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2005 Preseason Prospectus
Feb. 2, 2005 VILLANOVA, Pa. - The 2005 Villanova Men's Lacrosse Prospectus features news releases from the preseason, as well as a complete season preview and quick facts. The full prospectus can be accessed by clicking on the PDF link within this release.
Men's Lacrosse 2005 Prospectus
Wildcats Enter Preseason With No. 22 National Ranking
Heading into the 2005 season, Villanova has earned its fourth consecutive national ranking, as Faceoff magazine and Insidelacrosse.com released its preseason poll. The Wildcats were tabbed 22nd in the poll, which had also ranked Villanova 16th in its final Power Poll of the 2004 season.
The Wildcats were the second of three Colonial Athletic Association teams to appear in the poll. Reigning league champion Towson was ranked 11th, while Hofstra was ranked 25th. Villanova received a total of 229 points in the poll.
Johns Hopkins was ranked No. 1 with a total of 1,370 votes, including 35 of the 56 possible first-place votes. They were followed by Syracuse (19 first-place votes), Princeton, Navy (two first-place votes) and Maryland in the top five.
Urbana and Canuso Chosen as Preseason All-Americans
Faceoff magazine and Insidelacrosse.com also selected senior defender Jon Urbana (Denver, Colo./Denver East) and junior goalie Joe Canuso (Moorestown, N.J.) as preseason All-Americans. Urbana was chosen for the second team, while Canuso was an Honorable Mention choice.
Last season, Urbana became the fifth Villanova men's lacrosse player to be named a USILA All-American, when he was an Honorable Mention pick. He led a Wildcat defense that ranked seventh in the nation by allowing just 7.59 goals per game, and picked up 40 ground balls. He was a first team All-CAA selection and the league's Defensive Player of the Year.
Canuso is already a well-decorated performer, having been named the CAA Rookie of the Year in 2003, and the league's Co-Player of the Year in 2004. Last season, Canuso started all 15 games in goal and allowed just 7.48 goals per game. He collected 177 saves and sported a .615 save percentage along the way to compiling a 12-3 record, the highest single-season win total in school history.
Villanova Will Play Another Tough Schedule This Season
In addition to ranking the Wildcats No. 22 heading into the season, the Faceoff magazine and Insidelacrosse.com also voted six of Villanova's 14 regular season opponents into the Top 25. The Wildcats are scheduled to face #10 Notre Dame, #11 Towson, #18 Penn, #21 Penn State, #24 Denver and #25 Hofstra this season.
2005 Season Preview
The 2004 lacrosse season was arguably the finest in school history, as Villanova won a program best 12 games and finished second in a strong Colonial Athletic Association conference with a 4-1 record. This season, the Wildcats return seven starters from last year's squad, including five members of the defensive unit that finished seventh in the nation in scoring defense. Head coach Randy Marks, in his twenty-third season on the Villanova sidelines, expects that defensive strength to be a key part of the team's early success this season. The offense will be boosted by top returnees at the midfield and attack, but will also count heavily on younger players without significant varsity experience. The Wildcats are looking to build on their previous success and earn the program's first postseason berth. Last season, Villanova finished the regular season in a four-way tie for the most wins in the nation, but was the only one of the four teams not to be selected for the 16-team NCAA Championship.
Defense
Outstanding defense has been the backbone of the past two Wildcat campaigns, and the coming season will be no different. Five starting defenders return from the team that allowed just 7.59 goals per game in 2004. Villanova returns its top three close defenders, including CAA Defensive Player of the Year Jon Urbana. His ability to shut down the opposition's top offensive player earned him All-American status as a junior last season, and he will once again be matched up with top offensive players this season. Fellow senior Garrett Wells started every game in 2004 and was recognized by his teammates as the squad's Most Improved Player. Wells drew praise from his coaches for his consistency and excellent stick skills, and he will be expected to produce a solid senior season. Sophomore Paul Genovese also started every game during his first collegiate season, and was the team's Rookie of the Year. A very physical player, Genovese is a physical player with great communication skills. Junior Ben Remmey and sophomore Connor Dwyer are versatile defenders who will push for playing time on the close defensive unit and man-down team.
Junior Matt Cohen and sophomore Safi Najdawi will play leading roles as long stick defenders. Both had a strong season a year ago, and will be counted on to make contributions again this year. Freshman Eric Bloom was cited by his coaches for an outstanding fall season, and will push for playing time on both defensive units. Sophomore Tucker Gauvain and freshman Tommy Magee have each gained significant experience, and can be used at either defensive spot.
Defensive Midfield
Senior captain Chris Kramer returns as the team's short stick defensive midfielder, and Marks expects him to once again be one of the top players in the country at his position. Kramer is at his best in the transition game, a strength generated from his ability to clear the ball and get ground balls. He scored six goals last season and will be pivotal this season in both man-up and man-down situations.
