Lacrosse Season Preview 2013

2013 LACROSSE SEASON PREVIEW

FROM THE SHADOWS After disappointing season, Syracuse looks to restore program dominance

Return to prominence Syracuse struggled last season but is looking to get back to dominating college lacrosse as a more experienced and battle-tested team.

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History revamped While he grew up away from the lacrosse recruiting hotbeds, Derek Maltz followed in his father’s footsteps and arrived at Syracuse where he became a consistent scorer on the crease.

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Tackling a decision Brandon Mullins was an elite linebacker at his Texas high school and had offers to play for prestigious programs. Instead, Mullins decided to pursue his other sport, lacrosse, at Syracuse.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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WHERE THE LIGHT IS

After years of dominating college lacrosse, Syracuse had only an average season in 2012 and was eliminated from the NCA A tournament quickly. Now the Orange is looking to try to restore the dominance that once defined the program.

LONG WAY HOME

Derek Maltz grew up away from the lacrosse recruiting hotbeds, but he managed to gain Syracuse’s attention. Now he’s one of the Orange’s most feared scorers.

BALL HAWK

Brandon Mullins was a standout linebacker for his Texas high school and received offers to play at some of college football’s biggest powerhouses. He decided to pass them all up to play lacrosse for Syracuse.

BRANDON WEIGHT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

(FROM LEFT) BRIAN MEGILL, DEREK MALTZ, JOJO MARASCO AND BOBBY WARDWELL are looking to lead

Syracuse to its first national championship since 2009. Last season, Duke beat the Orange 12-9 in the first round of the NCA A tournament. As SU looks to get back on top of college lacrosse, there are plenty of tough teams in its way.

Sports Editor Presentation Director Copy Chief Photo Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor

Chris Iseman Lizzie Hart Maddy Berner Chase Gaewski Jacob Klinger David Wilson Phil D’Abbraccio Trevor Hass

t h e i n de pe n de n t s t u de n t n e w spa pe r of s y r acuse , n e w yor k

Mark Cooper

Laurence Leveille

EDITOR IN CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

Special thanks to Sue Edson, Mike Morrison and Susie Mehringer FRONT PAGE PHOTO BY BRANDON WEIGHT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Editors note: Dear Readers, The 2013 lacrosse season preview guide provides an in-depth look at both the men’s and women’s teams. We hope you will enjoy reading about Syracuse’s determination to rebound from a disappointing season last year, an extensive profile on attack and leading returning goal-scorer Derek Maltz, a look at defender Brandon Mullins’ decision to spurn an offer to play football at Notre Dame and a look at how goaltender Bobby Wardwell grew into a force in net. There is also a story that looks

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Peter Waack Mike Escalante Alec Coleman William Leonard Jeanne Cloyd Carolina Garcia Paula Vallina Sam Weinberg Olivia Accardo Abby Legge Yoli Worth Tim Bennett Harold Heron Alexander Bush Chris Freeman Alexandra Koskoris Arianna Rogers Suzanne Sirianni Charis Slue Rose Picon Runsu Huang

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at the changing offensive philosophy taking place at Providence, as well as one that breaks down the emergence of Loyola into the national spotlight. The guide also includes a look at the goaltending duo anchoring the Syracuse women’s lacrosse team. We hope these stories provide all the information you need as the 2013 lacrosse season gets underway.

Sincerely, Chris Iseman Sports Editor

LOOK FOR THESE ICONS THROUGHOUT THE GUIDE WITH INSIGHT ON HOW THE TEAM CAN IMPROVE FROM THIS UPCOMING SEASON FROM: COACHES PLAYERS DO SPORTS STAFF

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SHIFTING GEARS

Former Duke coach Chris Gabrielli took over as Providence’s head coach over the offseason, and brought along his colleague and former Syracuse goalie John Galloway. Together, they’re implementing a faster offensive game plan.

NET NATURAL

As soon as Bobby Wardwell stepped into the goal as a kid, he was a lights-out goalie. He eventually arrived at Syracuse a highly touted recruit. Now he’s the Orange’s starting goalie and is becoming a force in the cage.

LIGHTING IT UP

Syracuse has to replace two of its starting attack after Tommy Palasek and Tim Desko graduated after last season. The Orange has a group of players who will see time around the crease to help boost SU’s scoring.

‘FOR THE LITTLE GUY’

Loyola started last season unranked but ended up emerging into the national spotlight by climbing to the top of college lacrosse.

The Greyhounds’ season ended with an improbable national championship.

COMMON GOAL

Syracuse’s women’s lacrosse team uses two goaltenders who anchored the Orange’s run to the national championship last season.

Kelsey Richardson and Alyssa Costantino became a dominant goaltending platoon.

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brandon weight | staff photographer JOHN DESKO and his staff have studied film and brainstormed ways to add another championship trophy to Syracuse’s legacy after a disappointing 9-8 2012 campaign that resulted in a first-round exit from the NCAA tournament. The Orange returns several valuable players on both sides of the field and has a stronger veteran presence than last year.

WHERE THE W LIGHT IS

With more experience, Syracuse searches for ways to reclaim past glory

2008 16

By David Wilson ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

hen John Desko addressed his players before the first practice of the season, he had a simple message: They have what it takes.

Even after all of the disappointment of 2012 – a 9-8 finish, barely sneaking into the NCAA Tournament – there is no lack of talent.

“I think everything we have and we need to have going into the season is right here in this room,” Desko said he told the team. What it would ultimately come down to, he went on to say, is decision-making.

It was a simple message, but an inspiring one. Syracuse didn’t doubt its talent, but it could have been easy to get wrapped up in the struggles of the previous year. Sloppy wins against teams it should’ve blown out were coupled with close losses to tough teams. Winnable games were lost to untimely mistakes. It all led to a

2009 16

2011 15

2010 13

year to forget for the Orange.

But it’s a memory that can’t immediately fade. The disappointment and frustration is too fresh in the minds of the SU players. Desko’s words struck a chord.

“That was great for him to come out and say that to this team because it was something the team needed,” junior attack Derek Maltz said.

“Everyone just looked around, looked at the person next to you and realized that this is a team of 52 guys, it’s like a family, and we’re going to do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal at the end of the season.”

The Orange still remains the beacon of college lacrosse success. Its 10 NCAA championships are the most by any team. Its 830 wins are the second most, behind only Johns Hopkins, who began playing more than 30 years before SU. Former players dot the top of every major record board. No number is more synonymous with the sport than No. 22 for Syracuse.

SEE REDEMPTION PAGE 15

THINK FIRST UPS AND DOWNS

A look at SU’s win total each of the past five seasons. Syracuse’s nine wins last year were the fewest since 2007.

2012 9

“IT’S REALLY ALL ABOUT THE DECISIONS WE MAKE. I THINK LAST YEAR WITH INEXPERIENCE OUR PLAYERS DON’T MAKE GREAT DECISIONS. ARE THEY 10-, 12-YARD SHOOTERS, BUT THEY’RE SHOOTING FROM 14 YARDS? ARE WE TURNING THE BALL OVER? ARE WE NOT CLEARING THE BALL AS WELL AS WE SHOULD PERCENTAGE-WISE?” John Desko

SYRACUSE HEAD COACH

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LONG WAY HOME

Maltz living boyhood dream after years on lacrosse outskirts

By Jacob Klinger

S

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

yracuse lacrosse memorabilia splattered the Huntington, N.Y., basement where 3-year-old Derek Maltz dressed up in a

Syracuse jersey to play mini-stick lacrosse with his dad, and later his brother.

Team photos from Derek Maltz Sr.’s threeyear SU career were displayed with an oversized Orange banner, a closer shot of him playing in the 1983 championship against Johns Hopkins at Rutgers Stadium, and the special edition No. 25 Orange jersey Maltz Sr. wore that day.

Now Derek Maltz Jr. wears a larger jersey with a different number, but the colors are the same.

“It’s been my dream to come here and play,” Maltz said. “I was just basically born into being a Syracuse fan.”

Maltz, JoJo Marasco, Matt Harris and other SU teammates get picture messages of the 1983 championship ring. It’s a reminder and motivation. SU’s 1983 NCAA title win was the first of 10 – not including the 1990 title game won

by Syracuse but vacated by the NCAA due to an ineligibility infraction – and kicked off a 22-year streak of Final Four appearances.

There is no hiding for Maltz. He’s a 6-foot-3, 196-pound honorable mention preseason AllAmerican, SU’s leading returning scorer and its only junior captain.

