Men's Lacrosse 2/24/2016 1:20:00 PM Chris Myers

Cardinals Men’s Lacrosse Prepared for ECAC Title Push

2016 WJU Schedule
2016 WJU Roster
2015 WJU Season Stats
WHEELING, W.Va. – A new director and a talented Wheeling Jesuit men's lacrosse team are prepared for a 2016 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II title push.

In his first year at the helm, head coach Landon DelPrince has his inaugural Cardinals squad ready for the rugged ECAC league. The 2016 WJU team has an All-ECAC trio of sophomore attackmen Matt Lee and Dereck Downs and senior midfielder Bryce Brochu set to lead the way.

For his inaugural year, DelPrince will also have the experience of his senior captains Brochu (Welland, Ontario), Luke Gilman (Annapolis, Md.), Troy Mendenhall (Great Mills, Md.) and Zach Crabtree (Liberty, Ohio) as lineup anchors.

The four team captains, All-ECAC Cardinals and their teammates aim to take their new coach back to the ECAC playoffs this spring. WJU comes off an 8-6 campaign, including one-goal losses to both ECAC champion Lake Erie College and ECAC Tournament team Mercyhurst.

The Cardinals will need to return to the double-digit win plateau this season to qualify for the ECAC Tournament field. WJU registered back-to-back 10-plus win seasons in both 2014 (10-3), which it qualified for the ECAC Tournament, and 2013 (11-6).

The 2016 WJU road, though, will be far from an easy one to navigate. The Cardinals have no less than six of their 12 scheduled matches against United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA)/NIKE DII Coaches Poll Top 20 ranked teams.

WJU opens its docket with three of the half dozen ranked opponents on its schedule. The Cardinals, who are receiving votes in the USILA poll, travel to No. 19 Molloy College (Feb. 27) in the season opener, host No. 11 Mercyhurst (Mar. 5) and a neutral-site match in Baltimore against No. 13 Florida Tech (Mar.7) to start the year. In the middle of the season, Wheeling Jesuit makes the long trek to No. 9 Lindenwood (Mar. 19), before it finishes the campaign at both No. 8 Seton Hill (April 23) and No. 9 Lake Erie College (May 1).

The Cardinals' three All-ECAC performers – Lee, Downs and Brochu – bring 93 goals and 133 points back to the lineup. Sophomore Lee earned both All-ECAC First Team and All-Rookie Team acclaim in his first season. The Toronto, Ontario native led WJU in scoring with 51 points and 15 assists, while second in both goals (36) and shots (78).

Sophomore All-ECAC Second Team and All-Rookie Team Downs also from Toronto, Ontario gives a strong attack duo. Downs topped the Cardinals in goals scored (37) and shots (96). He also was second to Lee in points with 49 and third in assists (12).

Brochu and sophomore Sam Horning pace the team's midfielder crew. Brochu, a senior from Welland, Ontario, has averaged 23 goals and 52.7 points per season over his three years. The top midfielder received All-ECAC Second Team status as he had 16 goals, 14 assists and 30 points last spring.

Horning garnered ECAC All-Rookie Team honors. The sophomore from Colorado Springs, Colo., contributed 11 goals and an assist in the 12 matches during his first year.

On the backline, WJU will have ECAC All-Rookie Team member Scotty Gwyn and third-year starter Jack Brandenburg leading the way. Gwyn of Sykesville, Md., will handle the long stick defensive duties, while Brandenburg (Lothian, Md.) caused 10 turnovers and scooped 16 ground balls a year ago.

DelPrince has his trio of goalies – sophomores Collin Smith (Plymouth, Mich.) and Jake Lilly (Marcellus, N.Y.) and junior Kellen McMahon (Annapolis, Md.) – as the last line of defense.

Smith started 10 of the 14 matches and logged 567 minutes in net. He recorded 98 saves, a .524 save percentage and a 9.41 goals against average.

Lilly had the four other match starts last season and finished with over 210 minutes at goal. He saved 41 shots with a .621 save percentage and a strong 7.12 GAA. McMahon saw 61 minutes over six matches where he had 10 saves.

With all of the quality talent dotting the lineup and roster, DelPrince has his Cardinals primed for a strong push at an ECAC Tournament return.

-GoCards-

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Players Mentioned

#30 Jack Brandenburg: D; 6' 1"; Junior

#22 Bryce Brochu: M; 6' 2"; Senior

#15 Zach Crabtree: LSM; 6' 2"; Senior

#24 Dereck Downs: A; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#6 Luke Gilman: M; 6' 0"; Senior

#21 Scotty Gwyn: LSM; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#11 Sam Horning: M; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#14 Matt Lee: A; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#12 Jake Lilly: G; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#17 Kellen McMahon: G; 5' 9"; Junior

#39 Troy Mendenhall: D; 6' 0"; Senior

#46 Collin Smith: G; 5' 11"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#30 Jack Brandenburg
: 6' 1"; Junior
: D

#22 Bryce Brochu
: 6' 2"; Senior
: M

#15 Zach Crabtree
: 6' 2"; Senior
: LSM

#24 Dereck Downs
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: A

#6 Luke Gilman
: 6' 0"; Senior
: M

#21 Scotty Gwyn
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: LSM

#11 Sam Horning
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: M

#14 Matt Lee
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: A

#12 Jake Lilly
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: G

#17 Kellen McMahon
: 5' 9"; Junior
: G

#39 Troy Mendenhall
: 6' 0"; Senior
: D

#46 Collin Smith
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: G