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Defense Leads Men's Lacrosse Team Into 2008 Season
February 16, 2008 | Men's Lacrosse
Dan Cocoziello and Alex Hewit have been lacrosse teammates since Day 1 of seventh grade at the Delbarton School. Together, they are the cornerstones of Princeton's deep, experienced defense, one that led Division I in fewest goals per game a year ago.
Chris McBride and Jack McBride are cousins. A year ago, as high school seniors, they combined to score 109 goals, at the same Delbarton School. Now they are Princeton teammates, reinforcements for a rebuilt offense.
The two generations of Delbarton alums tell the two storylines for the 2008 Tigers, who have as clear goals for this season to regain the Ivy League championship and to go deep into the NCAA tournament.
Princeton was 10-4 in 2007, a somewhat frustrating year that saw the Tigers lose in two overtimes to eventual national champion Johns Hopkins, by one on a goal with 26 seconds left to Virginia, by four to top-ranked Cornell in an Ivy League championship showdown and finally on the first possession of overtime to Georgetown in the NCAA tournament. Gone from that team are first-team All-America defenseman Zachary Jungers; four-year offensive starters Peter Trombino and Scott Sowanick, both of whom were All-Americas as well; and key role players like Whitney Hayes, John Bennett and Derek Sudan.
Still, the defense is loaded, and the offense does have some veteran scorers still around. The freshman class figures to contribute immediately. Put it all together, and optimism is high with a program that has won 13 Ivy League championships in the last 16 years and won six NCAA titles and gone to 10 Final Fours in the last 15 years.
This year's schedule features six Ivy League games and traditional local rival Rutgers. Princeton will again play in the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic, taking on Johns Hopkins in the second game of a March 1 doubleheader at M&T Bank Stadium that also features Virginia and Syracuse, both of whom are also on the Princeton schedule. Canisius comes to Princeton for the season opener the final Saturday in February for the third straight year, and there is also the annual date with Hofstra. The other regular-season opponent will be a tough one, as Princeton has a date at Albany in March.
Princeton will play six of its 13 regular-season games on national TV, as ESPNU televise the Hopkins, Virginia, Hofstra and Cornell games and CSTV will televise the Yale and Penn games .
Princeton's men's lacrosse 2008, position-by-position ...
Attack
Starters returning - Alex Haynie (10-8-18), Tommy Davis (18-17-35)
Starters lost - Peter Trombino (30-13-43)
Other returning letterwinners - Rob Engelke (6-3-9), Sam Hayes (0-0-0), Scott MacKenzie (0-2-2), Ryan Morrell (1-1-2), Greg Seaman (2-0-2).
Other letterwinners lost - Dan Brown (0-0-0), Tripp Shriner (1-2-3)
Newcomers - Peter Gudmundsen, Chris McBride, Jack McBride, Rob Owen
Princeton averaged 9.9 goals per game in 2007 and didn't reach double figures in any of its four losses. The attack graduated Peter Trombino, who finished two goals shy of becoming the second player in school history with at least 100 goals and at least 50 assists. Trombino is the only player ever at Princeton with four seasons of at least 20 goals and at least 10 assists, and his absence creates a huge hole in the Tiger offense. Senior Alex Haynie, who started all 14 games last year, and junior Tommy Davis, who started all 13 games in which he played (he missed one game due to injury), return after combing for 28 goals and 25 assists a year ago. Rob Engleke, a sophomore, scored three goals in the season opener, one goal in the next 12 games and then two more in the NCAA tournament a year ago; he is back with a valuable year of experience. Scott MacKenzie is a 6-5, 210-pound sophomore who could play attack or midfield, while junior Greg Seaman moves from midifeld to attack. The McBride cousins, Jack and Chris, lead the freshmen.
