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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA Head coach Dom Starsia’s 2009 Cavaliers will be on display for the first time Friday night in a scrimmage against a talented squad of former Cavalier standouts. The scrimmage is scheduled to face off at 9 pm and will be played at the UHall Turf Field. Admission is free.
Starsia enters his 17th season at helm of the program with 30 returning lettermen, including seven starters, from a year ago.
Seniors Danny Glading and Garrett Billings return to spearhead the attack again this season. Glading led the team in scoring with 65 points and assists with 35, while also tallying 30 goals. Billings was second on the team in goals (36), assists (25) and points (61).
Brian Carroll had a breakout sophomore season a year ago with 28 goals, tied for fifth in the country by a midfielder. Shamel Bratton turned in a productive 08 season as a freshman starter in the midfield, ranking fourth among the country’s freshmen middies with 14 goals.
The entire starting defense returns this season with four-year starter Matt Kelly, first-team All-American Ken Clausen and Ryan Nizolek, named the team’s most improved player. Two-time team captain Mike Timms also returns as one of the nation’s top longstick middies. Goalie Adam Ghitelman started the first 10 games in the cage last season and also led the US Under-19 team to the world championship this summer.
Testing the talents of this season’s Cavaliers are many of the top Cavalier standouts of the last 17 yearsfrom attackman Perry Frazer (Class of 1992) to 2008 squad members Will Barrow and Ben Rubeor. All three of Starsia’s national championship squads (1999, 2003, 2006) will be represented, as well as both Cavalier Tewaaraton Trophy winners: Chris Rotelli (2003) and Matt Ward (2006). Eleven alumni squad members earned All-American honors during their UVa careers and 12 played professionally in Major League Lacrosse this summer.
Tom Duquette and Doug Tarring, key members of UVa’s first NCAA Championship team in 1972, will coach the alumni squad. Duquette is currently the boys’ lacrosse coach at Norfolk Academy, while Tarring is the boys’ lacrosse coach at Charlottesville’s Saint Anne’s-Belfield School.
“Having the alums back to town is always a treat and for a while, at least, the competitiveness of these former Wahoos will be on dramatic display,” Starsia said. “Our present defense will certainly have its hands full with an alumni offense that will have Conor Gill, Matt Ward, Ben Rubeor, Chris Rotelli and Kyle Dixon on the field together. I am sure that Ricky Smith will now be going “over the head” all over the field and that Billy Glading, Will Barrow and JJ Morrissey will use this opportunity to show me why they should have played more offense in their undergraduate days. This will be fun and it’s OK to cheer for both teams!”
The Alumni roster is below.
| No. | Name |
Pos. |
Class |
Note |
| 1 | Kip Turner | G | 2007 | 3-yr starter, 2007 All-American |
| 2 | Adam Fassnacht | M | 2007 | faceoff leader in 07 |
| 3 | Ricky Smith | D | 2007 | 2-time All-American |
| 4 | Perry Frazer | A | 1992 | 1992 All-American |
| 6 | Brett Hughes | D | 2004 | 4-yr starter, 2003 All-NCAA Tourney |
| 7 | Matt Ward | A | 2006 | 2006 Player of the Year |
| 9 | Ben Rubeor | A | 2008 | 3-time All-American |
| 11 | Kyle Dixon | M | 2006 | 2006 Middie of the Year |
| 12 | Billy Glading | M | 2003 | ’03 All-American, team MVP |
| 14 | Conor Gill | A | 2002 | MVP of ’99 Final Four |
| 15 | Trey Whitty | D | 2003 | ’03 All-American, team captain |
| 17 | Brendan Gill | A | 2005 | 4-time letterman, ’05 most improved |
| 18 | Ned Bowen | D | 2003 | 3-yr starter, ’02 most improved |
| 22 | Justin Mullen | A | 2004 | 4-time letterman, team captain |
| 23 | Will Barrow | M | 2008 | 4 letters, team captain |
| 25 | Chris Rotelli | M | 2003 | 2003 Player of the Year |
| 26 | Joe Thompson | M | 2008 | 3 letters, team captain |
| 29 | J.J. Morrissey | M | 2006 | 4 letters, team captain |
| 32 | Drew Jordan | D | 2007 | 4-time letterman |
| 39 | Ryan Binder | D | 2003 | 4-time letterman |
| 41 | Jon Focht | M | 2004 | 1 letter |
2009 Cavalier Roster