Jan. 13, 2003

BALTIMORE, Md. -- The Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse team, which returns eight starters from last season's team that advanced to the NCAA Semifinals, has had six players named to the 2003 Face-Off Yearbook Preseason All-America Team. The Blue Jays had two players each earn first team, second team and honorable mention honors. Four of the six earned STX/USILA All-America honors last season.

Senior midfielder Adam Doneger (Hewlett, NY/Lynbrook) and senior attackman Bobby Benson (Baltimore, MD/McDonogh) were named First Team Preseason All-Americans. Doneger, a First Team STX/USILA All-American last season, scored 24 goals and added four assists for 28 points as a junior. He was named to the NCAA's All-Tournament Team after scoring eight goals and adding an assist in JHU's two NCAA Tournament games last season. Benson, a Third Team STX/USILA All-American last year, led the Blue Jays in goals (27) and points (40) and finished fourth on the team in assists (13). With 83 career goals, he is in position to become the 13th player in school history to score 100 or more career goals.

Senior defender Michael Peyser (Lloyd Harbor, NY/Cold Spring Harbor) and junior midfielder Kevin Boland (Jessup, MD/Gilman) earned Second Team Preseason All-America status. Peyser wan an Honorable Mention STX/USILA All-American last season when he started all 14 games and helped JHU hold the opposition to an average of less than 8.5 goals per game. Boland scored 12 goals and added a team-high 19 assists and earned Third Team STX/USILA All-America honors a year ago. He became the first midfielder to lead Johns Hopkins in assists since 1985.

Sophomore attackman Kyle Barrie (Narberth, PA/The Haverford School) and sophomore midfielder Kyle Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Friends) garnered Honorable Mention Preseason All-America honors after enjoying strong rookie campaigns last season. Barrie established himself as one of the top young attackmen in the nation as he scored 23 goals and added eight assists for 31 points. He scored six goals in two NCAA Tournament games and had 11 goals in his last four games. Harrison won 120-of-190 (.632) faceoffs, led the team in ground balls (85) and added nine goals and four assists for 13 points. He won 27-of-42 (.643) faceoffs in two NCAA Tournament games.

Johns Hopkins posted a 12-2 record last season under head coach Dave Pietramala, the 2002 USILA National Coach-of-the-Year. In addition to returning eight starters, the Blue Jays return their top eight scorers from last season and will play seven of their 12 games this season at Homewood Field. Johns Hopkins will open the 2003 season on March 1 at Princeton.

- 30 -