June 24, 2004

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Third-year head men's lacrosse coach Terry Mangan has announced the signing of 11 incoming student-athletes for the 2005 season.

The class features four attackers, two midfielders, four defenders and one goalie. Of the 11 recruits, nine were elected captains of their high school teams.

"I am excited about this group, not only because of how well they played this spring, but also because of how many excelled in state championship games as well," Mangan said. "We are going to be looking for several members of this group to contribute right away."

Mangan's four signees on attack will help bolster an offense that loses two of its top three scorers from 2004. The group is headlined by Jon Paulson (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) and Bryan Hurtado (Bryn Mawr, Pa./Harriton). Paulson earned All-America honors from the New Jersey Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association after ringing up 73 goals in as a senior. The team captain also earned All-New Jersey, All-Newark Star-Ledger and Pitt Division First-Team honors. Hurtado, who served as captain of both the soccer and lacrosse squads, was a three-time all-league and two-time All-Main Line First-Team honoree. He tallied 50 goals and 25 assists as a senior.

A pair of all-state selections will also join the attack unit in the form of Andrew Horton (Wilton, Conn./Wilton) and Mike Meirowitz (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro North). Horton, captain of the Connecticut state championship team, earned All-Fairfield County First-Team and All-Connecticut Second-Team honors. He also earned all-county second-team accolades as a member of the football team. Meirowitz, another team captain, claimed Bianchi Division First-Team, All-County Second-Team and All-State B Division Honorable Mention accolades.

A pair of multi-sport athletes join the Leopards' midfield. James Schaefer (Port Washington, N.Y./Paul D. Schreiber) was the captain of the lacrosse, football and winter track teams, earning all-conference honors in lacrosse and winter track. Dan Wernau (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem), a three-year letterman on the football team, was the recipient of the lacrosse Coach's Award.

All four defenders in the incoming class were captain of their high school teams. Mat Burke (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro South) captained both the football and lacrosse teams. He was a two-time all-area, all-conference and all-county pick, while also adding All-State B Division First Team honors.

Peter VanderDrift (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) was an All-Nassau County First-Team selection who also earned all-conference and all-county honors in football. VanderDrift was chosen to play in the Boomer Esiason Long Island vs. New York City All-Star football game.

Rounding out the class of defenders are Ryan Caso (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) and Dominic Corigliano (Boonton Township, N.J./Mountain Lakes). Caso was All-Nassau County Honorable Mention and captain of the New York Class B champions, while Corigliano was the captain of the New Jersey state finalists and also earned three letters in football.

Chris Giordano (Princeton, N.J./Hun School) is the lone goalie in the class. He was named to the Fitch Division First-Team and All-State B Division Second-Team, while also garnering New Jersey Prep School All-State Honorable Mention honors in football.

Lafayette opens the 2004 season on Feb. 26 at Drexel, then travels to Denver on March 5-6 for the Pioneer Faceoff Classic.