June 2, 2004
Notre Dame sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) became just the second attackman in school history to be named to one of the All-America teams, as he garnered third-team mention when the STX/United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-America honors were released on Monday. Walsh, the only Irish player ever to gain All-America accolades in each of his first two seasons after being an honorable mention selection in 2003, extended Notre Dame’s streak of consecutive years with at least one student-athlete earning All-America mention to 12.
Walsh joined Syracuse’s Brian Crockett and Matt Ward of Virginia at attack on the USILA’s third team. The only previous Notre Dame attackman to be listed on one of the All-America teams was Tom Glatzel, a first-team honoree in 2001. Three other Irish attackmen – Randy Colley (1994, ’95), Chris Dusseau (1999), and David Ulrich (2000, ’01) – have been named honorable mention All-America.
Notre Dame’s streak of All-Americans began in 1993, when D Mike Iorio became the first-ever Irish player to be so honored, earning a spot on the third team. During the 12-year stretch, Notre Dame has seen 13 different players garner a total of 23 All-America honors. A year ago, Walsh became the first Irish freshman ever to do so.
Walsh, one of the 15 nominees for the Tewaaraton Trophy awarded to the top player in college lacrosse, was a first-team all-Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) honoree for the second year in a row. He led the league in scoring with 3.92 points per game, which ranks seventh in Division I. Walsh was tops in the conference in assists (2.17) for the second consecutive year, this time ranking sixth in the nation. He led an Irish attack that was second nationally in scoring offense (12.50 per game) in goals (21), assists (26), and points (46) and had three or more points in every game but one. A preseason honorable mention All-America selection by Inside Lacrosse, Walsh finished his second collegiate campaign with 99 career points (41 G, 58 A), putting him on pace to become the second-quickest player in the program’s history to reach the century mark. He has started all 26 games over the last two seasons, netting multiple points on 23 occasions. Walsh scored multiple goals six times in ’04, while dishing off three or more assists in six games, as well. He posted season highs with four goals and seven points at #17 Denver in leading Irish to a key 14-12 road win.
Walsh’s season was further enhanced by his taking on all three of the first-team All-America defenseman, as well as one second-teamer. The Irish sophomore registered three goals and three assists against North Carolina’s Ronnie Staines, named to the first team, while he also took on Maryland’s duo of first-team honorees, Chris Passavia and Lee Zink, in the season finale. Walsh had a goal and a pair of assists against Ohio State and second-team All-American Greg Bice. Additionally, the Tar Heels, Terps, and Buckeyes all had goalies that were honorable mention All-America.
Four attackmen, including three who faced the Irish this season, were named to the USILA’s first team: Michael Powell of Syracuse, Jed Prossner of North Carolina, Joe Walters of Maryland, and Ryan Boyle of Princeton. The second team featured a pair of Johns Hopkins attackmen – Kyle Barrie and Conor Ford – as well as Ian Dingman of Navy.
In its 12 games this season, Notre Dame played against a total of 26 players that gained some type of All-America honors, including seven of the 12 first-team selections.
Six players from the GWLL were recognized by the USILA. Ohio State had three honorees: Bice and honorable mention selections M Shawn Lyons and Tony Russo. Denver’s M Scott Davidson and D Cory Vann both were honorable mention, as well.
Notre Dame finished the season 7-5 (4-1 GWLL) and just missed the 16-team NCAA Championship despite being ranked 11th in the Inside Lacrosse media poll and 12th by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. The Irish lost 9-8 on a goal with 12 seconds remaining on March 31 against Ohio State in what proved to be the game that would determine the GWLL champion and the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAAs. Notre Dame, riding a five-game winning streak at the time, just missed a major upset in its final game, but the Irish were unable to hold an 8-7 lead in the final minute at #3 Maryland, eventually falling 9-8 in double overtime.
Notre Dame loses 10 seniors to graduation, but will return six starters, as well as a number of other experienced contributors, for the 2005 campaign.
— ND —
2004 DIVISION I STX/USILA ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
FIRST TEAM:
Attack :
Ryan Boyle Princeton University
Mike Powell Syracuse University
Jed Prossner University of North Carolina
Joe Walters University of Maryland
Midfield:
Walid Hajj Georgetown University
Kyle Harrison Johns Hopkins University
Sean Lindsay Syracuse University
Brodie Merrill Georgetown University
Defense:
Chris Passavia University of Maryland
Ronnie Staines University of North Carolina
Lee Zink University of Maryland
Goalie:
Matt Russell United States Naval Academy
SECOND TEAM:
Attack :
Kyle Barrie Johns Hopkins University
Ian Dingman United States Naval Academy
Conor Ford Johns Hopkins University
Midfield:
Kevin Holand Johns Hopkins University
Andrew Corno Georgetown University
Steve Vallone Syracuse University
Bryant Will University of North Carolina
Defense:
Greg Bice The Ohio State University
Thomas Garvey Johns Hopkins University
Brett Hughes University of Virginia
Goalie:
Gregory Havalchak Rutgers University
THIRD TEAM:
Attack :
Brian Crockett Syracuse University
Pat Walsh University of Notre Dame
Matt Ward University of Virginia
Midfield:
Ben Bailey United States Naval Academy
Paul Gillette University of Maryland
Billy McGee University of Maryland
Matt Rwekowski Johns Hopkins University
Defense:
Andrew Braziel Georgetown University
Tim DeBlois Cornell University
Mitch Hendler United States Naval Academy
Goalie:
Tillman Johnson University of Virginia
HONORABLE MENTION:
Attack :
Joe Bossi United States Naval Academy
Jeff Bryan United States Military Academy
Chris Cara Bucknell University
Andrew Collins Cornell University
Matt Danowski Duke University
Jason Doneger Princeton University
Will Phillips University of Pennsylvania
Delby Powless Rutgers University
John Walker United States Military Academy
Midfield:
Joe Boulukos Cornell University
Drew Casino Princeton University
Scott Davidson University of Denver
Ben Defelice Towson University
Kevin Frew University of North Carolina
Graham Gill United States Naval Academy
Ben Grinnell Dartmouth College
Corey Hamed Johns Hopkins University
Brendan Healy University of Maryland
Steve Looney United States Naval Academy
Shawn Lyons The Ohio State University
Matt Zash Duke University
Defense:
Oliver Barry Princeton University
Greg McCarthy Hobart College
Stephen McElduff University of North Carolina
Brett Moyer Hofstra University
Steve Panarelli Syracuse University
Jack Reid University of Massachusetts
Ric Schultz Princeton University
Jon Urbana Villanova University
Cory Vann University of Denver
Dave Wagner University of Maryland
Goalie:
Brendan Callahan Stony Brook University
Ryan Kelly University of Pennsylvania
Mike Levin Brown University
Tim McGinnes University of Maryland
Kevin McKeown Binghamton University
Tony Russo The Ohio State University
Reed Sothoron Towson University
Paul Spellman University of North Carolina