Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/23/08
Villanova’s men’s team received a jolt Thursday when it was announced that standout defender John Lade has transferred to NCAA Division I champion Syracuse.
Lade, of Randolph, N.J., started every game for the Wildcats last year as a freshman and earned first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) honors. Lade followed that up by playing a major role for Team USA in its run to the gold medal at the U-19 International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) World Championship in British Columbia, Canada.
Lade was part of a U.S. defense that held four of its seven opponents to fewer than 10 goals and three of its foes to five goals or less. On July 5, he anchored a defense that posted the first shutout in U.S. U-19 history as the Americans defeated Japan, 27-0.
Two members of the Orangemen, midfielders Josh Amidon (Lafayette, N.Y.) and Joel White (Cortland, N.Y.), were on the United States team.
The 2007 New Jersey Defenseman of the Year, Lade played scholastically at Randolph High School. He was named one of Inside Lacrosse’s Top 100 Freshman heading into the 2008 season.
Lade led Villanova with 53 groundballs and 11 caused turnovers last year. He also took face-offs for the Wildcats, going 17-for-39 (.436) at the X.
Syracuse won its record 10th NCAA title in 2008 and posted a 16-2 overall record.
Villanova went 5-10 last year, and was 3-3 in the CAA. The Wildcats and Syracuse, as well as Georgetown, Notre Dame, St. John’s, Rutgers and Providence will join the Big East when it begins sponsoring men’s lacrosse in 2010.
