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June 9, 2003
Stamford, Conn. – The Virginia men’s lacrosse program continues to reap the rewards from its national championship as Tillman Johnson and Chris Rotelli were recognized for their outstanding play this season at the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association’s annual All-American banquet last Friday in Stamford, Conn.
Johnson received the Lt. Raymond Enners Memorial Award as the Outstanding Player in Division I. A first-team All-American, he also received the Ens. C. Markland Kelly, Jr., Memorial Award as the Outstanding Goalie in Division I.
Johnson is the first goalie named the USILA Player of the Year since Princeton’s Scott Bacigalupo in 1994.
The awards cap what has been a remarkable season for the junior goalie from Annapolis, Md. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Championships in helping lead the Cavaliers to their first national championship since 1999. During the final four he compiled a 76.2 save percentage and allowed just 10 goals in wins over Maryland and Johns Hopkins.
This season he set a school record with 205 saves and finished fourth nationally in save percentage (.635).
Johnson is the third Cavalier to win the Player of the Year Award and the first since Doug Knight in 1996. He is also the fourth Cavalier to be named Goalie of the Year and the first since Peter Sheehan won the award 17 years ago.
Rotelli turned in one of the best seasons ever by a Cavalier middie and received the Tewaaraton Trophy last week. A complete midfielder of the old school variety, he consistently made his presence felt on both ends of the field this spring with his tenacious defense and variety of offensive skills.
The senior from Rumford, R.I., tied for the team lead in scoring with 49 points to become the first midfielder to lead the team since 1966. His 49 points are also a school record for a midfielder. This spring he scored 26 goals and added 23 assists to become the first “20-20” midfielder in school history.
He was named a first-team All-American in 2003 to become the school’s first two-time first-team middie since Jay Jalbert in 1999-2000. Jalbert was also the last Cavalier named Middie of the Year (1999).
A three-time All-ACC selection, Rotelli was selected as the conference’s Player of the Year, one of five Cavaliers to win the award under head coach Dom Starsia but just the second midfielder in school history to win the league’s top award (along with Andy Kraus in 1988).
The complete list of the 2003 USILA award winners is below.
Division I
Player of the Year: Tillman Johnson (Virginia)
Attackman of the Year: Mike Powell (Syracuse)
Midfielder of the Year: Chris Rotelli (Virginia)
Defenseman of the Year: Mike Howley (Maryland)
Goaltender of the Year: Tillman Johnson (Virginia)
Division II
Player of the Year: Matt Hunter (New York Tech)
Attackman of the Year: Brian Boyle (New York Tech)
Midfielder of the Year: David Toy (Adelphi)
Defenseman of the Year: Chris Vitucci (New York Tech)
Goaltender of the Year: Matt Hunter (New York Tech)
Division III
Player of the Year: Andy Murray (Salisbury)
Attackman of the Year: Josh Bergey (Salisbury)
Midfielder of the Year: Andy Murray (Salisbury)
Defenseman of the Year: Eric Martin (Salisbury)
Goaltender of the Year: Steve Feltman (Cortland)