Denver Men’s Lacrosse Team Introduces New Signees
Pioneers Add 11 for 2008, including three Coloradans
DENVER – University of Denver men’s lacrosse head coach Jamie Munro announced that 11 players have recently signed National Letters of Intent and will join the Pioneers in 2008.
Midfielder Tyler Morton of Kent Denver and attackman Ryan Driver and midfielder Dane Mueller of Cherry Creek High School are the three newcomers from Colorado. Joining them are attackman Colby Rhodes (La Jolla, Calif.), defensemen Jeff Brown (Cohasset, Ma.) and Brendan DeBlois (East Greenwhich, R.I.). Emerson Eichler (New Vernon, N.J.) and Alex Drexler (New Canaan, Conn.) will vie for playing time at midfield. William Lawson (Dallas, Texas), midfielder, and attackman Ryan Fanning (Dallas, Texas) will come to Denver from Highland Park High School.
The 2007 DU lacrosse season kicks off Feb. 17, 2007 against Penn State in State College, Pa. The Pioneers are ranked 14th by Inside Lacrosse entering the season.
Jeff Brown – Defense, Cohasset, Mass., Cohasset High School, 6-3, 195 – A four-year starter at Cohasset High School, Brown will serve as team captain his senior season. His team won the Massachusetts state championship in 2006 and was runner-up in 2005. Brown was also named to the 2006 All-Scholastic teams for the Patriot Ledge and the Cohasset Mariner. Brown also a starts on his high school football team at free safety and basketball team at forward.
Coach Munro on Brown – “Jeff Brown is a very rangy, athletic, left-handed defenseman who will fit perfectly into our style of defense and transition.”
Alex Drexler – Midfield, New Canaan High School, New Canaan, Conn., 6-2, 210 – Drexler has received three varsity letters in lacrosse and football, and two in basketball. Drexler started at New Canaan High school as a sophomore but did not play lacrosse his junior season because of an injury after having. He was named first-team all-conference and second team all-state football honors in his junior year at wide receiver and defensive end.
Coach Munro on Drexler – “Alex is a powerful athlete with speed and skills who comes from a great program in New Canaan. He has what it takes to develop into a force in Division I.”
Ryan Driver – Attack, Centennial, Colo., Cherry Creek High School, 5-11, 170 – Driver is a four-year letterwinner in lacrosse at Cheery Creek High School and was a member of the 2005-06 state championship team.
Coach Munro on Driver – “Ryan is a very quick and very slick attackman. He is one of the best playmakers we saw last summer.”
Brendan DeBlois – Defense, Narragansett, R.I., Hotchkiss School, 6-0, 180 – A varsity letterwinner in lacrosse, football and hockey, DeBlois was named first team all-Western New England in 2006 after switching from midfield to defense. DeBlois originally attended Hotchkiss for hockey, has been on the varsity team for three years and is currently serving as the team captain. Brendan also played football in his final year at Hotchkiss starting at outside linebacker and getting a few starts at tight end.
Coach Munro on DeBlois – “Brendan is a very athletic lefthander. His motor never slows. He can run the field and create offense.”
Emerson Eichler – Midfield, New Vernon, N.J., Hotchkiss School, 6-3, 205 – The midfielder, from the Hotchkiss School, has lettered in lacrosse and hockey three times. Eichler also played varsity football his freshman year at Hotchkiss.
Coach Munro on Eichler – “Emerson is a horse. He has skills, great size and athletism that will allow him to have an immediate impact in Division I lacrosse.”
Ryan Fanning – Attack, Dallas, Texas, Highland Park High School, 5-10, 180 – A four year starter at Highland Park High School, Fanning was a member of back-to-back state championships in Highland Park in 2004 and 2005, Fanning has 75 career goals and was named the MVP of the state tournament in 2005. Fanning was named to the Texas All-State team as an attackman in 2006. Fanning is also the starting running back on the HPHS football team that went undefeated on its way to the 2005 championship.
Coach Munro on Fanning – “Ryan is a very explosive athlete with tremendous stick skills. He is skilled enough to play attack and athletic enough for midfield.”
William Lawson – Midfielder, Dallas, Texas, Highland Park High School, 6-0, 180 – Lawson is a three year letter winner at Highland Park High School on the team that won the state championship in 2004 and 2005 and will serve as one of the captains in 2007. Lawson was named an honorable mention on the All-Conference team. William was a member of the Team Texas all-star team that completed in Baltimore and led the team in scoring. Lawson is also a member of the HPHS football team and has 31 receptions for 485 yards and two touchdowns. His football team is currently 26-0 over the last two seasons and won the 2005 championship.
Coach Munro on Lawson – “William is very athletic. He is a player with great speed and will end up being a great go-to-the-goal middie.”
Jamie MacDonald – Defense, Providence, R.I., Salisbury School, 6-1, 185 - Has started at defense at Salisbury School, a team that has been New England co-champions the last two seasons. Macdonald won the Coaches’ Award his junior year. Macdonald is also a leader on the Salisbury football team, leading the team in tackles and interceptions on the way to winning the 2006 New England Championships.
Coach Munro on MacDonald – Jamie is a complete defenseman. He has size, athletism and speed to be a great cover. He has the skills to push the break.
Tyler Morton – Midfielder, Denver, Kent Denver, 6-0, 170 – Morton is a three-time letterwinner at Kent Denver. In 2004 he was part of the state championship team and was a team member on the ’05 runner-up squad. Morton was named to the Honorable Mention all-state team as a sophomore and named to the first-team as a junior. Morton has also a two-time all-league and all-conference midfielder. Morton is played on the Denver Mile High All-Star team for the last two years. Tyler has also served as captain of his high school soccer team and was named to the all-state second team in 2005. Morton was an assistant captain on the 2005-06 Kent hockey team and was selected as an all-state honorable mention.
Coach Munro on Morton – “Tyler is a three sport athlete with tremendous playing making abilities. He can feed, score and make plays with his quickness.”
Dane Mueller, Midfield, Greenwood Village, Colo., Cherry Creek High School, 6-2, 195 – Mueller is a three-time letter winner in both lacrosse and football. In lacrosse, Mueller was selected as first team all-conference and second team all-state in his junior season. The Cherry Creek boys’ lacrosse team won back-to-back state championships in 2005 and 2006. Mueller has received academic honors in both football and lacrosse. Mueller was selected as the outstanding Cherry Creek receiver his freshman year.
Coach Munro on Mueller – “Dane is a powerful, physical player. He can see the field well and will create match-up problems.”
Colby Rhodes, Attack, La Jolla, Calif., The Bishop’s School, 6-3, 200 – Rhodes is a three-year letterwinner and starter at The Bishop’s School. As a freshman Rhodes was tabbed to the all-conference second team and registered 19 goals and 19 assists as his team won the league championship. In his sophomore season Rhodes scored 46 goals and 29 assists, was named first team all-conference and was selected to play with the West Coast Starz. Last season Rhodes scored 25 goals and 12 assists as he was named to the All-Star team at the Sonoma tournament, the NDP Tournament and the Top Star tournament.
Coach Munro on Rhodes – “Colby is a big lefty attackman who can go to the goal, feed an score as well as anyone we saw last summer.”
