I've been getting some feedback that many of you enjoyed reading about our freshman class last year and figured I'd do the same as we get a little closer to the start of the season. 

Here are some brief bio's of the group that plans on trying out this spring.  It gets a little repetitive and I'm sure it's more than most of you want to read, but for those of you who want to know everything about our incoming class this should do the trick.  I will say that after typing this up I'm floored by the kind of kids we have here these days.  We have a large number of talented walk-ons trying out this year and hopefully we'll have room for most of these guys.

In alphabetical order:

Billy Chapman - Defense - (Brunswick School, CT) - Billy just finished up a solid freshman season for the football team as a tight end where he had 4 receptions and 2 TD's including a 63 yard TD catch against Colby.  He played football, hockey and lacrosse at Brunswick, served as captain of football and lacrosse and was named team MVP in both sports.  He was a US Lacrosse High School All-American and was named Defender of the year in NE West 1. 

Ned DiLisio - Defense - (South Hadley, MA) - Ned played a big role in his team's 2009 Division II Western Mass Championship team and served as captain his senior year.  He was named 1st team all league in both his junior and senior year.  He also captained the hockey team his senior year which won the Division IIIA Mass State Championship.  Ned graduated as an AP scholar with honors from South Hadley.

Zach Driscoll - Defense - (Concord-Carlisle, MA) - Zach was a receiver on the football team this fall and caught 8 passes along with a touchdown.  He was named a US Lacrosse All-American in Massachusetts his senior year in high school as he led his team to the Eastern Mass. finals against Walpole.  He didn't pick up lacrosse until his sophomore year at C-C and ended up being a part of three straight conference championships and 22-3 record his senior year.  As a defenseman, Zach ended his career with 23 goals and 19 assists.

Charlie Dunning - Defense - (Blake School, MN) - Charlie was another three sport athlete in high school playing football, basketball and lacrosse.  He captained both his lacrosse and football teams senior year where he was named all conference in each.  He was also honored as the defensive player of the year,  1st team all state in Minnesota and was a US Lacrosse High School All-American.  His team won both the conference and state titles as a junior.

Johnny Duvnjak - Defense/LSM - (Manhasset, NY) - Johnny played both football and lacrosse at Manhasset and was a captain of their 2009 NY State Championship team that finished ranked #3 in the country.  He was named a US Lacrosse All American from Nassau County on Long Island. He led his team in gb's during his junior and senior year.  He started for the Long Island Empire team after his junior year that won the gold medal at the Empire games.  In football Johnny was a 3 year varsity captain and was named All County twice.  He led his team in tackles during his last two seasons.  He was named the National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete of the Year for Nassau County, was an Academic All American and AP Scholar. 

Mohan Fitzgerald - Defense - (Northfield Mount Hermon/MA) - Was named a US Lacrosse Academic All-American at Northfield Mount Hermon.

Brian Foster - Midfield/FO - (Medfield, MA) - Brian was a member of Medfield's 2007 DII State Championship team and was named a US Lacrosse High School All-American in both his junior and senior year.  He was named to both the Boston Globe and Boston Herald All Scholastic teams as well as being a 3x Tri-Valley league all star.  Brian was also a starting defensive back on Medfield's soccer team and was a member of the National Honor Society.

Mike Giordano - Attack/Midfield - (Ridgewood, NJ) - Mike comes from traditionally one of the best high school programs in the state of New Jersey.  He was a part of 2 NJ Group 3 State Championship teams and the 2008 Bergen County Championship team.  His senior year he was named 1st team all state, 1st team all league, and 1st team all north jersey.  He finished his career with 173 points and set a school record his junior year with 92 points (50 goals and 42 assists).

Peter Gruppo - Midfield/FO - (Fairfield Prep, CT) - Pete's hoping to continue as a two sport athlete here at Middlebury after playing football this fall for Coach Ritter.  Pete was a member of the CT Class L state championship team all four years in high school and league championship teams the past three years.  He was captain of both the football and lacrosse teams at Fairfield Prep his senior year and was his School President.  He was named All State, All League, and was a Connecticut Post All Star this past season after putting up 29 goals, 13 assists and gathering 79 gb's in the midfield.  He won Fairfield Prep's "Mr. Scholar Athlete" award and the National Army Reserve Scholar Athlete Award.  Finally, in football he was named the Mark Massiello Team MVP.

