COLLEGE PREVIEW 2014 NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S PRESEASON PLAYER OF YEAR
Even in an injury-shortened season,
Miles had 43 goals and 30 assists in 12 games. His 6.08 points per game were just off Lyle’s national-best 6.64. He’s already anticipating next season, when he’s gone and Lyle remains at Albany. Miles wants to be a part of Lyle’s senior year. Marr said he would welcome Miles back as an undergraduate assistant coach as he finishes up school. “He likes to help out,” Lyle said.
“He’s there to help out with the kids. We’re not going to live apart. We do the same thing. We stay out of the party life. We’re always together.”
F
or years, Marr and the Thompsons have been plotting to return Albany to this place of national prominence,
building toward this season. The Great Danes haven’t been this good since 2007, when Frank Resetarits and Merrick Thomson led them to a 15-3 record and the NCAA quarterfinals. When the Thompson trio committed,
they knew Albany was on its way back. It became even clearer when Lyle joined Miles and Ty on attack last season after playing his rookie season at midfield. The Thompsons wanted to forge their
own path, for themselves and future Native American lacrosse players. Some
traditional families are reluctant to allow their children off the reservation. They fear they will forget their culture and values and won’t come back. Jeremy Thompson proved that wasn’t
the case. He’s back on the reservation, learning and speaking the Onondaga language, participating in traditional longhouse ceremonies and also working as a Nike lacrosse representative. “He’s a big role model on our
reservation, and not only because of lacrosse,” Lyle said. “Onondaga is a sovereign nation. A big thing is leaders, and he’s really into our religion. I’m pretty religious and traditional, too.” Perhaps the most visible symbols of
that faith are the long, braided ponytails worn by the Thompson brothers. “My dad had long hair. His dad had
long hair. In a way, the long hair is part of our mother and how we are connected to Mother Earth and how we give thanks to everything that lives here on Earth,” Jeremy Thompson said in an interview for the June 2013 edition of Lacrosse Magazine. “It’s a connection, like the umbilical cord, to our mother. When my mother passes away, I’ll cut my hair down in honor of her.” That sense of filial piety has left an impression on the younger Thompsons.
“I plan on doing the same thing. I plan
on going back and helping them,” Lyle said. “We’ve kind of lost our language in a way, and I want to learn the language and teach the kids what’s going on with our history.” “Our kids want to go to college but most
of them don’t [do it]. That’s what me and Lyle are trying to do,” Miles said. “We’re trying to show them that we can go to college and go back to our ways.” Ty, who is from Akwesasne Mohawk,
said he would like to be a social worker and coach at his old high school, Salmon River. All three say they’ve stressed the importance of schoolwork whenever asked for advice, such as explaining the existence of the NCAA clearinghouse and that good performance as early as ninth grade is critical to get into college. Lyle is scheduled to graduate from
Albany in four years. Miles and Ty might require an additional semester or two, but not graduating is not an option.
S Best BETS
Tewaaraton Award LYLE THOMPSON, ALBANY
The Great Danes will continue to play at a dizzying pace, giving the most talented Thompson a shot at the NCAA single-season scoring record. “[Coach] Scott Marr has his boys believing and playing a wide-open style of offense that disregards all stop signs,” a rival coach said.
Turnbull Award (Most Outstanding Attackman)
LYLE THOMPSON, ALBANY
Imagine what his career numbers would have looked like if Marr committed to the all- Thompson attack his freshman year.
MacLaughlin Award (Most Outstanding Midfielder)
TOM SCHREIBER, PRINCETON
If Princeton takes the Ivy League and goes deep into the NCAA tournament, Schreiber
30 LACROSSE MAGAZINE February 2014 >>
will be a central figure. He would join Frank Urso, Del Dressel, Gary Gait, Josh Sims and Kyle Harrison as the only two-time winners of this award.
Schmeisser Award (Most Outstanding Defenseman)
JOE FLETCHER, LOYOLA
Not flashy or huge (6-foot-2, 185 pounds), Fletcher more than gets the job done as a close defenseman. He impressed the Team USA staff enough to make it through first round of cuts for the 2014 world championship team.
Kelly Award (Most Outstanding Goalie)
AUSTIN KAUT, PENN STATE
He’s a returning first-team All-American within a defensive unit that ranked second-best statistically last season, with all major parts back. “Can Kaut stand on his head again?” a rival coach asked. “He has been a wall for three years.”
o yes, this story that started at a dinner table surrounded by family is about Lyle Thompson, Lacrosse
Magazine’s Preseason Player of the Year and Tewaaraton favorite. If he keeps scoring at his 2013 pace, Thompson eventually could challenge the NCAA
Rookie of the Year MATT RAMBO, MARYLAND
No preseason top-10 team will rely on rookies as much as Maryland. Rambo, a strong lefty goal-scorer, is the best of the baby Terps.
Breakout Player BEN MCINTOSH, DREXEL
The senior midfielder scored 38 goals last season, but can really springboard nationally this spring if the Dragons do the same. He’s from Coquitlam, B.C.
A Publication of US Lacrosse
©GRAY QUETTI (AK); ©MARC PISCOTTY (LT); ©LEE WEISSMAN (KM)
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