Offensive Midfield
Starters returning - Mark Kovler (23-5-28), Josh Lesko (6-3-9)
Starter lost - Scott Sowanick (11-5-26)
Other returning letterwinners - Jimmy Davis (0-0-0), Mike Gaudio (3-2-5), Andy Kittler (0-0-0), David Marshall (0-0-0), Bob Schneider (6-1-7), Rich Sgalardi (2-4-6), Pete Striebel (1-1-2), Jim Weiss (1-0-1)
Other letterwinners lost - Michael Biles (2-0-2), Trip Cowin (1-1-2), Whitney Hayes (6-3-9)
Newcomers - Matt Doherty, Tyler Moni, Connor Reilly
The explosive Mark Kovler, ranked as the 19th best player in Division I lacrosse by Inside Lacrosse in the preseason, leads a midfield that has any number of interchangable parts. Kovler, a junior, was a third-team All-America a year ago after a 23-goal, 28-point season, when he became the third Tiger midfielder to reach at least 20 goals this decade and had the highest single-season goal total by a sophomore middie at Princeton since Josh Sims had 32 in 1998. Josh Lesko, Kovler's classmate, was slowed by injuries a year ago, but he is an outstanding complement to Kovler. Scott Sowanick started every game in the midfield a year ago and every game of his career before graduating, and last May saw veteran middie Whitney Hayes also get a diploma. Replacing them will not be easy, but there is no shortage of candidates. Senior captain Bob Schneider has been in either the first or second midfield his entire career and is a big, reliable, veteran scorer. Junior Rich Sgalardi came on strong a year ago, and sophomore Scott MacKenzie can play either attack or midfield. Connor Reilly is a strong contender as a freshman for playing time.
Defensive Midfield
Starters returning - Zack Goldberg (2-3-5,
27 GB), Brendan Reilly (1-1-2)
Starters lost - none
Other returning letterwinners - Jeff Izant (0-0-0)
Other letterwinners lost - Derek Sudan (2-1-3)
Newcomers - Tim Palmer
Princeton's complex defense depends on shortstick defensive midfielders, and the tradition of outstanding “shorties” continues with senior Zack Goldberg, the equal of any who have come before him. Goldberg is a tremendous one-on-one defender, and he is also as good a transition threat as Princeton has had in years. Junior Brendan Reilly stepped into the second shortstick spot a year ago and flourished; he and Goldberg now have an entire year together to build on. Derek Sudan, who played every game the last two years, graduated, opening up the third spot for senior Jeff Izant or freshman Tim Palmer.
Longstick midfielder
Returning starter - Charlie Kolkin (1-0-1,
16 GB)
Starters lost - none
Other returning letterwinners - Chris Chandler (0-0-0)
Other letterwinners lost - John Bennett (0-0-0, 13 GB) , Tommy Firth (0-0-0)
Newcomers - Long Ellis
Junior Charlie Kolkin has played in every game of his career, splitting the position with the now-graduated John Bennett. Kolkin earned honorable mention All-Ivy honors last year and was a preseason honorable mention All-America this year. Long Ellis, a freshman, could be Kolkin's backup here or be a close defenseman.
Face-off
Starters returning - Alex Berg (98x180)
Starters lost - Mike DeSantis (30x58)
Other returning letterwinners - Greg Seaman (6x25)
Other letterwinners lost - none
Newcomers - Zach Drexler, Tim Palmer
Senior Alex Berg had his best year last year, winning better than 54% of his face-offs. With the graduation of Mike DeSantis and the move of Greg Seaman to attack full-time, Berg is the only experienced face-off specialist on the team. Sophomore Paul Barnes and freshmen Tim Palmer and Zach Drexler might also be part of the rotation.