Spencer Hurst - Defense - (Brunswick School, CT) - Spencer is currently playing on the squash team here at Middlebury which gained varsity status a few years ago.  He's playing in the #3 spot at Middlebury and was the New England Champion in squash his senior year at Brunswick. His Brunswick team finished as the runner up in team nationals the past three years.  In lacrosse, Spencer was named to the 1st team all division 1 NE West senior year and played in the senior NE West vs. NE East all star game.  He was a two year starter for Brunswick and was named defensive team MVP senior year.  Spencer was on the high honor roll his entire sophomore, junior, and senior year at Brunswick.

Stew Kerr - Attack - (Lake Forest, IL) - Stew was a member of the cross country, swimming, and lacrosse teams at Lake Forest and had quite a career.  He was named a US Lacrosse All American in both his junior and senior year as he captained both of those teams.  After finishing his senior season with 64 goals and 41 assists he became Lake Forest's career scoring leader with 280 points, 175 goals and 105 assists.  Stew was a part of the National Honor Society in his junior and senior year.  Honored as the #2 lacrosse player in Chicago's Pioneer Press "Athletes of the Decade" and received the Got Milk SAMMY Scholarship 2009 (one of 25 winners out of 55,000 applicants).

Tom Lynch - Defense - (Conard, CT) - Tom was named 2nd team All-State as a senior as well as a US Lacrosse Academic All-American.  He also played football and ice hockey for Conard where he was All-State Honorable Mention and an all conference performer in football.   He was a member of the National Honors Society and won the US Army Reserve Scholar-Athlete Award.

Kyle Massey - Defense - (Potomac School, VA/PG at The Lawrenceville School, NJ) - Kyle is another multi sport standout from high school where he played football, ice hockey and lacrosse.  At Potomac he was a part of league championship teams both in his freshman and sophomore seasons and then won a state championship at Lawrenceville during his PG year.  As a captain and team MVP senior year, Kyle was named 2nd team All-Met.  He was also named 1st team all league three times.  In football, he was named 2nd team All-State senior year and 1st team All Prep at Lawrenceville.  Kyle was the Athlete of the Year his senior year at Potomac as well as a National Merit Scholar.

Andrew Metros - Midfield/Attack - (Great Neck North, NY) - Andrew played both soccer and lacrosse at Great Neck North and was named his team mvp his senior year.  He finished last season with 36 goals and 35 assists and was named Academic All-County.  He was also named All-County in both his senior and junior year.  In soccer he was a part of the 2008 Nassau County Championship team.

Chris Peterson - Midfield - (Flint Hill School, VA) - Chris was a two sport standout at Flint Hill and was a member of our football team this fall at Middlebury.  His team won the conference championship in his junior and senior year and reached the state semifinals during his senior season.  He was named Honorable Mention All Met as well as 1st team All-State senior year.  He was also All-Conference as a junior and senior.  In football he was named 2nd team All-State as well as All-Conference senior year.

Erich Pfeffer - Midfield/Attack - (Glastonbury, CT) - Erich was named the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete of the Year.  He was also a US Lacrosse Academic All-American. He was recognized as a National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete.  In his junior and senior years Erich captained his lacrosse team, was named Class L 1st team All-State as well as academic All-Conference both years. In football he was the captain of Glastonbury's Class LL State Championship team where he played Quarterback, Free Safety, Kicker, and Punter.  He was a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society and JETS (Junior Engineering Technical Society).  Finally, he was named Glastonbury high School 2009 CAS Male Scholar-Athlete.  

Trevor Pollock - Midfield - (Burr and Burton Academy/VT) - Trevor is currently playing on the Middlebury hockey team and plans to tryout for lacrosse this spring. He was a US Lacrosse Academic All-American.  His team won the Vermont DII state title his senior year in lacrosse.  He was named "Mr. Hockey" in the state of Vermont his senior year by the Burlington Free Press. 

Scott Redmond - Attack/Midfield - (Newark Academy, NJ) - Scott was a two sport standout at Newark Academy in soccer and lacrosse and was named his conference player of the year during his senior season. In his senior year Scott put up 69 goals and 18 assists and finished his career with 163 goals and 76 assists.  Scott also captained his soccer team where he was a 1st team All-Conference performer as well.   Scott was named an AP scholar with distinction.

I can't wait to start working with this group on February 15th!   I'll be sure to put out a season preview as we get closer to the start of practice. 

Remember to circle April 10th on your calendar as we'll be having a Bowdoin vs. Middlebury alumni game that morning followed by our game at 1pm.  We'll be getting more details out in the near future.