To grow the legacy, the same legacy that shines off the hand of Maltz Sr.’s right ring fin-

brandon weight | staff photographer DEREK MALTZ is expected to be one of Syracuse’s top threats offensively after scoring 28 goals while posting a .412 shooting percentage last season. Maltz’s biggest outburst came in a six-goal performance against Hobart on April 17.

ger and into the phones and minds of Maltz and SEE MALTZ PAGE 13

TIME TO SHINE

LATE BLOOMER

“I MEAN, HONESTLY, AS A SOPHOMORE, WAS DEREK A STANDOUT? NO, HE WAS A GOOD PLAYER, BUT HE WASN’T ANYTHING I WAS ABOUT TO GO BRAGGING AROUND TO OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT.” Scott Mitchell

MALTZ’S COACH AT STONE BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

SYRACUSE WON’T CONTEND THIS YEAR WITHOUT DEREK MALTZ’S CREASE DOMINANCE. THE ATTACK LED THE ORANGE IN GOALS LAST SEASON AND WILL BE EVEN MORE OF A FOCAL POINT OF THE OFFENSE WITH THE GRADUATIONS OF TOMMY PALASEK AND TIM DESKO AFTER LAST SEASON.

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BALL HAWK

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After decorated high school football career, Mullins thrives as defender on lacrosse field

By Trevor Hass

P

ASST. COPY EDITOR

laying football at Notre Dame was Brandon Mullins’ dream from the start.

But one night in June of 2011, when that dream finally became a legitimate possibility, Mullins needed only a few hours to decline the offer and stay committed to Syracuse lacrosse.

Though the juicy offer tempted those around him, Mullins remained steadfast, sticking with the school that came after him first.

Mullins received full-scholarship football offers from Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Texas Tech, among others, said his father, David. But those looks came after he had already pledged to play lacrosse at Syracuse. The 6-foot-2, 213pound defender stuck with his gut.

Now in his second year on SU’s defense, and firmly situated in a starting role, Mullins is glad he stayed with the Orange, despite some rather tempting football and lacrosse offers that made people around him question his decision more than he did.

It started in fifth grade. Lacrosse was the cool new fad. A sport that was far from synonymous with Texas had finally swept down south to the Lone Star State. Some of Mullins’ friends were trying out for the town team, so he decided to go along for the ride.

“I just wanted to give it a try,” Mullins said.

Little did he know that tryout would be the start of a journey toward college lacrosse stardom. It would also lead him to what he

BRANDON MULLINS

BY THE NUMBERS

10 27 18.3

Started final 10 games in 2012. Played in all 17.

Scooped up 27 ground balls (tied for fourth on team).

Team caused 17.3 turnovers in seven games he came off bench and 18.3 turnovers in 10 games he started.

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Finished fourth on the team in turnovers caused with 13.

Career-high five ground balls in Big East title game vs. St. John’s.

considers his best sport, despite the accolades he piled up playing football for Coppell High School, a school that was the centerpiece of one of the most football-infused regions in the country.

Up until fifth grade, all Mullins knew was football. His father played college football at Texas State, so Xs and Os were drilled into his mind as soon as he could grip the laces of a ball. David Mullins coached his son’s teams through middle school, teaching him all he knew to continue to sharpen his mind and his game.

Then high school rolled around, and Brandon was no longer a lacrosse novice. His game was rapidly improving, and he started to distance himself from the competition. With blazing speed and ridiculously adept hand-eye coordination at his disposal, Mullins excelled in both football and lacrosse.

“I really loved them both. I think they’re different in their own way. Football is Friday night lights – it’s pretty crazy,” Mullins said. “But lacrosse I enjoyed because it was a bunch of my friends and I just always loved playing.”

Because lacrosse wasn’t a sanctioned sport at Coppell, Mullins had to play for club teams.

Athletic Director John Crawford “shunned” lacrosse, according to David Mullins, so Brandon had to go elsewhere to sharpen his skills and work toward becoming elite.

“When lacrosse coaches called the high school, the athletic director would tell them the school didn’t have lacrosse,” David Mullins said.

Despite this obstacle, Brandon didn’t have to go far to find another opportunity to play lacrosse. The sport had started to blossom in the suburbs of Dallas on the club level and was gaining popularity at a rapid rate.

Mullins played for the Coppell Lacrosse Association, a program with teams spanning from first-graders through high-school-aged players. He led the Cowboys to three consecutive state championships, recovering 66 ground balls and earning all-state player of the year honors twice.

Ranked the No. 10 defender in the Class of 2011 by Inside Lacrosse, Mullins started to get looks from premier programs, playing his way into the national spotlight. The next few months, Brandon and his family traveled from Texas to the East Coast, touring Syracuse, Penn State, Brown and Stony Brook.

The first school that pursued Mullins was North Carolina. After seeing his skill set at a winter camp in Dallas, UNC head coach Joe Breschi and his staff offered the defenseman a scholarship. The Mullins family agreed to go to Chapel Hill, N.C., to find out more about the school, hopeful the defender would become a Tar Heel.

But just three days before they were scheduled to go, the North Carolina staff pulled the offer. The Mullins family stayed put.

“His mom said, ‘What is this? We bought plane tickets to fly over there just for this?’”

David Mullins said.

Luckily for Mullins, he didn’t have to wait long to find another school that suited his needs and coveted him from the get-go: Syracuse.

chase gaewski | photo editor BRANDON MULLINS passed on opportunities to play college football, including his dream of playing at Notre Dame, instead keeping his commitment to Syracuse lacrosse.

The very next weekend, Mullins traveled more than 1,500 miles from Coppell, Texas, all the way to SU. This trip wasn’t for naught. Mullins hit it off with members of the coaching staff, including assistant coach Lelan Rogers, immediately developing a connection.

Despite the inclement weather, the distance from home and the unfamiliarity inevitably tied to the decision, Mullins was sold. He would have a chance to play for one of the premier programs in the country, a program that had won the 2008 and 2009 national championships. John Desko and his staff would land one of the most athletic, explosive defenders in the country.

“Syracuse was the one that gave lacrosse the most credit on the campus,” David Mullins said.

“You can kind of tell. Some places there’s one little hoodie that says lacrosse on the back. You go to Syracuse, you’ve got a wall of them.”

It was a perfect match, but first, Mullins needed to make one more phone call, not wanting to miss out on a potentially perfect opportunity. He spoke with Notre Dame lacrosse assistant coach Gerry Byrne, asking if there was any way he could play for UND, his dream school for both football and lacrosse.

Byrne’s answer was a simple one.

“We can’t do it this early,” he said.

Syracuse showed serious interest in Mullins early in the recruiting process. Notre Dame, North Carolina and Syracuse were his top three options. Once the other two possibilities fell through, Mullins verbally committed to the Orange.

But his recruitment was far from over. In fact, lacrosse recruitment was just one piece of the puzzle. Most people considered football his better sport. He was the 2010 Associated

SEE MULLINS PAGE 14

TALKING POINTS

“I THINK THIS YEAR WE’VE JUST GOT TO PLAY WITHIN OURSELVES. WE CAN’T MAKE BAD DECISIONS ON THE FIELD, ERRANT PASSES, BAD SHOTS. WE HAVE TO PLAY WITHIN OUR RANGE. DEFENSIVELY WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP COMMUNICATING AND I THINK WE’RE GOING TO DO GREAT.” Brian Megill

SYRACUSE DEFENDER

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SHIFTING GEARS

Providence changes offensive philosophy to fast-paced, up-and-down style

courtesy of providence media relations J.T. WEBER and the Providence offense are going be playing with a new up-and-down style under new Friars coaches Chris Gabrielli and John Galloway. In the past, PC tried to limit opponents’ possession by holding on to the ball for extended periods of time. Last year, Gabrielli and Galloway worked together at Duke, a team known for its fast-paced style.

By Kevin Prise

T

STAFF WRITER

he Providence lacrosse team has carried a reputation in the past for playing a keepaway type of game, holding the ball in an attempt to limit the opponent’s possessions.

This season, with a new rule enacted to begin a 30-second shot clock when officials call a stall warning, teams like Providence will no longer have the option to play that way.

“On the field, with the rule changes, we’re moving to an up-pace, up-tempo, transition type of offense,” Providence senior attack JT Weber said. “We were a set-play team in the past, but with the new changes, we can’t really have set plays anymore. We’ve got to be up-tempo.”

The new era perpetuated by the rule changes provides a perfect complement to the new coaching regime at Providence, led by former Duke defensive assistant Chris Gabrielli. After going just 5-38 in its past three seasons under former coach Chris Burdick, who resigned last May after 14 seasons at the helm, Providence will immediately implement

its new philosophy in an attempt to push the program back on a winning path.

Joining Gabrielli in the rebuilding effort is John Galloway, the former Syracuse standout goaltender who worked as a volunteer assistant last season with Gabrielli at Duke. Galloway’s background at SU and Duke has involved an up-tempo style of play, made possible by the presence of highly skilled athletes who excel in that philosophy.

For Galloway, the players couldn’t have had a better attitude in implementing the new system during the fall and winter.

“We’ve inherited a disciplined program,” Galloway said. “They’re never late for practice, and they’re well-coached kids. They’re itching to win some games, they’re hungry and they want it.”

