COLLEGE PREVIEW 2014 NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S TOP 20 11 Justin Ward A
Enemy Lines WHAT RIVAL COACHES SAY
“Ward might be the most underrated player in the nation and runs an offense at a high level. Fletcher is a defensive player of the year candidate. Great bookends… Herreweyers is another in a long line of talented Canadian finishers playing Division I… Faceoffs were a constant issue. Losing [Josh] Hawkins and [Scott] Ratliff off the wings will not help… A timeout away from another playoff run.”
Loyola GREYHOUNDS
2013 RECORD: 11-5 (6-1 ECAC) COACH: CHARLEY TOOMEY (9TH SEASON) • RECORD AT LOYOLA: 74-42
09 10 11 12 13
Schedule Feb 6
Key Game Four of Loyola’s first five
games are on the road. Three are against NCAA tourney teams, plus Virginia, a daunting stretch for team in transition. This game could give either team a leg up in the Patriot League.
Feb 15 Feb 19 Feb 22 Mar 1 Mar 9
Mar 15 Mar 19 Mar 22 Mar 29 Apr 5
Apr 12 Apr 17 May 3
at Virginia
at Penn State Towson
at Holy Cross at Lehigh Duke Army
at Georgetown Lafayette at Colgate at Navy
Boston University Bucknell
Johns Hopkins
Projected Starters A Justin Ward (Sr.)* G: 27
fter a Cinderella season in 2012 ended with Loyola’s first NCAA championship, 2013 felt more
like Alice in Wonderland. Every week, there was a new challenge, a new team gunning for the Greyhounds. Loyola answered many challenges, returned to the NCAA tournament and nearly upset eventual champion Duke on the road in the first round. (Coach Charley Toomey called timeout before what would have been the go-ahead goal late in regulation.) But things appear to be back to normal at Evergreen, with the Greyhounds as underdogs. “We don’t mind
going back to being the hunter a little bit. That’s a role we’re used to,” Toomey said. “It’s a year of transition, not only inside the
locker room but in terms of [moving to the Patriot League]. It’s exciting.” While key cogs like attackman Justin
Ward, defensive midfielder Pat Laconi, Team USA hopeful defenseman Joe Fletcher and goalie Jack Runkel remain from that 2012 roster, the players most visibly linked to that magical run have
42 LACROSSE MAGAZINE February 2014 >>
Top Returner D JOE FLETCHER (SR.)
Fletcher is not a flashy ball-hawk who creates turnovers, but he rarely makes a misstep, with just one penalty in 2013.
graduated. The losses are the biggest on offensive midfield, where it’s an entirely new crew on the first two lines. “We’re going to have to see who steps up and secures those 1-6 spots,” Toomey said. Loyola’s schedule also has a lot of
new faces, as Toomey bolstered its conference fare with top-end competition outside of the Patriot League to stay in the mix for the tournament if — like last year — they falter in the hunt for an automatic qualifier. In addition to Patriot League foes like Bucknell, Lehigh, Army and Navy, Loyola added Virginia and Penn State to open the season. “We knew we needed to get some RPI
games outside of our conference,“ said Toomey, who has served on the NCAA selection committee and knows how hard it is to secure an at-large bid. “That’s why we have Virginia and Penn State in addition to Georgetown, Hopkins and Duke.” The tough non-conference schedule,
paired with a Patriot League slate that is consistently strong from top to bottom (even if it does lack a top-five squad like the ECAC had in Denver) will make or break the Greyhounds in 2014. They’re glad to be back on the hunt. — S.B.
A Nikko Pontrello (Jr.)* G: 16
A Zach Herreweyers (So.)* G: 19
M Matt Sawyer (Sr.) G: 4
M Jeff Chase (So.) G: 0
M Tyler Albrecht (So.) G: 0
A: 35 A: 19 A: 3 A: 0 A: 0 A: 0
FO Blake Burkhart (Sr.)* FO: 47.0%
LSM Thomas Robinson (Sr.) GB: 2
Pts: 1 CT: 2
D Joe Fletcher (Sr.)* GB: 64
D Pat Frazier (Jr.)* GB: 24
D David Manning (Jr.) GP: 5
CT: 17 CT: 12 CT: 0
G Jack Runkel (Sr.)* GAA: 8.75
*returning starters X-Factor G JACK RUNKEL (SR.)
A third-year starter, Runkel was middle of the pack in save percentage (54 percent, 25th in D-I). If he regains the form that held Maryland to an NCAA final-low three goals in 2012, this defense will be tough to crack.
Power Ratings (SCALE OF 1-5)
3 4 4 2 OFFENSE DEFENSE GOALIE FACEOFF A Publication of US Lacrosse SV%: 53.6
Tournament Trend
1ST RD
NCAA CHAMPIONS 1ST
RD
©JOHN STROHSACKER (JW, ER, DL); ©KEVIN TUCKER (JF)
©RICH BARNES (BM)
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