Defense
Starters returning - Dan Cocoziello (0-1-1, 29 GB, second-team All-America), Chris Peyser 0-0-0, 18 GB, honorable mention All-America)
Starter lost - Zachary Jungers (0-1-1, 26 GB, first-team All-America)
Other returning letterwinners - Dave Baker (0-0-0), Nick Hermandorfer (0-0-0),
Jeremy Hirsch (0-0-0), Tim Novick (0-0-0), Peter Trentman (0-0-0)
Other letterwinners lost - Will Presti
Newcomers - Long Ellis, Peter Niehaus, Derek Styer
Princeton in 2007 faced five of the top 18 scoring offenses in the country. None came close to their scoring average against the Tigers. Syracuse averaged 11.4 goals per game; Princeton held the Orange to eight. Virginia averaged 11.4; Princeton held the Cavs to seven. Yale averaged 10.4; Princeton held the Bulldogs to three. Cornell, the No. 1 scoring team in the country a year ago, averaged 14.0 goals per game; the Big Red scored 10 as the only team to reach double figures in the 2007 season against Princeton. Even without the graduated first-team All-America Zachary Jungers, the defense this year should be just as tough. It starts with Dan Cocoziello, a senior defenseman who has started every game each of the last three years. Cocoziello has been a second-team All-America each of the last two years, and Inside Lacrosse has named him as the top defenseman for Division I this preseason. Joining Cocoziello is junior Chris Peyser, who started every game a year ago, when he won honorable mention All-America honors. Charlie Kolkin, a junior, has been a longstick midfielder in the past, but he could play close defense this year. Sophomore Jeremy Hirsch, who played in 13 games last year as a fourth defenseman, could move ito Jungers' spot as well. Freshmen Long Ellis and Derek Styer also figure to get a serious look.
Goalie
Starters returning - Alex Hewit (6.33 GAA, .595 save percentage)
Starters lost - none
Other returning letterwinners - Nikhil Ahsra (3.38 GAA, .867 save percentage), Evan Magruder
Other letterwinners lost - none
Newcomers - Christian Blake
Alex Hewit has been first-team All-America and second-team All-America the last two years and was a preseason first-team All-America by Inside Lacrosse. His career 6.40 goals-against average entering his senior year is one of the best in Division I history, and he has had some huge days in the past in goal for the Tigers. He brings into his senior year the experience of having started every game the last two years, and he gives the already loaded defense an even tougher backstop. Backing up Hewit is sophomore Nikhil Ashra, who had an amazing .867 save percentage a year ago in relief of Hewit. Senior Evan Magruder, a popular walk-on whose identical twin brother Trent covers the Tigers for the student newspaper, faced four shots last year without allowing a goal.
Chris McBride and Jack McBride are cousins. A year ago, as high school seniors, they combined to score 109 goals, at the same Delbarton School. Now they are Princeton teammates, reinforcements for a rebuilt offense.
The two generations of Delbarton alums tell the two storylines for the 2008 Tigers, who have as clear goals for this season to regain the Ivy League championship and to go deep into the NCAA tournament.
Princeton was 10-4 in 2007, a somewhat frustrating year that saw the Tigers lose in two overtimes to eventual national champion Johns Hopkins, by one on a goal with 26 seconds left to Virginia, by four to top-ranked Cornell in an Ivy League championship showdown and finally on the first possession of overtime to Georgetown in the NCAA tournament. Gone from that team are first-team All-America defenseman Zachary Jungers; four-year offensive starters Peter Trombino and Scott Sowanick, both of whom were All-Americas as well; and key role players like Whitney Hayes, John Bennett and Derek Sudan.
Still, the defense is loaded, and the offense does have some veteran scorers still around. The freshman class figures to contribute immediately. Put it all together, and optimism is high with a program that has won 13 Ivy League championships in the last 16 years and won six NCAA titles and gone to 10 Final Fours in the last 15 years.
This year's schedule features six Ivy League games and traditional local rival Rutgers. Princeton will again play in the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic, taking on Johns Hopkins in the second game of a March 1 doubleheader at M&T Bank Stadium that also features Virginia and Syracuse, both of whom are also on the Princeton schedule. Canisius comes to Princeton for the season opener the final Saturday in February for the third straight year, and there is also the annual date with Hofstra. The other regular-season opponent will be a tough one, as Princeton has a date at Albany in March.
Princeton will play six of its 13 regular-season games on national TV, as ESPNU televise the Hopkins, Virginia, Hofstra and Cornell games and CSTV will televise the Yale and Penn games .