Weber opines that the Providence team wasn’t built to play a quick, back-and-forth game, and that the old regime implemented its tactics as a simple recognition of this fact, to give the team the best chance to succeed. Now, tasked to change its mentality to better reflect

BAPTIZED BY FIRE

“WE WERE A VERY YOUNG TEAM LAST YEAR, WE HAD A LOT OF SOPHOMORES HAD TO STEP UP AND PLAY BIG MINUTES FOR US AND DO SOME THINGS THAT SOMETIMES ARE UNCOMFORTABLE, PUT PEOPLE IN TOUGH SITUATIONS.” Derek Maltz

SYRACUSE AT TACK

its coaches’ attitudes, Weber and the rest of the team are excited to test the style on the field.

“There’s a new wave of enthusiasm across the board,” Weber said. “A lot of guys were excited when they found out that coach Gabrielli was hired. He brings a certain atmosphere and culture, with the experience and ability to win at every level.”

This culture is made up of various onand off-field components. Upon returning to school from Winter Break, the veterans led a team workshop that focused on fundamental concepts, Weber said. The team is now expected to organize the locker room in a specific order, and the coaching staff is striving to implement a blue-collar mindset across the board, Weber said.

Although transitioning to a more free-flowing style could have its drawbacks if players lack the athleticism to match up with higherlevel opponents, Galloway thinks it gives the team the best chance to succeed. It may increase the potential to be blown out on occasion, but it also gives the team the chance to win some games that it wouldn’t in the past.

“We’re going to play the same way we did at SU and Duke,” Galloway said. “At those two places, the formula has worked. We’re going to play intense, with pressure, and we’re going to roll the dice.”

Gabrielli echoed the sentiment, pointing to the rule changes as a natural transition into a more dynamic style.

“The new rules in place really embody a

faster style of lacrosse, so that will inf luence how everyone plays, I believe,” Gabrielli said. “Certainly, I want to teach our guys and help our guys play lacrosse the way it’s supposed to be played. Up and down, fast, athletic, aggressive.”

Galloway is an S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications alumnus who switched his major from broadcast and digital journalism to public relations midway through his Syracuse career, and was never really sure what he wanted to do after college. But a chance meeting with Duke head coach John Danowski at Casey Powell’s lacrosse camp in Boca Raton, Fla., led to his first job at Duke and the subsequent one at Providence. Now, he said he finds himself extremely happy to walk into the office every day.

As a young, 23-year-old coach, Galloway appreciates the trust Gabrielli has in him.

“At Duke, he could’ve completely taken the reigns, but he’s allowed me to do a lot of different things,” Galloway said. “That means a lot to me.

I’m fortunate to work under him, someone who has the drive to be great.”

The trust on the coaching level extends to the players, with Weber expressing team-wide support for the job done by the new staff so far.

Weber remembers playing against Galloway his freshman year, in a 14-5 Syracuse win against the Friars, and recalls regarding him as a “legendary statue.”

Weber notes a hands-on approach throughout

SEE PROVIDENCE PAGE 10

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NET NATURAL

By Chris Iseman

M

SPORTS EDITOR

idway through the 2012 season, Bobby

Wardwell

Wardwell becomes force in cage after years of preparing for Division-I spotlight

at Halfmoon built Wardwell into a

he kept growing and getting so good

unteers. Wardwell stepped up and went

“lacrosse rat,” said Chad Finck, co-

and so good.”

between the pipes. He stopped shots

president of Capitalland Lacrosse.

It wasn’t until about fifth grade when

fired from kids three or four years older than him all night long.

finally

found himself in the middle

“When you see a young kid like

of Syracuse’s goaltending rotation.

that who wants to get in cage, it’s

He finally earned a start. From his

a little bit rare,” Finck said. “Most

first day in net, Wardwell never

kids don’t want to get hit by the ball.

relinquished the role.

As time went on, he just stayed in the cage.”

The revolving door of goalies stopped at Wardwell. It was a job

Wardwell continued to get better.

he’s been preparing for since second

He played in several different leagues

grade.

through middle and high school.

That’s when he started playing

When he was in eighth grade, he

regularly, and climbed through the

started playing in a league filled with

ranks to become one of the best pros-

Division-I lacrosse players, stopping

pects in New York state. Wardwell

shots from players who spent their

came out of Shenendehowa High

spring seasons suiting up for respect-

School in Clifton Park, N.Y., rated

ed lacrosse programs like Albany.

the No. 2 goalie in the Class of 2011

That’s also when high school

by Inside Lacrosse. Now he is SU’s

coaches started to take notice of how

incumbent starter, a more confident

good he was. As an eighth-grader, he

goalie and a reliable force between

was invited to try out for the varsity

the pipes.

team at Shenendehowa High School.

“We knew him coming out of that

He made it. He started every one of

area, a lot of people in that area were

the Plainsmen’s games for the next

talking about him at an early age,”

five years.

Syracuse head coach John Desko

Wardwell’s coach at Shenende-

said. “We thought he was one of the

howa, Chuck Holohan, said one of

best high school goalies out there, if

Wardwell’s greatest strengths was

not the best one that we had seen.”

his outlet pass on clears. Holohan said he could throw it “60 yards on

It took years for him to get there.

a rope.”

But there was never a doubt about his talent. Wardwell’s father, David,

“His ability to throw the ball and

played lacrosse for four years at

his ability to run was phenomenal,”

Watertown (N.Y.) High School. He

Holohan said.

In the second half of the 2011

introduced his son to the sport when

Under Armour All-America Game,

Bobby was just a kindergartener.

They played around in the back-

Wardwell made a staggering 13 saves

yard at first. Then David Wardwell

to lead the South to an 11-9 victory

found a way to get his son onto the

over the North.

By then, though, Wardwell’s

lacrosse field.

collegiate future had already been

Capitalland Lacrosse was a pro-

sorted out. His dream was to play at brandon weight | staff photographer Syracuse. He made that official duryouth camps and leagues. Wardwell BOBBY WARDWELL established himself as Syracuse’s starting goalie after taking over joined the second grade league, play- midway through last season. Wardwell was a force in net toward the end of the years. ing his junior season.

“Junior year I committed here. I ing with minimal equipment and a gram in Clifton Park that included

sponge ball. He ascended through the leagues and age groups.

Those nights in the Sportsplex

NETMINDER

“He came at a really young age.

Wardwell found himself in the cage,

He just went through the ranks,”

David Wardwell said. His travel team

think every kid from Upstate New York wants to come play lacrosse at Syracuse,” Wardwell said. “It was between Cornell

Finck said. “After a period of time,

needed a goaltender and asked for vol-

SEE WARDWELL PAGE 14

AS THE SEASON WENT ON BOBBY WARDWELL BECAME MORE COMFORTABLE. HIS EMERGENCE AS A STEADY GOALTENDER WILL GIVE SYRACUSE CONSISTENCY AND RELIABILITY ON DEFENSE—SOMETHING THE ORANGE LACKED LAST YEAR.

BRIGHT START

“IT’LL BE EASIER THIS YEAR, KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT COMING INTO GAMES AND BEING ABLE TO CALM MYSELF DOWN.” Bobby Wardwell

SU GOALTENDER

7

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S

LIGHTING IT UP

yracuse lost two of its starting attack from last season with the graduations of Tim Desko and Tommy Palasek. Junior Derek Maltz, who was SU’s leading goal scorer last season, is back to anchor the Orange’s offensive presence at the crease. Providing the rest of the

scoring on the line will be two newcomers. Syracuse has a group of talented scorers who could see some significant playing time at the position. And all of them will need to produce this

9

Syracuse’s new-look attack anchors offense, scoring responsibilities

season with the Orange’s tough schedule. As Syracuse looks to return to dominance, some of the best teams in the country will look to stand in its way.

ATTACK, #25

ATTACK, #7 ATTACK, #15

Year: Redshirt freshman Height: 5-10 Weight: 170 Hometown: Syracuse Though he redshirted a year ago, DeJohn is arguably Syracuse’s most talented dodging attack. The 2010 Post-Standard Central New York Player of the Year, DeJohn scored a school record 195 goals in three years at Jamesville-DeWitt High School. The attack took a big hit in the waning seconds of the Holy Cross scrimmage that left him on the ground for minutes, but he’s still a candidate to see major playing time on offense.

Year: Junior Height: 6-3 Weight: 196 Hometown: Ashburn, Va.

Year: Junior Height: 6-0 Weight: 195 Hometown: West Islip, N.Y.

The returning starter is unquestionably the anchor of the attack. He was Syracuse’s leading goal-scorer with 28 goals, and had a sparkling 41.2 percent shooting percentage.

Maltz has the ability to put together remarkable games, like in the Orange’s win against Hobart last year, when he scored six goals.

Following the graduation of Stephen Keogh after the 2011 season, Maltz took over as Syracuse’s crease attack and dominated.

The Orange will need to him to maintain that productivity in order to bounce back from a disappointing season. He gave opposing goaltenders headaches, and is in position to do that again this season.

