a finalist, and he is also the first player from to hail the State of North Carolina to be so honored. He was one of three Greyhounds on the Tewaaraton Watch List where he was joined by Eric Lusby and Scott Ratliff, and Ratliff was a fellow semifinalist. The Award, which is given annually to the top player in college lacrosse, will be presented on May 31 at the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Midfield Scoring

Loyola’s first midfield line of Davis Butts (20g, 33p), Sean O’Sullivan (16, 27) and Chris Layne (11, 22) has combined for 47 goals and 35 assists this season, while the second midfield unit of Pat Byrnes (9, 7), J.P. Dalton (9, 4) and Phil Dobson (7, 2) has added 25 and 13. Additionally, Nikko Pontrello has started to mix in with the second midfield, allowing Loyola’s attackers the opportunity to invert, and he has four goals and six assists.

Twelve In A Row Ties Mark

Loyola’s 12-straight to start the season tied the school record for consecutive victories, matching the number put up by the 1998 (3/14-3/17) and 1999 (3/6-3/8).

It also matched the best start to a season, equaling the 1999 team that finished the regular-season unblemished at 12-0.

Toomey Tabbed ECAC Coach Of The Year

Loyola Head Coach Charley Toomey was named the ECAC Coach of the Year for the third time in his seven-year career. This season, Toomey has guided the Greyhounds to a 17-1 mark during the regular-season and the ECAC regular-season crown with a 6-0 mark in conference play. The NCAA Championship Game will be Toomey’s 100th as a head coach.

The Greyhounds became the second team in USILA Coaches Poll history to start a season unranked and ascend to the No. 1 spot in the rankings. The only other team was Duke in 2007 – a year after the Blue Devils had their season suspended in March – which accomplished the feat after being unranked in the first poll, moving to second in the next version and first in the third. Duke was knocked from its perch as No. 1 that season when it lost to the Greyhounds at the First Four in San Diego.

The win over Canisius in the First Round was the 60th victory of his coaching career, becoming the fourth coach in Loyola history to win 60 or more – Dave Cottle (181-70, 1983-2001), Charles Wenzel (62-104, 1954-1970), Jay Connor (61-46, 1975-1982).  Toomey’s .626 winning percentage trails only Cottle’s .721 at Loyola.

All-ECAC Honors

Five Loyola players earned All-ECAC Lacrosse League honors form the conference’s coaches. Long-stick midfielder Scott Ratliff, who was also named ECAC Defensive Player of the Year, earned a spot as a defender on the First Team, where he was joined by Mike Sawyer on attack and Davis Butts in the midfield.

Sawyer led the ECAC during the regular-season, and is now second nationally, in goals (51). Butts has scored 20 goals and assisted on 13 from the Greyhounds first midfield line while also regularly playing a role on the wings during face-offs with 39 ground balls.

Attack Eric Lusby and defender Joe Fletcher were tabbed to the All-ECAC Second Team. Lusby is second on the team and is third nationally with 50 goals, and he also has 17 assists this season. Fletcher came on as one of the top lock-down defenders around, earning Midseason All-American honors from Inside Lacrosse last month. He has 39 ground balls and 25 caused turnovers entering the NCAA title game.

Big Runs

Loyola used runs of three-plus goals at important junctures of its 18 games, helping the Greyhounds to wins each time. In all, Loyola has scored three or more in a row on 36 occasions this season.

Loyola scored the first four goals of the ECAC Semifinal game against Denver and then tallied three-straight after the Pioneers pulled within 4-2. The Greyhounds then reeled off five in a row during the third quarter to take a 13-6 lead.

The Greyhounds used two 3-0 runs against Notre Dame in the NCAA Semifinal to advance to the title game.

On The Flip Side

Conversely, the Greyhounds have allowed a run of three or more goals just 12 times this year, with the most recent coming when Canisius scored three in the second quarter. Only Denver (seven in ECAC Semifinal), Johns Hopkins (five), Fairfield (five), Air Force (four) have scored more than three in a row this year.

Second-Half Success

The Greyhounds have now outscored opponents 65-22 in the third quarters of games and 119-63 overall this year in the second half (including overtime).

The second-half scoring continues a trend from the last two seasons. Last year, Loyola outscored opponents, 69-52, after halftime (including two overtime goals), and 77-56 two years ago.