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HOFSTRA
Conference: Colonial Athletic Association
2011 Record: 13-8
Head Coach: Seth Tierney
Coming off a 13-3 season and a school-record fourth consecutive NCAA Championship bid, the Hofstra Pride return 26 players including five starters from last year’s squad. As a team, Hofstra led the nation in defense, allowing just 6.56 goals per game. The Pride defense is in the capable hands of senior goalie, captain and honorable mention All-American Andrew Gvozden, who led the nation in goals against average and was third in save percentage. On offense, coach Seth Tierney is hoping a group of veterans led by senior Mike DeNapoli and a group of newcomers will step up on attack. The Pride are solid at the face-off X with the return of junior, honorable mention All-American John Antoniades, who ranked fifth in the nation in face-off winning percentage (.642).
RUTGERS
Conference: BIG EAST
2011 Record: 6-9
Head Coach: Brian Brecht
The Rutgers men’s lacrosse team posted a 6-9 record in 2011, including a 4-4 mark at home. In the first season of head coach Brian Brecht’s tenure, RU returns a core group of scorers for 2012. Scott Klimchak, a second-team All-BIG EAST honoree a season ago, returns after netting a team-leading 27 goals and 40 total points in 2011. The Scarlet Knights welcome back 91 percent of its scoring from last season, including the top six individual scorers. The 2012 squad will be led by senior captains Jacon Fradkin, Will Mangan, Zachary Zenda and Nicholas Zerrillo.
SYRACUSE
Conference: BIG EAST
2011 Record: 15-2
Head Coach: John Desko
Two-time defending BIG EAST champion Syracuse reached the NCAA Tournament for the 28th time in the last 29 seasons in 2011. The Orange went 15-2 and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals before losing to Maryland in overtime. Junior JoJo Marasco is the team’s top returning scorer. Marasco registered 41 points on 23 goals and 18 assists last season. Junior Brian Megill, the 2012 BIG EAST Preseason co-Defensive Player of the Year, leads an Orange defense that has ranked in the top five nationally each of the last three years.
UNC
Conference: ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
2011 Record: 10-6
Head Coach: Joe Breschi
In Coach Joe Breschi's fourth year at the helm of the Tar Heel program, UNC returns 32 letter winners and seven starters from the 2011 team which finished 10-6 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year. UNC must overcome the loss of a pair of All-Americas in Billy Bitter and Ryan Flanagan but top scorers Nicky Galasso, Thomas Wood and Marcus Holman return while Jimmy Dunster leads a veteran midfield. R.G. Keenan is one of the top face-off men in the country while Steven Rastivo returns in the goal. Veteran Charlie McComas and Mark Staines lead the defensive unit.
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