Galasso transferred from North Carolina to Syracuse in January, and was immediately thrown into the mix for a spot as a starting attack. Inside Lacrosse rated him the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2010. In his freshman season at UNC, he finished with 56 points and 32 assists, both program records for a freshman. Then, he was hurt in his sophomore season and never completely bounced back in the 13 games he played. He transferred to Syracuse with his sights set on bouncing back, but suffered a lower-body injury that requires surgery.

Instead of preparing for a starting role, Galasso finds himself hurt once again.

ERIC DEJOHN DEREK MALTZ NICKY GALASSO

PRINCETON, #22 No. 14 Princeton

Year: Sophomore Height: 5-8 Weight: 160 Hometown: Skaneateles, N.Y. Rice came off of the bench in six games for Syracuse last season, and finished with three points. He scored his first goal in the Orange’s 15-6 win against Villanova in the Big East tournament. While he might not be starting this upcoming season, the more experienced Rice should be able to increase his scoring output in his second season.

Inside Lacrosse rated the Skaneateles, N.Y., native the 16th best attack in the Class of 2011, and he scored 70 goals and had 66 assists in his senior season. With more playing time, Rice’s ability to match that level of talent at Syracuse should unfold.

“HE’S QUICK, HE’S GOT GOOD CHANGE OF DIRECTION, FEEDS THE BALL, MOVES WELL OFF THE BALL, HE’S SHOOTING AS WELL AS HE HAS SINCE HE’S BEEN HERE AT SYRACUSE. HE STARTED FOR US IN THE FALL AT THE ATTACK POSITION, SO WE’RE REALLY HOPING HE CAN HELP US THIS YEAR.” John Desko on Billy Ward HEAD COACH

When: April 6, 5 p.m.

Where: Class of 1952 Stadium, Princeton, N.J. Last year: Syracuse 10, Princeton 9 Princeton’s attack is led by first-team, All-American Thomas Schreiber, but the defense is in a reorganizing year at best, rebuilding at worst. The Tigers lost three regular defenders and its starting goaltender, Tyler Fiorito. That unit conceded just 7.25 goals per game last season. If Derrick Raabe, Nick Fernandez and the rest of the Tigers defense haven’t worked out all of their kinks by early April, SU could have a field day in front of the goal.

JOHNS HOPKINS, #92 No. 5 Johns Hopkins

When: March 16, 1 p.m.

Where: Carrier Dome Last year: Johns Hopkins 11, Syracuse 7 This will be a game of contrasts between the game’s two most storied programs. The enforcement of the revamped stall warning rules will almost certainly come under scrutiny as Hopkins will look to slow the game down against the Orange’s quick transition attack. A month into the season, the massive deciding factor is the Blue Jays’ veteran defense unit against SU’s high-powered attack unit. Last season’s leading scorer, attack Brandon Benn, returns to lead the offense.

TOM SCHREIBER BRANDON BENN

KEVIN RICE

PLUGGING IN

LIGHT SPEED

PHOTOS BY CHASE GAEWSKI | PHOTO EDITOR

ATTACK, #2

“WE HAVE A NUMBER OF GUYS WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR THAT THIRD SPOT, FOURTH SPOT IF WE’RE ROTATING THIS SEASON, WHATEVER THE COACHING STAFF WANTS. WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT, GREAT ATTACKMEN ON THIS TEAM THAT WE CAN RUN A LOT – WE CAN PLAY THIS YEAR ON ATTACK. I’M REALLY EXCITED.” Derek Maltz AT TACK

VIRGINIA, #24 No. 9 Virginia

CORNELL, #3 No. 6 Cornell

When: March 1 Where: Carrier Dome Last year: Virginia 14, Syracuse 10

When: April 10 Where: Carrier Dome Last year: Cornell 12, Syracuse 6

When the two met last year, Virginia was the top team in the nation, and the disappointment of 2012 had yet to set in for then-unbeaten Syracuse. Now, neither team is in the top eight – the Cavaliers enter the season ranked No. 9 – but it’s still a marquee matchup. UVA has a new look after graduating five All-Americans, but it still plays a fast-paced style, like the Orange, which should make it a compelling and entertaining matchup. Midfielder Rob Emery, who scored 24 goals last season, is back to help anchor the offense at midfield.

Cornell blew out Syracuse in Ithaca, N.Y., last year, even without Rob Pannell. The attack sat out last season with an injury, and now returns as a fifth-year senior to once again spark the Big Red attack.

Paired with fellow attacks Matt Donovan and Steve Mock, Pannell helps give Cornell perhaps the top attacking unit in the nation. Unlike last year, the in-state rivalry is usually compelling. With a more experienced Orange side and a healthier Big Red unit, the game should get back to its exciting ways.

ROB EMERY

ROB PANNELL

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BIG EAST OUTLOOK 1. NOTRE DAME

A final four team last year, the Irish were voted No. 1 in the Big East preseason poll, receiving 35 points. Notre Dame goalie John Kemp was named the conference’s Preseason CoDefensive Player of the Year. Kemp dominated in goal last season, allowing only 6.27 goals per game.

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: (13-3) LAST YEAR’S BIG EAST FINISH: (6-0)

2. SYRACUSE

Captained by Derek Maltz, JoJo Marasco, Steve Ianzito and Brian Megill, the Orange is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2012 season. Syracuse will look to build off of last year’s Big East tournament run, in which they knocked off Villanova and St. John’s en route to a championship.

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 9-8 LAST YEAR’S BIG EAST FINISH: 3-3

3. ST. JOHN’S

St. John’s preseason ranking is the highest in school history. Junior attack Kieran McArdle was named the Big East Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The senior attack has 49 goals and 50 assists in his career, and is the only member of the 40-goal, 40-assist club in the Red Storm’s history.

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: (8-7) LAST YEAR’S BIG EAST FINISH:(3-3)

4. VILLANOVA

Villanova struggled in second halves last season, getting outscored 85-70. All-Big East Preseason team selections Thomas Croonquist, John LoCascio and Jack Rice will carry the Wildcats, who will look to improve upon last year’s campaign with a more experienced group of key players.

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: (8-7) LAST YEAR’S BIG EAST FINISH: (4-2)

5.

GEORGETOWN Senior defender Chris Nourse, who finished third in the Big East in caused turnovers per

game (1.62), anchors the Hoya defense. Georgetown’s defense allowed only 17 goals (.298) on man-down situations in 2012. The Hoyas won 52 percent of their faceoffs last season, and will look to continue that trend this year.

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: (7-6) LAST YEAR’S BIG EAST FINISH: (3-3)

6.

RUTGERS The Scarlet Knights face five teams that made the 2012 NCAA tournament, so they’ll be in for a stiff challenge in head coach Brian Brecht’s second season. Rutgers will look to move forward without Will Mangan, the 2012 Big East Midfielder of the Year. Mangan scored 30 goals and added 10 assists last season.

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: (6-9) LAST YEAR’S BIG EAST FINISH: (1-5)

7. PROVIDENCE

The Friars struggled to find the back of the net last season, scoring just 7.36 goals per game.

They totaled only 55 assists and shot just 29 percent. This year, they’ll look for junior Andrew Barton to build off of a successful 2012 campaign, in which he led the team in scoring with 31 points.

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: (2-12) LAST YEAR’S BIG EAST FINISH: (1-5 ) — Compiled by Trevor Hass, asst. copy editor, tbhass@syr.edu

PROVIDENCE FROM PAGE 6

the coaching staff, bringing with it a genuine desire of coaches to connect with Providence players.

“Talking to the ‘D’ guys, they’re excited how open he is for conversation,” Weber said of Galloway. “He encourages one-on-one meetings.

He has knowledge of everything that entails a defensive unit, and the guys appreciate it. He has the knowledge and ability to connect, and he knows where we’re all coming from.”

Syracuse head coach John Desko oversaw Galloway’s development in his four seasons at SU, and finds little surprise in his star goaltender’s progression to coaching upon graduation.

Galloway’s decision to serve in an unpaid capacity at Duke was critical for the valuable experience it provided, as well as the connection with

Gabrielli, Desko said.

Galloway was always a great communicator on the field, a trait that should lend itself well to the sideline, Desko said.

“It’s a great opportunity for him to go on and, first of all, get paid for what he’s doing, and also get more top Division-I experience,” Desko said.

“Not only playing at a top Division-I school, coaching at a top Division-I school. He’ll have a great opportunity to help build the program at Providence.”

With Gabrielli and Galloway leading the new regime, along with new assistant Brett Holm, the Friars look to make their mark in the Big East, even though Gabrielli readily admits the transition may take some time.

“It’s not going to happen overnight,” Gabrielli said. “It’s a process. You’ve got to be willing to put in the hard work and take your lumps along the way. There’s a lot of teaching to do.” kmprisei@syr.edu

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‘FOR THE LITTLE GUY’

11

Loyola’s title run highlights lacrosse mid-majors move into spotlight

courtesy of larry french | loyola athletics Loyola began last season unranked, but emerged as a national powerhouse en route to the winning its first national championship, altering the landscape of college lacrosse.