Princeton's men's lacrosse 2008, position-by-position ...
Attack
Starters returning - Alex Haynie (10-8-18), Tommy Davis (18-17-35)
Starters lost - Peter Trombino (30-13-43)
Other returning letterwinners - Rob Engelke (6-3-9), Sam Hayes (0-0-0), Scott MacKenzie (0-2-2), Ryan Morrell (1-1-2), Greg Seaman (2-0-2).
Other letterwinners lost - Dan Brown (0-0-0), Tripp Shriner (1-2-3)
Newcomers - Peter Gudmundsen, Chris McBride, Jack McBride, Rob Owen
Princeton averaged 9.9 goals per game in 2007 and didn't reach double figures in any of its four losses. The attack graduated Peter Trombino, who finished two goals shy of becoming the second player in school history with at least 100 goals and at least 50 assists. Trombino is the only player ever at Princeton with four seasons of at least 20 goals and at least 10 assists, and his absence creates a huge hole in the Tiger offense. Senior Alex Haynie, who started all 14 games last year, and junior Tommy Davis, who started all 13 games in which he played (he missed one game due to injury), return after combing for 28 goals and 25 assists a year ago. Rob Engleke, a sophomore, scored three goals in the season opener, one goal in the next 12 games and then two more in the NCAA tournament a year ago; he is back with a valuable year of experience. Scott MacKenzie is a 6-5, 210-pound sophomore who could play attack or midfield, while junior Greg Seaman moves from midifeld to attack. The McBride cousins, Jack and Chris, lead the freshmen.
Offensive Midfield
Starters returning - Mark Kovler (23-5-28), Josh Lesko (6-3-9)
Starter lost - Scott Sowanick (11-5-26)
Other returning letterwinners - Jimmy Davis (0-0-0), Mike Gaudio (3-2-5), Andy Kittler (0-0-0), David Marshall (0-0-0), Bob Schneider (6-1-7), Rich Sgalardi (2-4-6), Pete Striebel (1-1-2), Jim Weiss (1-0-1)
Other letterwinners lost - Michael Biles (2-0-2), Trip Cowin (1-1-2), Whitney Hayes (6-3-9)
Newcomers - Matt Doherty, Tyler Moni, Connor Reilly
The explosive Mark Kovler, ranked as the 19th best player in Division I lacrosse by Inside Lacrosse in the preseason, leads a midfield that has any number of interchangable parts. Kovler, a junior, was a third-team All-America a year ago after a 23-goal, 28-point season, when he became the third Tiger midfielder to reach at least 20 goals this decade and had the highest single-season goal total by a sophomore middie at Princeton since Josh Sims had 32 in 1998. Josh Lesko, Kovler's classmate, was slowed by injuries a year ago, but he is an outstanding complement to Kovler. Scott Sowanick started every game in the midfield a year ago and every game of his career before graduating, and last May saw veteran middie Whitney Hayes also get a diploma. Replacing them will not be easy, but there is no shortage of candidates. Senior captain Bob Schneider has been in either the first or second midfield his entire career and is a big, reliable, veteran scorer. Junior Rich Sgalardi came on strong a year ago, and sophomore Scott MacKenzie can play either attack or midfield. Connor Reilly is a strong contender as a freshman for playing time.
Defensive Midfield
Starters returning - Zack Goldberg (2-3-5,
27 GB), Brendan Reilly (1-1-2)
Starters lost - none
Other returning letterwinners - Jeff Izant (0-0-0)
Other letterwinners lost - Derek Sudan (2-1-3)
Newcomers - Tim Palmer
Princeton's complex defense depends on shortstick defensive midfielders, and the tradition of outstanding “shorties” continues with senior Zack Goldberg, the equal of any who have come before him. Goldberg is a tremendous one-on-one defender, and he is also as good a transition threat as Princeton has had in years. Junior Brendan Reilly stepped into the second shortstick spot a year ago and flourished; he and Goldberg now have an entire year together to build on. Derek Sudan, who played every game the last two years, graduated, opening up the third spot for senior Jeff Izant or freshman Tim Palmer.
