By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/29/11
Garnet Valley rising senior midfielder Joe Taulane has made a verbal commitment to play Division I lacrosse at High Point University (N.C.).
Taulane was a Second Team Central League pick this year, helping the Jaguars place second in the league (10-1 record) and finish 15-5 overall.
Taulane, who has 45 career goals, was a team captain in 2011. He plays club lacrosse for Jagslax.
Taulane is the fourth Philly player to commit to High Point, a new Division I program under coach Jon Torpey, formerly the top assistant at Dartmouth. The others headed to High Point are defenseman Vince Garman (Haverford School) and attackman Brad James (St. Joseph’s Prep) of the Class of 2011 and Great Valley’s Ben Hughes (defenseman) of the Class of 2012.
Taulane plans to study Business with a Marketing concentration at High Point.
“Coach Torpey seems like a great guy and the school has the educational opportunities I was looking for,” said Taulane. “I loved the campus.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to play for a new program.”
High Point will participate in a fall season this year, and begins NCAA play in the spring of 2013, when Taulane is a freshman.
Taulane is the fourth rising senior from Garnet Valley to commit to a Division 1 lacrosse program. He joins defensemen Ryan Lehman (Maryland) and Ryan Guittare (Penn State) and attackman Jules Raucci (Drexel).
“We lose three key seniors, but we’re all excited about next year,” said Taulane. “Some young kids will be able to step up. We’ve been playing together for a long time and we are all best friends. This is the year we’ve been looking for to for a long time.”
Taulane wished to thank Garnet Valley’s Frank Urso, who came in as head coach when he was a freshman.
“I appreciate coach Urso’s dedication and what he’s done to bring our high school program to the next level,” said Taulane. Taulane also wished to thank Garnet Valley assistant coaches Jim Snow, Brian Tingle, Brian Neary, Matt Baker and Jim Trowbridge.