By Jacob Pramuk

E

STAFF WRITER

ven growing up in New Jersey, Pat Laconi was a huge fan of Maryland lacrosse.

When he started receiving offers to play in college, though, the Terrapins never showed any interest.

After college lacrosse’s traditional powers passed on him, Laconi chose to attend Loyola (Md.), a Catholic school in Baltimore with less than 4,000 undergraduates.

Loyola shocked the nation in 2012, starting the season unranked then losing only one game on the way to its first national championship.

For Laconi, now a junior, it was that much sweeter when the Greyhounds dismantled Maryland in the national title game.

“Elation is not a good enough word,” Laconi said. “We wanted to get recruited by these big state schools, and a lot of us slipped through the cracks. Maybe we were late bloomers or just

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

didn’t seem as viable to those types of schools.”

Loyola’s championship run, fueled mostly by players overlooked by college lacrosse’s historically dominant teams, embodies a shift in lacrosse nationally. Seven teams, including Syracuse, Johns Hopkins, Princeton and Maryland, have won 39 of the 42 national championships. Duke, the 2010 winner, and Loyola are the only teams to have won just once.

Loyola’s championship run reflects the growth of the sport outside of its traditional hotbeds, coaches said. More interest in the sport, and consequently a larger pool of top-tier recruits, has leveled the playing field in recent years, and Loyola’s championship should only accelerate the trend.

“Just look at our roster. We have players from Texas, Ohio, Florida and on down the line in addition to the traditional hotbeds,” Syracuse head coach John Desko said. “There are a lot

LAST SEASON, BEFORE LOYOLA’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RUN, THREE OF THE PRESEASON TOP 20 TEAMS (BUCKNELL, PENN STATE AND COLGATE) WERE NON-TRADITIONAL POWERS. THIS YEAR THOSE THREE ARE JOINED BY LOYOLA (MD.), LEHIGH, FAIRFIELD AND OHIO STATE.

more players around the country playing the game at a high level. As a result, there’s more parity in college lacrosse and I think you’ll continue to see that going forward.”

Loyola’s remarkable run is a blueprint for the future success of smaller programs.

Laconi and head coach Charley Toomey said the Greyhounds’ success in 2012 can be attributed to a combination of meticulous preparation, staunch defense and dazzling individual performances.

The Greyhounds won their first 12 games with an average margin of victory of more than five goals per game. Johns Hopkins defeated Loyola 10-9 in overtime April 28, handing the Greyhounds their first and only loss of the season.

Toomey said Loyola’s next game, a 14-13 win against Denver in the Eastern Conference Athletic Association semifinals on May 2, proved to him that he had a special team.

“I was really taken aback that I had a sophomore starter saying, ‘We can’t wait to get on the plane and go play Denver. We need to get this taste out of our mouth,’” Toomey said. “To go back out there and beat Denver a second time, that’s when I started to think this was a unique group.”

Loyola never lost the rest of the way en route to the national championship. Then-sophomore goalie Jack Runkel, who came off of the bench in Loyola’s second game of the year and eventu-

ally started in all but three games, led Loyola’s defensive effort.

The Greyhounds allowed 5.5 goals per game in the NCAA Tournament. Runkel allowed just three goals in the final, a championship game record.

Senior attacker Eric Lusby led the Loyola offense, scoring a record 17 goals in the tournament. Laconi, who played a contributing role at defensive midfield during the run, said defensive game-planning was the most crucial part of the tournament run.

“Every single situation that we had the entire playoff run, except for the Canisius game, we knew every single thing the other team was going to do all the time,” Laconi said. “All we had to do was go to the correct place and show off our athleticism.”

This year, people have been congratulating Toomey on winning one for “the little guy.” Toomey has experienced the struggles of small programs since his time in college, when he started at goaltender for a Loyola team that lost to Syracuse in the 1990 national championship game.

Now, Toomey’s program is creating momentum for other small teams. One of the biggest implications of Loyola’s championship is that more programs are trying to get competitive, Toomey said.

SEE LOYOLA PAGE 11

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CHASE GAEWSKI | PHOTO EDITOR KELSEY RICHARDSON AND ALYSSA COSTANTINO will split time at goalie again this season after head coach Gary Gait successfully implemented a two-goalie system last year. Syracuse was the only team in the country last year to feature two goalies that both accumulated 400 minutes or more.

COMMON GOAL

No. 1 Syracuse employs rotation of Costantino, Richardson in net as team looks to return to national championship

By Phil D’Abbraccio

T

ASST. COPY EDITOR

he two-goaltender system isn’t popular with many other teams. But Syracuse defender Natalie Glanell wouldn’t have any other system in the cage behind her.

“I like it this way,” Glanell said. “Having two goalies is an advantage. If one of them is having an off day, switch them out. Or you know, both of them might be on fire, saving goals left and right. We look at it positively, not negatively.”

A year removed from posting the best save percentage (.489) in the Big East, the No. 1 Orange (1-0) is set to begin the 2013 season with junior Alyssa Costantino and sophomore Kelsey Richardson splitting time at goalie – just as they did last season. Costantino managed to log nearly 933 minutes in 2012, and her .494 save percentage ranked best in the Big East. But the platoon system fluctuated enough for Richardson to accumulate almost 470 minutes of playing time.

Although most other teams across the country stick to one goalie, Syracuse’s team save

FLIPPING THE SWITCH

“WE PLAYED A LOT OF THE TOP GOALIES IN THE COUNTRY. AND WE BLOW THEM OUT OF THE WATER AND THEY DON’T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SWITCH IT UP WHEN THERE’S A THREE, FOUR, FIVEGOAL RUN. THAT’S SOMETHING WE CAN ALWAYS DO.” Gary Gait

SU HEAD COACH

percentage ranked in the top 10 nationally.

And the two-goalie platoon didn’t stop the Orange from reaching the NCAA championship.

“We’re just lucky we’re in a position where we have two very strong goalies,” said SU head coach Gary Gait, who never used a two-goalie system before last season. “And they were both fighting for the starting position last year and we didn’t get clear separation between them. When we have one clear starting goalie, it’ll be a one-goalie system.”

Out of the 16 teams that reached last year’s NCAA Tournament, only one other team had two goalies that each racked up 400 minutes in the cage – Navy used a number of goalies throughout the season, but switched to Michelle Verbeeck as the primary starter for the last seven games, including all but three minutes of the Midshipmen’s four postseason contests.

Costantino started each of the Orange’s 23 games and Richardson appeared in all but six of them. Syracuse was the only contending program that truly utilized two goalies all season.

“We played a lot of the top goalies in the country,” Gait said. “And we blow them out of the water and they don’t have an opportunity to switch it up when there’s a three, four, fivegoal run. That’s something we can always do.”

With the knowledge that they’ll be sharing the goal for most of this season, Costantino and Richardson aren’t bothered by the instability of being pulled at any moment. Costantino instead takes solace in the consistency of taking assignments one half at a time.

Costantino and Richardson both said they knew going into the Orange’s season-opener at Jacksonville on Jan. 13 that they would split the first and second halves. Costantino started and Richardson took over after halftime.

But that won’t be the case every game. The coaches make substitutions not entirely

SEE GOALTENDERS PAGE 14

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2 013 l acro s se se a s on pr ev i ew

MALTZ FROM PAGE 4

his teammates, this year’s Orange needs him.

SU won’t contend for another title this season without Maltz and his crease dominance.

But Maltz’s path to starring for and leading the storied program is much more than the product of some generational progression.

Coming of age in Ashburn, Va., far removed from the hotbeds of lacrosse, Maltz’s struggle was proving himself on a national stage, largely without the help of talented high school teammates.

“You’re playing with kids who, I mean, they can throw and catch but they’re just playing to do something in high school, when we’re playing for the rest of our career,” said SU midfielder Chris Daddio.

Maltz and Daddio played together from about ages 7-10 in the Loudoun County (Va.) lacrosse league before the Maltzes moved from Ashburn to Roxbury, N.J. Once Maltz returned to Virginia for high school at Stone Bridge, he and Daddio, who played for Loudoun Valley in nearby Purcellville, often commiserated about the difficulties of shining bright enough outside the recruiting spotlight.

Both played club lacrosse – Daddio for Madlax and Maltz for Fuse then for the more prestigious Blackwolf. But the 5-foot-11, 191pound Daddio has been about that size since his freshman year of high school. Maltz was relatively scrawny until his lights-out marathon weight room sessions caught up with him late in high school and the summer before he joined the Orange.

“He had this aura, this natural leadership he just had,” Stone Bridge head coach Scott Mitchell said. “When Derek did something, everyone did it.”

As Maltz transformed himself, he transformed an entire program.

Before Maltz, Ricky Reyes said he had never stepped into a weight room or cared about his diet. A year behind Maltz, Reyes joined Stone Bridge lacrosse as a sophomore, before the 2008 season. The junior varsity team had existed for all of two years, and Mitchell was preparing as the fifth coach in the program’s last six seasons.