Sophomore Chad Houser will also compete for short stick positions. Junior Tim Wiegand and sophomore Ben Carothers continued to develop their skills during the fall season, and both will work hard to earn playing time in the spring.
Goalie
Junior goalie Joe Canuso has started every game in his first two years on the Main Line, and earned Co-Player of the Year as well as first team all-conference honors in the CAA last season. He ranked seventh in the nation in goals-against average after leading the country in the category as a freshman. According to his coaches, Canuso has the confidence and strength to keep the Wildcats in the game against any opponent, and on a game-by-game basis gives Villanova an advantage over the opposition in goal. Seniors Dan Biser and Francis Cattani will once again backup Canuso. Both added to their experience during the team's fall tournaments, and will step in if needed during the spring.
Faceoffs
Sophomore Chris Colliniates will once again have the primary role on faceoffs, after enjoying a very good freshman campaign. Marks mentioned Colliniates' strong play during the fall season, and expects significant contributions from him this spring. Also seeing time on faceoffs will be freshmen Joe O'Neill, Chris MacDonald and Tommy Magee.
Midfield
Although the offensive side of the field will be where Villanova inserts a less experienced group of players, the first midfield of junior Matt Starker, sophomore Eric Heidenberger and senior Dan Fanelli have the most experience. Heidenberger is a dodger with good speed, and played on the first midfield as a freshman. Starker and Fanelli both played on the second midfield last season, and will be ready to step up and lead the offense this season. Starker is a crafty player with the ability to create offensive opportunities, while Fanelli is a good dodger and excellent all-around athlete.
The second midfield features a trio of sophomores in Mike Haas, Garrett Hohendorf and Eric Webber. Haas earned Pennsylvania all-state honors as a high school player, while Hohendorf and Webber were each first team High School All-Americans. The coaches feel that despite not having significant collegiate level experience, all three players can rely on their skills and talent to have a successful 2005 season. Chris MacDonald will join classmate Tim Campbell, another top recruit, in competing for time at the midfield. Campbell was a starting attackman for the New Jersey state champions, Delbarton, and possesses outstanding speed and confidence on the field. He will continue to gain experience this season as he switches positions to the midfield. Freshman Ryan Holloway will add depth to the offensive unit and compete for playing time on both the midfield and attack.
Attack
The Wildcats attack this season will feature familiar faces in senior captain Marc Creegan, a second team All-CAA selection and ninth-all-time leading goal scorer in Villanova history, and junior Brendan O'Donnell. Creegan excels on fastbreaks and unsettled situations, and is a smart lefty who creates space for his shots. O'Donnell was the team's top point scorer last season (14 goals, 27 assists) and led the CAA in assists per game. An outstanding attackman, he possesses excellent understanding of the game. Villanova will have to replace the position filled by the graduated Richie Kratz, who was second on the team with 38 points last season. Freshman Matt Panneton, an all-league player from Albany, played for the Adirondack team in the Empire State Games last summer, and will be the leading candidate for a starting nod.
Freshman Tim Atkins, a high school All-American from Malvern Prep, gained valuable experience during the fall season. Classmate Matt Rodgers, from Chaminade, will also have the ability to fill in at either the midfield or attack positions. The pair give the Wildcats the versatility to mix and match the personnel at both positions when needed. Junior Pat Bogle, in addition to sophomore Chris Mercer and freshman Jay Foley, also figure to see playing time.
Schedule
As always, the Wildcats will play one of the most demanding schedules in the nation, with a non-league schedule that includes games against Notre Dame and Penn State. In all, the Wildcats will face five teams (Notre Dame, Denver, Hofstra, Towson, Penn State) that are ranked in the preseason Top 20. Villanova hosts Notre Dame on March 9, and will also play non-league home games against Binghamton, Penn and St. Joseph's. The Wildcats play at Penn State on April 29 in the final game of the regular season, and also go on the road for games against Colgate, Lafayette, Denver, and Lehigh during the demanding non-conference slate.
The non-conference schedule will prepare Villanova for five straight Saturdays of CAA games, which could ultimately determine the team's postseason chances. The Wildcats begin league play on March 26 with a game at Drexel, and will also see Hofstra and Sacred Heart on the road. The two league home games are against Towson and Delaware.
While acknowledging the team's difficult schedule and the importance of doing well against both conference and non-conference teams, Coach Marks looks at the returnees from last year's team and sees an opportunity for Villanova to build on its previous accomplishments. The Wildcats made it to the CAA title game in 2004, and will once again make a conference championship the primary goal. With one of the nation's top defensive units and a potentially explosive offense, the 2005 season should give Villanova its best chance yet to achieve that goal.
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