Princeton University Athletics
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Cocoziello, Hewit Named Preseason First-Team All-America By Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook
December 04, 2006 | Men's Lacrosse
Princeton juniors Dan Cocoziello and Alex Hewit have been on the same lacrosse teams for years. They find themselves together again on a rather prestigious one heading into the 2007 season.
Cocoziello, a defenseman, and Hewit, a goalie, have been named preseason first-team All-Americas by Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook. The two, who played together at the Delbarton School before coming to Princeton, led a group of seven Princeton players who were named preseason All-Americas.
In addition to the two first-team selections, Princeton also had senior attackman Peter Trombino and senior defenseman Zachary Jungers named to the second team, senior midfielder Scott Sowanick named to the third team and sophomore midfielders Mark Kovler and Josh Lesko named honorable mention.
Princeton was one of several teams with multiple preseason first-team All-America selections, as Syracuse, Virginia and Maryland also had two picks while Duke had three.
Hewit was a first-team All-America last year as a sophomore, when he was second in the nation in .646 save percentage and fourth in the nation with a 6.49 goals-against average. He did miss out on first-team All-Ivy League honors a year ago to Cornell's Matt McMonagle; McMonagle was a second-team All-America to end last year and on the preseason list.
Cocoziello was the opposite of Hewit last year, when he was a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection and a second-team All-America. Cocoziello has started every game of his two year career, and he added three goals and two assists in transition to his work as a dominant defender.
Trombino enters his senior year as the only Princeton player ever to have at least 20 goals and at least 10 assists as a freshman, sophomore and junior; he led the Tigers in scoring last year with 40 points (22G, 18A).
Jungers, like Hewit, did better on the All-America team than the All-Ivy team a year ago, when he was a third-team All-America after being an honorable mention all-league pick. He will be in his second year as a close defenseman after playing longstick midfield his first two years.
Sowanick tied Trombino for the team lead in points two years ago and was second last year with 38 (20G, 18A). Kovler finished his rookie season third on the team in goals (18), assists (eight) and points (26), while Lesko had 11 goals and six assists while playing as a two-way middie as a freshman.
Princeton returns eight starters from last year's 11-5 team that tied Cornell for the Ivy title and then advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals. Princeton opens it season Feb. 24 at home against Cornell.