Maltz brought players to offseason workouts, conditioning sessions and mini-stick games at Trailside Park, about a mile up Claiborne Parkway from Stone Bridge. He brought his teammates to restaurants to watch college lacrosse on Saturdays.

The unprecedented offseasons did more than make the Stone Bridge players prepare for, talk about and play lacrosse. They fused what was once a group of reasonably talented but disparate individuals into a tight-knit unit that gladly scrapped and fought in practice before resuming its friendship off of the practice field.

In Maltz’s senior year, 2010, Stone Bridge completed its finest season ever, advancing to the regional quarterfinals.

POINTS ON POINTS ON POINTS Maltz was one of seven players to start every game last season, and piled up points in eight multi-goal performances. Below are his three most potent outings from 2012: DATE

March 4

OPPONENT

@ No. 1 Virginia

GOALS ASSISTS

3 2

March 17 @ No. 2 Johns Hopkins 3 0 April 14

vs. Rutgers*

4 0

April 17

@ Hobart

6 0

*ESPNU Warrior Classic, Charlotte, N.C.

“He made kids realize all the hard work we put in, it would pay off somewhere else, not just on the field,” Reyes said. “He changed a lot of people.”

Brett Gallahan captained the Bulldogs after Maltz graduated. The year before, though, he was scrapping for ground balls with Maltz, chasing, fighting and wanting to succeed Maltz as the team’s leader. And to that end, by Maltz’s mere presence, Gallahan said, he lost 40 pounds.

“My junior year, I gained a shit ton of weight,” Gallahan said. “I knew that the next year I wanted to be the leader on the team, kind of like he always was, because he wasn’t going to be there anymore. And so I knew I couldn’t do that if I was fat and slow.”

Reyes went on to play for Christopher Newport (Va.) University, and Gallahan plays club ball at Virginia Tech. Both said they would be out of the sport without Maltz.

Maltz brought that same relentless leading drive to Syracuse, yet of all the hours, goals and assists he’s given the Orange, his most special contribution may come a year from now, when he links up with younger brother Dylan, the No. 13 player in the Class of 2013, according to Inside Lacrosse. He committed to SU in the summer of 2011.

In the dying minutes of the regional quarterfinals of the 2010 Virginia state playoffs, Derek and Dylan stood together at midfield. Stone Bridge was down two men, trailing 12-7 with less than four minutes left, and Wilbert Tucker Woodson High School was stalling the clock.

The Maltzes knew their high school career together was over. They looked at each other and, according to the younger Maltz, both said: “Don’t worry, we’ll play together again.”

Brandon Mullins remembers one of the first times he stripped Maltz. After the play, Maltz turned around and congratulated him.

“I just kind of went … ‘Yeah?’” Mullins said, tilting his head.

Mullins was confused. Nobody had done that before.

“Yeah, I mean it’s kind of like ‘What’d you just say?’ at first,” he said. “But then you kind of get to know Derek and realize his personality and realize it’s all for the best.”

Maltz, too, is growing and ever-tinkering with his game. When he beats Brian Megill, one of the best defenders in the nation and the No. 7 overall pick in last month’s Major League Lacrosse Draft, he asks Megill what more he can do – what it is he did that allowed Megill to get a stick in front of him, even if Maltz blew through it.

“When I get him once in a while, which isn’t often because he’s a good player,” Megill said, “I’ll be like, ‘You’re hanging your stick on that one’ or ‘You know, you had me top side but you came right into me, I was waiting for you.’”

Maltz returns the favor, explaining how and why his “question mark” and “bull” dodges get the better of Megill.

With eight multi-goal games and 24 of his 28 tallies coming in those contests last year, it’s easy to peg Maltz as a crease monkey — and rightly so. Size, speed and accuracy – he’s been picking corners since age 5 – make him a nightmare for defenders and goaltenders in close.

But as he grows more comfortable in the SU offense, he’s only broadening his game.

“As a crease player, he had a certain role that he would play in the offense and he was just very disciplined,” his father Maltz Sr. said. “He didn’t want to vary and do things that the coaches didn’t want him to do.”

In SU’s preseason opening scrimmage against Hofstra on Jan. 26, he looked comfortable organizing the attack from the point, even peeling away from the crease to score with 2:50 left in the first half.

Bobby Wardwell estimates Maltz puts

13

THE ENLIGHTENMENT

AGAINST VIRGINIA, DEREK MALTZ SHOWCASED HIS ABILITY TO BE MORE THAN A CREASE ATTACK, SCORING FROM FARTHER AWAY FROM THE NET. THE ATTACK HAS MADE IT A POINT OF EMPHASIS TO SCORE FROM ELSEWHERE ON THE FIELD, WHICH WOULD GIVE THE SYRACUSE OFFENSE MORE DYNAMIC.

THE PRE-MALTZ ERA AT STONE BRIDGE

“HONESTLY, WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL LOOKING TO THE NEXT YEAR, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE ‘OH YEAH, I’M GOING TO PLAY ON THE TEAM AND WE’RE GOING TO BE OK, BUT IT’S GOING TO BE FUN JUST TO PLAY.’” Brett Gallahan

FORMER HIGH SCHOOL TEAMMATE

GUIDING LIGHT

“A LOT OF THE UNDERCLASSMEN GO TO HIM IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT. YOU CAN ALWAYS TRUST DEREK WITH ANYTHING NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, OFF THE FIELD, ON THE FIELD.” Brandon Mullins

SU DEFENDER

about five goals past him per practice. Whereas some players have spots where Wardwell can more or less guess where they’ll shoot, the goalie said he never knows where Maltz is aiming.

Opposing goalies don’t have it any easier.

About twice a week, Maltz spends an hour and a half to two hours watching film, zeroing in on goaltenders’ weaknesses and defenses’ slide patterns.

The homework is a hobby for Maltz, who his dad recalls holing up with a rented Mark Millon lacrosse video and watching hours of clips of the game’s all-time greats, dissecting

their games.

His helpful obsession is innate, genetic. But it’s stoked and strengthened by growing up on the outskirts of the lacrosse world, toiling with and for his high school teammates, all the while growing up with a piece of lacrosse history for a father. Maltz Sr. himself drove home his son’s underlying outlook.

“You are one kid,” the former Orangeman said. “There are millions of kids that play this game and you get an opportunity, so you got to make the most of your opportunity… Everybody wants the ring.”

960 must be 21 for Loaner Car.

jmklinge@syr.edu

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GOALTENDERS F RO M PA G E 12

because of performances, but also based on matchups and their “gut,” Gait said. SU wants both goalies to have their opportunities in the cage.

Gait believes both of his goalies are solid at handling any shot levels, but said Costantino is slightly better with the high shots and Richardson slightly better at defending the low shots.

That’s when Gait likes to take advantage of his two-goalie system.

“What I like is they both have a little

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Alyssa Costantino junior, #30

West Islip, N.Y. West Islip High School 5-foot-5

Kelsey Richardson sophomore, #15 Memphis, N.Y. Jordan-Elbridge High School 5-foot-6 Richardson: 467:07 different strengths,” Gait said. “And you can kind of use that and the shooters have to change up the way they shoot. It definitely allows us some f lexibility in there and create momentum changes in games. And I think that’s key.”

Even though both goalies see the field often, the rotation doesn’t throw off the defense’s communication.

The Orange learns defense as a unit, Glanell said, not as individuals, so the interaction doesn’t waver when a new goalie takes over the cage. Gait said both goalies receive plenty of time in practice to develop rapports with the defense, so the risk of a miscommunication is a “non-issue.”

“I trust our defensive goalie coaches,” Glanell said. “And I trust both Kelsey and A-Cos, so no matter who’s behind us, we know

LOYOLA F R O M P A G E 11

“From an administrative standpoint, you have some schools that are considering picking up the sport, which is great for lacrosse overall” Toomey said. “But you also have programs that do support the sport but maybe say, ‘We need to throw some more resources at the program.’”

MULLINS FROM PAGE 5

Press 5A Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team, all-state selection, torching the competition for four years as a versatile, dominant linebacker.

Mullins received offers from schools such as Boise State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma, and would have been given a full ride to all of them.

While all of those options were viable and tempting ones, some more so than others, Mullins’ preference was Notre Dame.

The Irish unexpectedly lost a linebacker, so they reached out to Mullins, showing interest in

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they got our backs and we got their backs.”

In this two-goalie scheme, Costantino said, it’s difficult to prepare for games since she doesn’t know exactly how long she’ll be protecting SU’s goal.

It’s just as hard for Richardson coming in from the sideline.

“Every game I just mentally prepared myself like I was playing and then when you did get in you just had to be ready to play,” Richardson said. “You had to come every game, ready to play.”

While the system has its unknowns, it keeps the goalies on their toes and forces them to play their best. When Costantino is on the field, she said, her intensity and focus are always up in hopes of staying on as long as she can.

Syracuse is confident its rare two-goalie strategy will work for the second consecutive season, as the goalies have improved from last year. Costantino and Richardson are carrying themselves with more confidence, SU assistant coach Brett Queener said, and they’ve taken leadership roles now that another year is under their belts.

