Men's 1998 Lacrosse Honors, 1999 Captains Announced

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Oct. 12, 1998

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia men’s lacrosse coach Dom Starsia announced the winners of the team awards for the 1998 Cavaliers and the names of the captains for 1999 this past weekend at the annual post-season function at the St. Paul’s School in Baltimore. The 1998 Cavaliers finished with an 8-5 mark last spring and UVa lost in the NCAA quarterfinals, bowing to NCAA semifinalist Syracuse 17-14 at Hofstra

The Tom Rixey Award(for spirit and inspiration) was given to PENN LEACHMAN(fourth-year defender, 6-5, 215 defender, from Landon, and Bethesda, MD. The ’98 degree taker started most of his last two seasons, piling up 48 his last season. He was also known for his physical style and created lots of loose ball situations for the Cavaliers to build on.

The Most Improved Award went to DOUG DAVIES(now a fourth-year defender; 6-0, 190, from Episcopal School(PA) and St. David’s, PA). Davies responded well to the weight-training programs, and he is basically entrenched in a starting role on defense for UVa.

The Lawrie Riggs Award(for citizenship) went to DAVID WINEGRAD, who took his degree last spring. Winegrad was active in other extracurricular areas, and the 6-3 195, defender from Annapolis, MD, survived a serious knee injury his last year, still playing a lot.

The E. Doyle Smith Award winner(top grade point average for the 1997-98 session) is HANNON WRIGHT (third-year goalie, 5-6, 165, who played in two games, one save, one goal allowed, Norfolk Academy and Virginia Beach). He had a 3.358 GPA(4.00 scale) in English.

The MVP on Defense Award went to PETER RAGOSA(6-0, 185, third year defender from Deerfield Academy and Milton, MA), UVa’s long-stick midfielder) for the second year in a row, this time sharing it with RYAN CURTIS(5-10, 180, third-year defender from Landon School and Potomac, MD),who was also a second-team All American.

The MVP Award for Offense in 1998 was shared between DREW McKNIGHT(a 5-9, 180, third-year attackman from Norfolk Academy and Virginia Beach, with 19+24=43, Honorable Mention All American) and JAY JALBERT. Jalbert is a 6-2, 205, third-year attackman from Cold Spring Harbor and Huntington, NY. He was also an Honorable Mention All American with 34+14=48.

The Harry Gaver Award(for leadership) went to TUCKER RADEBAUGH(Honorable Mention All American, All ACC, 5-11, 185, fourth-year attackman and co-captain from 1998). He led the Cavaliers in scoring with 30+26=56. His winning the award for the second year in a row is a first since Jim Potter(1970-71).

The winner of the Dr. Allen Voshell Award(most valuable player) was also RADEBAUGH. This is his first time for this award and the fourth time for a Cavalier to win both top awards(Kevin Pehlke, 1993 was the most recent).

The captains for 1999 will be TUCKER RADEBAUGH(again), DOUG DAVIES(see above), and DREW McKNIGHT(see above).

In making the announcement, Starsia said: “It is my pleasure to announce the awards for a team that improved steadily throughout the 1998 season. This team worked as hard as any in recent memory and these selections reflect the youth of that group and also point the way to the promise of our future. The 1998 Virginia Lacrosse team gave us much to be proud of. ”

1998 Fourth Year Career Stats: Drew Melchionni(M, 52+25=77); David Wren(M, 63+11); Karl Zeller(D, 0); David Winegrad(D, 0); Penn Leachman(D, 0); James Keane(D, 0); and Chris Sanderson(G, 493 saves; 309 goals allowed).