This is one in a series of stories recapping the Top 20 Philly lacrosse stories of 2010
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 12/30/10
The year 2010 proved to be a successful one for many Philly men’s colleges, who collectively earned the No. 18 Top Story of the Year in Philly lacrosse as chosen by Phillylacrosse.com.
Delaware won three straight games to close the regular season and swept Drexel and Towson to claim the Colonial Athletic Association championship. The Blue Hens then nearly pulled off a major upset in the NCAA tournament before bowing to North Carolina, 14-13.
Delaware senior attackman Curtis Dickson (62 goals) was a Tewaaraton National Player of the Year Award Top 5 Finalist and a USILA Second Team All-American
Drexel (10-5) was ranked as high as No. 7 in the nation. The Dragons’ sophomore goalie, Mark Manos (Salesianum, DE), was a Third Team All-American.
Villanova also enjoyed a standout year. The ‘Cats went 10-5 and were ranked as high as No. 9.
Individually in Division I, Virginia senior defenseman Ken Clausen (Hill School)) earned First Team All-American for the third time and was the USILA’s William C. Schmeisser award winner as the nation’s top defenseman. In his collegiate career he started every game and earned All-America honors all four years.
In Division III, Haverford College, Cabrini College and Widener returned to the NCAA playoffs.
Haverford College shocked No. 2 Gettysburg, 11-8, and then No. 7 Dickinson, 13-5, to win the Centennial Conference title. The Fords then gave powerful Salisbury all it could handle, bowing 12-11 in the NCAA tourney. Junior attackman Max Hjelm (Conestoga/45 goals) earned Third Team All-American honors.
Cabrini won its 10th straight Colonial States Athletic Conference crown and reached the second round of the NCAA tourney. Senior attackman Casey Grugan (Ridley) earned First Team All-American and closed his career with 206 goals.
Widener stunned the Middle Atlantic Conference field in the playoffs, coming in as the sixth seed to win the title. The Pride upset top-seeded Elizabethtown, 8-5, in the semis and then FDU-Florheim, 10-8, in the finals.