But Queener is especially thrilled with the progress the goalies are making in the cage, particularly in their understanding of the position and their tighter footwork.

“That was something, when I came in last spring, we had to immediately work on because they had never really worked on that kind of stuff,” Queener said. “So it’s now become second nature ... They’re seeing better shots every day, so I think in all context or all facets of their game, they’ve accelerated.”

Costantino said she and Richardson work off of each other’s energy well. One goalie’s improvement motivates the other one to work harder, she said, and vice versa.

Syracuse hopes Costantino and Richardson maintain their development as the Orange continues to run a two-goalie system that few other teams across the nation use.

“So, people like ‘Oh, we don’t have a goalie’ or whatever it is – it’s the best system, I think, in the country last year. So we’re going to continue with it,” Queener said. “It’s a good problem to have, having two goalies who are the best in the country.

“Want to use them both, right?” pmdabbra@syr.edu @PhilDAbb

WARDWELL FROM PAGE 7

and Syracuse.”

Cornell lost out on Wardwell. He joined Syracuse and was immediately thrown into the mix for the starting goaltender spot. But three weeks before the Orange’s first scrimmage, Wardwell injured his hand and decided to take a redshirt season.

It wouldn’t last long.

Syracuse started the season with plenty of depth in the goaltender rotation, but no defined starter for the long term. Matt Lerman held the advantage going into the season after serving as John Galloway’s backup in 2011.

Lerman never grabbed hold of the job, though. His inconsistency forced Desko to try someone else in net.

Syracuse turned to Dominic Lamolinara.

His first start came in the Orange’s game against Providence. He made four saves and let in six goals in SU’s 10-6 win. But two straight losses followed. They were critical losses to Villanova and Duke.

Next came Wardwell.

He had always worked to earn this chance.

From backyard passing with his father to countless nights in the Sportsplex at Halfmoon to the field at Shenendehowa High School, Wardwell had always hoped to start at Syracuse.

“It was just me kind of having to work and battle back into a spot where I could compete for playing time,” Wardwell said. “I just think as the season went on, it became time for me to take the redshirt off and it was time for me to play.”

In that game against Princeton, Wardwell made nine saves, but allowed nine, too. He started slowly, letting in five in the first half. He let in four in the second half, enough to hold the lead for Syracuse in a tight win.

Wardwell improved as the season wore on.

In the Big East tournament, he allowed only 10 goals in two games. The season ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a 12-9 loss to Duke. Wardwell made 10 saves, but it wasn’t quite enough.

Now he’s back as a sophomore, more confident and more prepared. He knows he’ll be Syracuse’s starter. He knows how to quell any jitters.

The goaltender rotation stops at Wardwell.

Said Wardwell: “It’ll be easier this year, knowing what to expect coming into games and being able to calm myself down.” cjiseman@syr.edu

NO BRAINER

“WE MADE A DECISION FAIRLY EARLY TO GO AFTER BOBBY. WE’RE HAPPY WITH THAT. I THINK YOU’RE GOING TO SEE HIM GROW WHILE HE’S HERE AT SYRACUSE.” John Desko

SYRACUSE HEAD COACH

CRASHING THE PIPES Bobby Wardwell stepped in as Syracuse’s starting goaltender midway through last season and was progressively better as the year wore on. Some of his best games came against top-notch competition. Here’s a look at some of Wardwell’s best games of the 2012 season: DATE

OPPONENT

MINUTES

GOALS ALLOWED

SAVES

May 3

Villanova*

60

6

12

May 5

St. John’s*

53:56

3

7

April 14

Rutgers

40:32

3

6

*Big East tournament in Villanova, Pa.

One such program is Villanova, which started phasing scholarships into lacrosse in the past year. Adding scholarships has been a challenge, but it makes the program more appealing, Villanova associate head coach Simon Connor said.

The recruiting pool, particularly from places like Canada, has grown in recent years, he said.

Connor attributes it to increased exposure for teams outside of the traditional elite. As the sport continues to grow and the recruiting pool

gets bigger, smaller programs will continue to assert themselves, though not to the point of making the traditional powers irrelevant, Connor said.

“I still think they’re going to be very good, but I think you’ll see more schools competing,” Connor said. “I don’t think Loyola’s championship is a fluke.”

Toomey doesn’t know whether his program’s success will cause it, but he said the college lacrosse field will continue to even

out in the next 10 years. He attributes it to the growth of the top-tier recruiting pool.

Players like Lusby may slip through the cracks and into a smaller program, and another Laconi might go unnoticed by the nation’s elite.

“It’s not just the traditional powers that are getting these great guys,” Toomey said. “There are enough to go around for all of us.”

him for the first time. That was his No. 1 choice from the start.

But when that phone call finally came, the one he yearned for, for so long – too long, in his book – Mullins walked out of an award ceremony on a steamy June night and made up his mind for good just a few hours later, sticking with SU lacrosse.

“I told him ‘If you’re not happy doing what you’re doing, you can change it.’” David Mullins said. “He said, ‘I know what you mean, but I’m doing what I want to do where I want to do it.’”

Upon arriving at Syracuse, once his multisport recruitment carousel came to a halt and the ride was over, Mullins had an immediate effect. In his freshman season, Mullins started

10 games and appeared in all 17 for the Orange, recovering 27 ground balls and causing seven turnovers. Teammate Derek Maltz said Mullins’ absurd athletic ability was evident right away. The agile Mullins “blew the competition out of the water.”

This year, with a year of experience under his belt, coupled with that absurd athleticism, Mullins is ready to help orchestrate a dominant defensive effort for SU, Maltz said.

“His lacrosse ability is there, too,” Maltz said. “He’s not just a great athlete, he’s a great lacrosse player. I’m really looking forward to seeing him develop down the road, because he’s gonna be an unbelievable player.”

While Mullins has moved on and is glad he

decided to come to Syracuse, David Mullins said his son questioned his decision just a bit on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, while watching a game between Texas and Oklahoma State. Seeing six of his friends play the sport he grew up with and cherished made him think.

“He called and said, ‘This is the first time I’ve missed football … watching all these guys on TV down here,’” David Mullins said.

Despite his desire to suit up and play football every once in a while, Mullins remains pleased with his decision.

“Once the looks started coming, my heart just kind of stuck with lacrosse,” Mullins said.

“It crossed my mind, of course.”

jspramuk@syr.edu

tbhass@syr.edu

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

REDEMPTION FROM PAGE 3

Last year’s team failed to win an NCAA Tournament contest. It won fewer than 10 games.

Defender Brian Megill was the Orange’s only All-American. Midfielder JoJo Marasco, SU’s current No. 22, scored just 12 goals. It wasn’t a typical Syracuse lacrosse season.

But 2013 will be different. At least, that’s the sentiment everyone involved with the team shares coming into the year. The Orange is

2 013 l acro s se se a s on pr ev i ew

they graduated, we were left with a lot of holes to fill,” Ianzito said. “So that was a tough rebuilding year for us last year.”

For several years, the talent underachieved.

But now Syracuse has an even bigger issue on its hands: a relative lack of talent. The past two recruiting classes have ranked No. 6 and No. 9.

No longer is the Orange’s skill in a class of its own. The sport is growing. The talent is spreading and becoming diluted. Parity is growing.

Duke won its first national title in 2010. Now the Blue Devils are a national power. Loyola (Md.) won the 2012 championship. It’s barely

X-MEN

LAST YEAR’S ORANGE WON JUST 180 OF 388 AT THE FACEOFF X. WITH AN EXTRA YEAR OF EXPERIENCE FOR CHRIS DADDIO AND RICKY BUHR AND THE INFUSION OF FRESHMAN TALENT LIKE CAL PADUDA AND BRENDAN CONROY, SU SHOULD FIND AT LEAST ONE SOLUTION TO LAST SEASON’S BIGGEST PROBLEM. a year older and more experienced. It had an extra year to come together. Last year was, in retrospect, a rebuilding year.

“It’s a building process and that’s what it was last year. We had so many young guys playing in spots they were unfamiliar with last year, and it came back to bite us in the butt a little bit,” SU midfielder Steve Ianzito said. “But now with this year under us, people are more confident with their abilities. It’s going to be a good year.”

In 2007, Syracuse brought in what is now regarded by many as the greatest recruiting class in the sport’s history. At the time, Inside Lacrosse only ranked it No. 5. But a group of seven members of the class, all part of Inside Lacrosse’s top 100 and all from Central New York, helped guide the Orange to a pair of national championships.

It was a blessing for Syracuse. For four years, the Orange was set. But it has become a curse.

SU struggled to replace the legendary class last season, and disappointed as a result. The three classes that committed during the 2007 class’ tenure ranked No. 4, No. 4 and No. 2. SU’s Classes of 2008 and 2009 combined to have four players drafted into Major League Lacrosse.

