Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/12/13
From Press Release
Lehigh men’s lacrosse seniors Dante Fantoni, Noah Molnar and David DiMaria were all selected in the 2013 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft on Friday night at the Marriott.
Fantoni was picked 39th overall by the Denver Outlaws while Molnar went 45th to the Rochester Rattlers and DiMaria 46th to the Boston Cannons. The Mountain Hawks’ three draftees were most in the Patriot League, ahead of Army (2), Colgate (1) and Bucknell (1).
Fantoni became the first-ever Mountain Hawk selected in an MLL Collegiate Draft. Four players in program history have played Major League Lacrosse, but none were drafted. Cameron and Roman Lao-Gosney were the most recent following last season; both are currently on the Hamilton Nationals. In addition, Andrew Lucas played for the Long Island Lizards in 2006 while Todd Schreiner was a member of Rochester from 2002-03.
Peter Baum of Colgate was the top pick in Friday’s draft. All three Lehigh draftees were named preseason All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse. DiMaria was named to the third team while Fantoni and Molnar garnered honorable mention recognition.
Fantoni enters his senior campaign with 130 career points behind 82 goals and 48 assists. Last year’s Patriot League Tournament MVP, Fantoni is riding a 42-game point streak entering the 2013 season. He’s posted 40 or more points in each of his first three seasons, posting 40 as a freshman, 47 as a sophomore and 43 as a junior. Fantoni turned it on as last season progressed, recording 11 straight multi-point games to end the year, including a goal and assist in the NCAA Tournament against eventual National Finalist Maryland.
One of the nation’s top short stick defensive midfielders, Molnar finished second on the Mountain Hawks with 21 caused turnovers last year to go with 21 groundballs. A big, physical presence on the defensive end, he helped lead a Lehigh defense which finished second nationally allowing just 6.81 goals per game. That came after a junior campaign which saw Molnar post 27 groundballs and 14 caused turnovers to go with six goals and four assists.
DiMaria has teamed with Fantoni to form one of the nation’s top duos at attack. While Fantoni owns 130 career points, DiMaria has 132 behind 55 goals and 77 assists. DiMaria has led the Mountain Hawks in points in consecutive years, posting 52 as a junior and 47 as a senior. DiMaria was a Second Team All-Patriot League honoree last season, posting multiple points in 12 of his final 13 games of 2012.
The three will join their respective teams after the upcoming Lehigh season has completed. The Major League Lacrosse season begins in April.
Lehigh begins preseason practice this weekend in preparation for a highly-anticipated 2013 campaign which begins on Feb. 9 against Saint Joseph’s.
