2020 MLAX Season Preview

1/28/2020 1:13:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

The Golden Eagles enter their first season under head coach Andrew Stimmel

By: Communications

MILWAUKEE - In 2020, the Marquette University men's lacrosse program must replace three 20-goal scorers, three starting close defensemen and the BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Enter new head coach Andrew Stimmel, who is tasked with rebuilding the Marquette program as he embarks on his NCAA Division I head coaching career.

Stimmel has made an effort to reestablish the traditional blue-collar values that helped the Golden Eagles to their first BIG EAST tournament title and NCAA playoff appearance in 2016 when he was the team's assistant coach.

"We talk about toughness and relentless effort, which are things that are controllable and don't take talent," Stimmel said. "It doesn't take talent to come prepared and have a focus about you on a day-by-day schedule. It doesn't mean it's easy, but it's a decision. We've talked to guys constantly about that standard and when you get a rep do it as best as you can possibly do it. From an accountability perspective we talk about the guys craving feedback from their teammates and coaching staff."

Offensively, the Golden Eagles must replace two of the most prolific scorers in program history, attackman John Wagner and midfielder Tanner Thomson, as well as 22-goal scorer Andrew Romagnoli. Wagner and Thomson were each offensive focal points over the last three years and are now plying their trade in the professional ranks.

Stimmel and new associate head coach/offensive coordinator Peet Poillon will look to push the offense forward with a couple of experienced pieces and a faster pace.

"Just total buy in and a team mentality," Poillon said of the team's offensive evolution. "Making sure we're putting pressure on a defense each and every possession and playing with pace. If we follow those principles and play unselfishly, we're trusting that good things will happen."

Senior midfielders Peter Henkhaus and Connor McClelland are the leading returners on offense, having posted 21 and 19 points, respectively, last season. Henkhaus is one of MU's quickest athletes and has been a difficult cover at times for opposing defenses, while McClelland owns two-way ability and has showcased his skill on the junior box lacrosse circuit with the Brampton Excelsiors.

"Just a level of composure, they've played in big games and understand the timeline of how the season works and where we really are," Poillon said. "In terms of the execution on the field, their confidence and composure to play the game the right way and asking their teammates to do the same."

In addition to Ryan Fazio, who started nine games on attack, Anthony Orsini and Holden Patterson each started four games apiece in 2019 and appear marked for expanded roles. Orsini posted 16 goals as a freshman in 2018 but scored just four times as a sophomore after switching to the midfield. Patterson scored five of six goals last season with the man advantage and should see more regular playing time as a sophomore.

"Holden clearly has the ability to score and create offense, whether it is dodging or shooting or feeding," Poillon said. "Understanding when to do those things is just something he continues to get better at. And just picking his spots, when the best time to put pressure on a defense is and when to sustain the ball movement mentality that we're after."

Redshirt sophomore Garrett Moya saw more playing time late last season after getting his legs back under him following a redshirt season as a true freshman. Moya entered Marquette as an Inside Lacrosse top-100 recruit and has started to show that ability on a more consistent basis.

"Garrett hasn't played a ton of lacrosse the past two years because of injury," Poillon said. "His development from day one, just getting his body back and getting his confidence back is important. Being able to put pressure on the defense, whether it is up top or behind in a lot of different ways. He's a big, physical kid who has great hands and has worked at improving."

In addition to a group of upperclassmen, freshmen Devon Cowan and Jake Stegman have flashed potential to be significant pieces of the MU offense during the preseason.

"I've seen growth from top to bottom from just about everybody, which is a good sign," Poillon said. "Specifically, guys that haven't been in the system or that are younger. The seniors are buying in completely into what we're doing. I don't think one or two guys stick out, it's just the whole group collectively improving."

ATTACK (13)
6             Ryan Fazio (Sr.)
9             Colin O'Donnell (R-Jr.)
14           Jake Stegman (Fr.)
15           Griffin Fries (Fr.)
17           Keaton Thomson (Jr.)
18           Griffin Fleming (R-Jr.)
28           Holden Patterson (So.)
29           Devon Cowan (Fr.)
36           Brendan Alt (R-So.)
41           Montana McLaughlin (Fr.)
50           Dan Shay (R-Fr.)
71           Garrett Moya (R-So.)
80           Dylan Dobrosky (Sr.)

MIDFIELD (12)
1             Connor Campbell (Sr.)
4             Jack Devine (So.)
5             Tommy von den Benken (Sr.)
13           Connor McClelland (Sr.)
19           Trevor Peay (R-Fr.)
20           Michael Colpack (Fr.)
21           Patrick English (R-Fr.)
22           Anthony Orsini (Jr.)
35           Peter Henkhaus (Sr.)
45           Jake Williams (Fr.)
54           Chris Kirschner (Fr.)
66           Jett Leonard-Bedier (R-Fr.)