The most recent barely saw any playing time until last season. The 2007 class created a logjam of talent that prevented its successors from getting on the field.

“They did so much for Syracuse, and after

been a Division-I program for 20 years. Peter Baum, an attack from a Colgate program with an all-time losing record, won the Tewaaraton Trophy. He’s from Portland, Ore. — not exactly a lacrosse hotbed.

Gone are the days where SU can just expect to walk out on the field and have an inherent advantage.

“There’s so much talent now at these big schools that they’re going to be able to keep getting better and better,” Marasco said. “ …

It’s great for lacrosse, but at the same time you see that there’s a lot of other teams that are just as good.”

Before last season, Syracuse had never lost a Big East game since the conference added lacrosse in 2010. On March 25, 2012, that streak ended. The then-No. 9 Orange held three two-goal leads in the second quarter against then-No. 14 Villanova. But SU couldn’t put the Wildcats away. Syracuse lost at the faceoff X, faltered on the extra-man and couldn’t finish its chances. The Orange lost its first Big East game 11-10.

A week later, SU had a chance to rebound against the No. 8 team in the country. With less than four minutes remaining, Syracuse trailed Duke by a goal, and Tommy Palasek stood on the doorstep, a point-blank goal in plain sight.

The attack fired and the Blue Devils’ goalkeeper, Dan Wigrizer, made the save. The Orange

fell 12-10. SU dropped back-to-back games for the first time since 2007. Another winnable game lost because of an avoidable mental mistake.

“We had a very talented team,” Marasco said. “We just didn’t put some games together.

We lost some games by a goal or two, and if that swing went the other way in the third quarter, fourth quarter we would have been a top team right now.”

This year, it’s about good decisions.

Last year’s team didn’t make them. Ten- and 12-yard shooters shot from 14 yards. Turnovers piled up. Clears fell to opposing midfielders.

Ground balls weren’t scooped up on faceoffs.

“Coach has been on us since day one. If you make a mistake, you do a pushup,” Marasco said. “You’ve got to be smart about it.”

The effects were evident in the preseason scrimmages. Syracuse made mistakes and started off slowly, but by the end of each day, the issues were sorted out and the Orange blew out its later opponent.

“They have another year of experience under them and hopefully those skittish, scared mistakes that happened a lot last year that put as at a 9-8 record,” Ianzito said, “hopefully now that we’re more older and more mature it’s going to go our way this year.”

After a first-round NCAA tournament exit a year ago, SU enters the 2013 campaign ranked No. 12 in the country. It wasn’t an ideal finish for Syracuse, but the Orange only lost three starters from a year ago.

The players who do return largely make up that No. 2 Class of 2010. Some, like Maltz and Matt Harris, became stars last year, relishing their first opportunities to see major minutes. The vast majority, though, still has room to grow.

These are the Billy Wards, the Hakeem Leckys, the Pat Powderlys, the Scott Loys. Contributors, and in some cases, starters – certainly, but not quite yet stars.

Now the members of that class are upperclassmen, and will be counted on to bring SU back to glory.

“Last year’s team was very young,” Desko said. “This year’s team comes back still a little bit young, but more experienced, and know a little bit about the younger guys and who we are this year coming in a little bit more than we did a year ago.”

When the preseason rankings came out, Syracuse was angry, upset, disappointed. But it also understood the reason.

15

A MATTER OF EXPERIENCE? YEAR

NUMBER OF STARTS BY RETURNING PLAYERS

2012 68

2013 170

SLIPPING IN THE RANKS YEAR

PRESEASON

POSTSEASON

2009 2 1 2010 1 5 2011 1 5

2012 7 14 2013 12 ?

A MATTER OF TALENT?

In 2007, Syracuse brought in the “CNY 7,” a class regarded as one of the best of all time.

But that class was only considered the fifth best in the country before it arrived.

2007

No. 5

2008

No. 4

2009

No. 4

2010

No. 2

2011

No. 6

2012

No. 9

Last season was one the Orange wants to make a distant memory, but it will take some work.

There’s plenty to overcome, and SU may not come into the season with the same swagger it has had in the past. Humbleness has replaced it.

Syracuse wasn’t pleased with the way last season ended, but a turnaround has precedence.

The 2007 Orange finished 5-8. A year later, SU was the national champion.

Ianzito still stays in contact with members of that team, and this year’s group is looking to that year as an example. The expectation for Syracuse is to contend for a national championship. Last year, the Orange was never close to doing that. But 2013 is a different year, and a chance for redemption.

“Everybody’s a year older, a little bit more experienced, a little bit more disciplined,” Ianzito said. “We’ve got a bad taste in our mouths that we need to get rid of and it’s going to happen this season.” dbwilson@syr.edu @DBWilson2

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

2 013 l acro s se se a s on pr ev i ew

BEAT WRITER PREDICTIONS

SCHEDULES WOMEN’S Jan. 13 Feb. 17 Feb. 24 March 2 March 9 March 27 March 30 April 5 April 7 April 12 April 14 April 16 April 19 April 21 April 26 April 28

@Jacksonville Maryland Virginia Florida* @Towson Connecticut @Northwestern @Villanova @Rutgers Louisville Cincinnati Cornell Notre Dame Marquette Loyola Georgetown

W, 21-8 1 p.m.

1p.m.

TBD TBD 3 p.m.

1 p.m.

5 p.m.

1 p.m.

6 p.m.

1 p.m.

4 p.m.

6 p.m.

1 p.m.

7 p.m.

1 p.m.

MEN’S Feb. 17 Albany 4 p.m.

Feb. 24 Army 4 p.m.

March 1 Virginia 6 p.m.

Whitman’s Sampler Independence Classic in Chester, Pa. March 9 St. John’s noon March 16 Johns Hopkins 1 p.m.

March 19 @ Providence 7 p.m.

March 23 @ Villanova 7 p.m.

March 29 Canisius 7 p.m.

April 6 @ Princeton 5 p.m.

April 10 Cornell 6 p.m.

April 13 Rutgers 1 p.m.

April 16 Hobart 7 p.m.

April 20 Georgetown 1 p.m.

Konica Minolta Big City Classic in East Rutherford, N.J. April 27 Notre Dame 6:30 p.m.

16

DAVID WILSON

JACOB KLINGER

TREVOR HASS

A lack of experience was at the root of Syracuse’s problems last season. An extra year should fix most of those issues. Some of the Orange’s key contributors in 2012, such as Derek Maltz and Hakeem Lecky, had never started a game before the season began. SU’s schedule also fell more favorably this season. In 2012, Syracuse had tough road tilts at Johns Hopkins and Virginia. This year, both teams come to the Carrier Dome instead.

In the relative history of Syracuse lacrosse, this team has none of the pressure and enough of the talent. There’s no true veteran unit, but there’s enough experience sprinkled across the field in combination with more than capable youth. Chris Daddio, Cal Paduda, Brendan Conroy and Ricky Buhr should offer vast improvement from last year’s inconsistent-at-best faceoff showings.

Players like Billy Ward and Hakeem Lecky look likely to grow into larger roles around a potent front-six core centered on JoJo Marasco and Derek Maltz. Desko is confident in both of his goaltenders, too.

Syracuse has four games against top 10 teams, so the Orange will certainly be up for a challenge. It’s a challenge they should be ready for, though, as JoJo Marasco, Brian Megill, Derek Maltz and company have one more year of experience under their belts.

Bobby Wardwell will have a strong second year in the net overall, despite some inevitable bumps and bruises, as Syracuse exceeds preseason expectations but comes up just a bit short in the tournament.

Overall record: 11-3 Big East record: 4-2 Big East tournament finish: Runner-up Postseason finish: Second round Albany W Army W Virginia W St. John’s* W Johns Hopkins L @ Providence W @ Villanova W Canisius W @ Princeton W Cornell L Rutgers W Hobart W @ Georgetown W Notre Dame^ L *in Chester, Pa. ^in East Rutherford, N.J.

Overall record: 13-1 Big East record: 6-0 Big East tournament finish: Runner-up Tournament finish: Final Four Albany W Army W Virginia W St. John’s* W Johns Hopkins L @ Providence W @ Villanova W Canisius W @ Princeton W Cornell W Rutgers W Hobart W @ Georgetown W Notre Dame^ W

INSIDE LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL 1. Loyola (Md.) (21) 2. Maryland (2) 3. Notre Dame (2) 4. Duke 5. Johns Hopkins (1) 6. Cornell 7. North Carolina 8. Denver 9. Virginia

Overall record: 11-3 Big East record: 5-1 Big East tournament finish: Champions NCAA Tournament finish: Final Four Albany W Army W Virginia L St. John’s* W John’s Hopkins W @Providence W @Villanova W Canisius W @Princeton W Cornell L Rutgers W Hobart W @Georgetown W Notre Dame^ L

10. Lehigh 11. Colgate 12. Syracuse 13. Massachusetts 14. Princeton 15. Penn State 16. Fairfield 17. Hofstra 18. Bucknell 19. Yale 20. Ohio State