Longstick midfielder
Returning starter - Charlie Kolkin (1-0-1,
16 GB)
Starters lost - none
Other returning letterwinners - Chris Chandler (0-0-0)
Other letterwinners lost - John Bennett (0-0-0, 13 GB) , Tommy Firth (0-0-0)
Newcomers - Long Ellis
Junior Charlie Kolkin has played in every game of his career, splitting the position with the now-graduated John Bennett. Kolkin earned honorable mention All-Ivy honors last year and was a preseason honorable mention All-America this year. Long Ellis, a freshman, could be Kolkin's backup here or be a close defenseman.
Face-off
Starters returning - Alex Berg (98x180)
Starters lost - Mike DeSantis (30x58)
Other returning letterwinners - Greg Seaman (6x25)
Other letterwinners lost - none
Newcomers - Zach Drexler, Tim Palmer
Senior Alex Berg had his best year last year, winning better than 54% of his face-offs. With the graduation of Mike DeSantis and the move of Greg Seaman to attack full-time, Berg is the only experienced face-off specialist on the team. Sophomore Paul Barnes and freshmen Tim Palmer and Zach Drexler might also be part of the rotation.
Defense
Starters returning - Dan Cocoziello (0-1-1, 29 GB, second-team All-America), Chris Peyser 0-0-0, 18 GB, honorable mention All-America)
Starter lost - Zachary Jungers (0-1-1, 26 GB, first-team All-America)
Other returning letterwinners - Dave Baker (0-0-0), Nick Hermandorfer (0-0-0),
Jeremy Hirsch (0-0-0), Tim Novick (0-0-0), Peter Trentman (0-0-0)
Other letterwinners lost - Will Presti
Newcomers - Long Ellis, Peter Niehaus, Derek Styer
Princeton in 2007 faced five of the top 18 scoring offenses in the country. None came close to their scoring average against the Tigers. Syracuse averaged 11.4 goals per game; Princeton held the Orange to eight. Virginia averaged 11.4; Princeton held the Cavs to seven. Yale averaged 10.4; Princeton held the Bulldogs to three. Cornell, the No. 1 scoring team in the country a year ago, averaged 14.0 goals per game; the Big Red scored 10 as the only team to reach double figures in the 2007 season against Princeton. Even without the graduated first-team All-America Zachary Jungers, the defense this year should be just as tough. It starts with Dan Cocoziello, a senior defenseman who has started every game each of the last three years. Cocoziello has been a second-team All-America each of the last two years, and Inside Lacrosse has named him as the top defenseman for Division I this preseason. Joining Cocoziello is junior Chris Peyser, who started every game a year ago, when he won honorable mention All-America honors. Charlie Kolkin, a junior, has been a longstick midfielder in the past, but he could play close defense this year. Sophomore Jeremy Hirsch, who played in 13 games last year as a fourth defenseman, could move ito Jungers' spot as well. Freshmen Long Ellis and Derek Styer also figure to get a serious look.
Goalie
Starters returning - Alex Hewit (6.33 GAA, .595 save percentage)
Starters lost - none
Other returning letterwinners - Nikhil Ahsra (3.38 GAA, .867 save percentage), Evan Magruder
Other letterwinners lost - none
Newcomers - Christian Blake
Alex Hewit has been first-team All-America and second-team All-America the last two years and was a preseason first-team All-America by Inside Lacrosse. His career 6.40 goals-against average entering his senior year is one of the best in Division I history, and he has had some huge days in the past in goal for the Tigers. He brings into his senior year the experience of having started every game the last two years, and he gives the already loaded defense an even tougher backstop. Backing up Hewit is sophomore Nikhil Ashra, who had an amazing .867 save percentage a year ago in relief of Hewit. Senior Evan Magruder, a popular walk-on whose identical twin brother Trent covers the Tigers for the student newspaper, faced four shots last year without allowing a goal.
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