Defensively, the Golden Eagles will work to replace Brendon Connolly, Jackson Ehlert and Nick Grill, each of whom started every game in which they appeared over the previous two seasons at close defense. MU also has the unenviable task of filling the hole left by long stick midfielder Noah Richard, the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year who had an impressive rookie campaign with Premier Lacrosse League's Atlas LC.

"The mindset has been to be focused on just getting better every day," said assistant coach/defensive coordinator Jacob Richard. "I think we have a really good group of diligent, hard-working kids who have been able to focus on that mindset every single day and get something out of it. They are also doing a great job of holding each other accountable and understanding that everybody needs to improve."

Despite the loss of Noah Richard, MU will lean on a more experienced group of defensive midfielders in 2020. Senior Luke Anderson has been Marquette's top short stick in each of the last two seasons and returns after a year in which he scored nine goals to set a MU record for a D-mid.

"I think we have a lot of great athletes in our rope unit, Moey Lardy and Anthony Courcelle are two great athletes in space as well as Luke Anderson, Logan Kreinz and Jacob Hallam," Richard said. "I think we have an ability to make a big impact in the middle of the field. It is really exciting to see those guys get out there and run around."

Courcelle will play with a pole this year after using a short stick early last season, while Lardy saw action in all 14 games at LSM. Sophomore Logan Kreinz is a big body who flashed skill as a rookie with a pair of goals in nine games.

SSDM (7)
2             Aaron Joseph (R-So.)
11           Jacob Hallam (Jr.)
31           Luke Anderson (Sr.)
38           Logan Kreinz (So.)
39           Jordan Schmid (R-So.)
43           Elliott Yacu (R-So.)
49           Max Kruszeski (Fr.)

LSM (5)
32           Moey Lardy (Jr.)
48           James Amorosana (R-Fr.)
88           Jace Whelan (R-So.)
89           Aidan O'Donnell (Fr.)
99           Anthony Courcelle (R-Jr.)

Sorting out the close defense will be a challenge, though redshirt sophomore Zach Granger and freshman Mason Woodward have impressed. Granger played in five games as a true freshman at LSM before redshirting last season and Woodward enters as a ballyhooed recruit out of St. Paul's School in Baltimore. St. Paul's is also the alma mater of Connolly, who is now a MU undergraduate assistant coach while finishing his bachelor's degree.

"Mason Woodward came onto campus and has been extremely confident and executed at a high level from the first day," Richard said. "It's been really fun to watch him progress in the college game and I think it's going to translate pretty quickly.

"Zach Granger has spent a long time injured and did an incredible job of sharpening his mind and become a really intelligent defender. Because of that he's certainly going to have a lot to contribute to our unit. Those two guys plus maybe our older close defensemen who haven't played as much have done a really good job of being a good example to the young guys and driving the culture forward."

The most experienced returner for that third spot is senior P.J. Cox, who played a role in MU's man-down unit in years past and has started a handful of games.

"The two levels of the defense need to work well together to dictate how good the unit is. Having a little more experience up top just hopefully makes communication crisper between the two levels so they work more as a six-man unit," said Richard.

DEFENSE (9)
23           Ben Allen (Sr.)
25           Jack Cleary (Fr.)
26           Noah Verlinde (Fr.)
36           Zach Granger (R-So.)
44           P.J. Cox (Sr.)
46           Kyle McNeill (R-Fr.)
55           Cole Froemming (Sr.)
56           Quintin Arnett (So.)
77           Mason Woodward (Fr.)

Junior John Hulsman returns in net for the Golden Eagles after starting 11 of 14 games as a sophomore transfer last season. He had an impressive freshman season at Bellarmine in 2018 and was one of the standouts of the preseason this year.

"John Hulsman has done a great job and made some great strides this year," Stimmel said. "He's become a little more fundamental, but I think overall it's been his voice and leadership for a young defense that has aided us and eased some of our growing pains down there. We know that it's going to be a process like any other year with a young group, but he's done a nice job and in a lot of ways its been the commitment of the whole group to push each other."

At the face-off dot, the Golden Eagles will have four individuals fighting for time, led by senior Jared Hershman, who won draws at a 53 percent clip (100-of-190) last season. Sophomore Thomas Washington also flashed potential as a rookie but fought injuries throughout most of his first year with the program.

"Both those guys have had their moments this fall, in competition and against each other," Stimmel said. "We feel like we have a number of guys who provide a different look and give us a spark when needed. I think that unit as a whole will continue to mature and improve their craft. We're going to have to heavily depend on Jared and Thomas throughout the year based off of what matchups the other team provides us."

FACE-OFF (4)
3             Thomas Washington (So.)
7             Jared Hershman (Sr.)
27           John Underwood (So.)
37           Luke Williams (Fr.)

GOAL (4)
12           Chris Rolfing (Sr.)
33           Gabe Stein (Jr.)
72           Sean Richard (Fr.)
91           John Hulsman (Jr.)

The Golden Eagles begin the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Cleveland State at 10 a.m. Central time.

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