I entered Brown University in the fall of 1970. Although I did not begin to play lacrosse until that spring, I am going to begin to imagine that this 2020 season will mark 50 years in the game.
My older children and two young grandsons did not join us for this Christmas holiday, and it has been quiet this past week. I assume I am writing this article because I need a little excitement as we cross into this new decade.
You are asking for trouble if you put together any “Best of the Best” list, but let’s kick up some dust. My only requirement here is that the athlete had to have played in the last 50 years. While I never saw them play, I have no doubt that Jim Brown, Jimmy Lewis and Joe Cowan would be near the top of many of these categories.
Have at it …
Best Faceoff Man
Trevor Baptiste, Denver (2015-18)
Other Candidates: Gary Besosa, Paul Cantabene, Chris Cercy, Connor Farrell, TD Ierlan, Steve Kraus, Doug Radebaugh, John Sheffield, Alex Smith, Jeff Wagner
Baptiste dominated at Denver and won 1,158 faceoffs for a .714 winning percentage in his four years
Best LSM
Steve Mitchell, Johns Hopkins (1984-87)
Other Candidates: Mike Ehrhardt, Mike Farrell, Kyle Hartzell, Steve Kisslinger, Kyle Sweeney
Mitchell won national titles in 1984, 1985 and 1987 and was the first-ever long stick defensive midfielder to earn First Team All-American honors.
Best SSDM
Chris Schiller, Penn State (1996-99)
Other Candidates: Matt Abbott, Zach Goodrich, Chris LaPierre, JJ Morrissey, Jeff Reynolds
A member of the 2010 U.S. men’s national team, Schiller helped the Nittany Lions rank in the USILA top 20 each of his four years at school.
Best Attack
Casey Powell, Syracuse (1995-98)
No other candidates are necessary when comparing to Powell. He was a three-time First Team All-American and won a national title in 1995.
Best Offensive Middie
Frank Urso, Maryland (1973-76)
Another category without other candidates. Urso won national titles in 1973 and 1975 and was a First Team All-American four times.
Best Defender
Brodie Merrill, Georgetown (2002-05)
Other Candidates: Dave Pietramala
This was close between Pietramala and Merrill, but I saw more of Brodie.
Best All-Around Middie
Vin Sombrotto, Hofstra (1978-1981)
Other Candidates: Todd Curry, Billy Glading, Brad Kotz, Rick Kowalchuk, Stan Kowalski, Dave McNaney, Glen Miles, Reed Overby, Chris Rotelli, Brendan Schneck, Doug Schreiber, Tom Schreiber, John Tucker
Sombrotto was a two-time All-American and then dominated the Long Island club lacrosse scene for over 15 years.
Best Takeaway Defenseman
Steve Kisslinger, Adelphi (1988-1990); Towson (1991)
Other Candidates: Ric Beardsley, Steve Karalunas, Pat McCabe, Dave Pietramala
No defensive player was better than taking the ball away than Kisslinger.
Best Goalie
Sal LoCascio, UMass (1986-89)
Other Candidates: Bill Beroza, Greg Cattrano, Tillman Johnson, Quint Kessenich, Les Matthews, Larry Quinn, Paul Schimoler, Tom Sears, Guy VanArsdale
LoCascio made 970 saves and was a standout between the pipes.
Best Player
Gary Gait, Syracuse (1987-90)
Gait stands alone at the top. He reinvented the sport and set countless records playing alongside his twin brother, Paul, at Syracuse.
Best Player Never Included on These Lists
Paul Gait, Syracuse (1987-90)
Other Candidates: Gary Clipp, Ryan Curtis, Kyle Dixon, Del Dressel, Bob Engelke, Mike O’Neil, Matt Streibel, Jack Thomas, Jim Trenz, Peter Worstell
Paul Gait was a First Team All-American from 1988-90 and was the Most Oustanding Player of the 1989 NCAA tournament.
Most Influential Coach of His Generation
Bill Tierney, RIT (1982-84); John Hopkins (assistant, 1985-87); Princeton (1988-2009); Denver (2010-present)
Other Candidates: Jim Berkman, Henry Ciccarone, John Desko, Richie Moran, Roy Simmons Jr., Dave Urick
Tierney recently re-upped with Denver for five years. The 68-year-old has won seven national championships.
Best Player Never Selected First Team All-American
Sal LoCascio, UMass (1986-89)
Other Candidates: Brett Hughes, Tim Whiteley
I created this category solely to recognize Hughes and Whiteley, and then discovered that the entire category should be named for LoCascio. He was a four-time All-American who made 970 career saves.
Most Decorated Player in History Not in the Hall of Fame
Jason Coffman, Salisbury State (1993-96)
No need for other candidates. Coffman has a career point total of 451 and was a two-time national champion (1994, 1995), a four-time first team All-American and a two-time player of the year (1994, 1995).
Assistant Coaches who Should be in the IMLCA Hall of Fame
David Metzbower, Delaware (assistant, 1986-89); Princeton (assistant, 1898-2009); Loyola (assistant, 2012-14); North Carolina (assistant, 2014-present)
Other Candidates: Gerry Byrne, Ron Caputo, Dave Slaskofsky, Fred Smith, Marc VanArsdale
He helped Bill Tierney win six national titles at Princeton.
Best Shooter
Brian Wood, Johns Hopkins (1984-87)
Other Candidates: Ryan Brown, Brian Carroll, John Grant Jr., Marcus Holman, Jesse Hubbard, David Jones, Matt Poskay, Jon Reese, Greg Tarbell, Ryan Wade
Wood was named to Hopkins’ All-Time Team at the end of his career.
Best Passer
Tim Nelson, North Carolina State (1982); Syracuse (1983-85)
Other Candidates: Grant Ament, Ryan Boyle, Jay Connor, Conor Gill, Tim Goldstein, John Hess, Darren Lowe
Nelson tallied 103 points in 1984 and was the Jack Turnbull Award winner as the nation’s top attackman from 1983-85.
Smoothest Hands
Jeff Long, Navy (1974-77)
Other Candidates: Tom Duquette, Conor Gill, Mark Matthews, Steele Stanwick, Brian Wood
A three-time All-American who produced 53 assists as a senior and was named to the First Team.
Best GB who Wasn’t a Faceoff Guy
Brodie Merrill (Georgetown, 2002-05)
Other Candidates: Sam Bassett, Jim Buczek, Ryan Conrad
Merrill was a vacuum, recording 90 ground balls as a junior.
Hardest Checker
Mike Thearle, Maryland (1970-73)
Other Candidates: Randy Cox, Tucker Durkin, Brian Kuczma
Thearle won the 1973 Schmeisser Award, won a national title in 1973 and won a world championship with on the U.S. men’s national team in 1974.
A Lot Tougher Than he Looks Going to Class
Eamon McEneaney, Cornell (1974-77)
Other Candidates: Garett Billings, Mark Cockerton, TD Ierlan, Joey Sankey, Joey Sessa, Lyle Thompson
Considered one of the best to ever play the game, McEneaney tragically died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center.
Most Electrifying Athlete
Pat Spencer, Loyola (2016-19)
Other Candidates: Shamel Bratton, Roy Colsey, Mark Farnham, John Fay, Jeff Fritz, Steve Holmes, Myles Jones, Billy Miller, Mark Millon, Darren Muller, Mike Powell, Doug Shanahan, Michael Sowers, Zach Thornton
Spencer, the 2019 Tewaaraton Award winner, is a graduate transfer on the Northwestern men’s basketball team. He’s an athlete.