By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/6/10
Episcopal Academy rising senior attackman Shane Morrell has made a verbal commitment to play Division I lacrosse at Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I.
Morrell scored 40 goals for the Churchmen this year, helping them finish 16-6 and in third
place in the Inter-Ac League (5-3) while reaching the championship game of the inter-Ac Invitational.
Morrell, who plans to major in business, was attracted to the campus and Bryant head coach Mike Pressler – also the head coach of Team USA, which plays this month in the FIL World Championships in Manchester, England.
“They started sending me stuff and never stopped and when I visited I saw how beautiful the campus was,” said Morrell. “Coach Pressler is definitely one of the main reasons I picked it.”
Pressler, formerly the coach at national power Duke, has led Bryant to back-to-back 12-5 seasons since a move up to Division I.
Pressler has been recruiting heavily in Philadelphia. He also has landed Conestoga rising senior midfielder Kevin Rudd and this year will add another EA recruit, senior midfielder Gerry Smith.
Meanwhile, this year’s freshman class at Bryant featured defensemen Mason Poli (Downingtown East) and Mike Rauchut (Penn Charter), attackman JK Poirier (Malvern Prep/all-Northeast Conference Rookie team selection) and midfielder Ian Correia (St. Joseph’s Prep). Also, rising senior Joe Rauchut (Penn Charter) is a starting defenseman.
“He (Pressler) said since he is getting so many kids around this area we will start playing two games a year (in Philly) so we can come home and see our families,” Morrell said.
Morrell said EA’s 2010 season was a success. It ended with a gut-wrenching 7-6 overtime loss to nationally-ranked Haverford School in the Inter-Ac Invitational finals. B
“We thought we played awesome,” said Morrell. “It definitely would have been better to go out with a win, but it was a memorable game that we won’t forget. I’m sorry we couldn’t send the seniors out with a win, but it was a great season and we’ll remember all the good things.”
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