Setting the Scene:
The Wittenberg University men's lacrosse team had an up-and-down season thanks to a roster filled with young, inexperienced players. The Tigers finished the season with a 4-9 overall record and a mark of 1-4 in the North Coast Athletic Conference, which was good for fifth place.
Wittenberg started the season with a snowed-out home game against visiting Whittier, and followed that with Spring Break trip losses at Randolph-Macon and Virginia Wesleyan, two traditionally strong Dominion Conference teams. The Tigers came back strong, however, winning four of their next five games by wide margins against Oberlin (twice), Washington & Jefferson and Marietta. The latter game was played at Mariemont High School in Cincinnati in a unique neutral site arrangement.
Unfortunately, the season ended on a down note as the Tigers dropped their last six games, all to NCAC foes (two versus Kenyon, two versus Wooster and two versus Ohio Wesleyan).
All-NCAC:
Senior attacker Dan Patterson (St. Louis, Mo./DeSmet Jesuit) earned first-team All-NCAC honors after leading the team in scoring and serving as team captain. Freshman defender Jonathan Smiley (Worthington, Ohio/Kilbourne) garnered second-team honors in his inaugural collegiate season.
Four Tiger players also made honorable mention All-NCAC: sophomore attacker Trevor Carlson (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington), senior midfielder Ross Mellgren (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Northview), junior midfielder Hans Rydquist (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) and junior goalkeeper Kyle Prussing (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle).
Senior Class:
While the 2003 roster included a lot of youth, it also included several solid veterans who provided great leadership.
Leading the charge was attacker Dan Patterson, who led the team in scoring each and gained All-NCAC mention in each of the last two years, Chris Kothe (Grand Rapids, Mich./East), who lettered two seasons in the Red & White and was a key defensive player for the Tigers in 2003, Spencer Dunning (Terrace Park, Ohio/Mariemont), who started in the midfield the last two years, Wes Enicks (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley), a captain in 2003 and a starter in the midfield, and Ross Mellgren, a 2003 captain, starter in the midfield and All-NCAC choice.
Kyle Prussing has been the main man in goal each of the last two years for the Tigers.
What the Future Holds:
While the five graduating seniors do leave significant holes in the Tiger starting lineup, Head Coach Vinnie Lang is already excited about the future. Five of the team's top six scorers, both of the team's goaltenders and two defensemen who have garnered All-NCAC awards the last two years are all scheduled to return in 2004.
That list is headed by attackers Trevor Carlson, who led the team with 21 goals as a sophomore in 2003, Andy Joly (St. Louis, Mo./DeSmet Jesuit), who ranked third on the team with 25 points in his first collegiate season, and Mike Sweeney (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill), who had 17 points and played more and more as the season went on.
In the midfield, Hans Rydquist has already garnered three letters and scored 18 points his junior year en route to All-NCAC honors. Among the other top returning players in the midfield in 2004 will be Cory Windle (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), who saw extensive action in his freshman season, and Eric Stenholm (Hinsdale, Ill./Central), who has been a key figure in that rotation the last three years.
Defensively, the leaders figure to be Jonathan Smiley, who led the team in ground balls in 2003 and earned second-team all-conference honors, and Jim Kelley (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson), who will be a senior next year and who earned a first-team All-NCAC award in 2002. In addition, Bill Fortune (Grosse Point, Mich./South) has earned letters in his first two seasons as a defender. In goal, Kyle Prussing has been the starter the last two years and he figures to be the starter again next year after garnering an all-conference award in 2003.
The Coach:
Vinnie Lang (Oswego State '88) was named head coach at Wittenberg in 2001 and has compiled a 14-27 record through his first three seasons at the helm. He arrived in Springfield after three seasons at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa. Lang took over midway through the 1998 season and guided the Lakers to a 7-5 record in their final season of Division I lacrosse. The program moved to the Division II level in 1999, and in 2000, the Lakers went 8-3 and finished the season ranked 10th in the nation. Lang played at Oswego State Univesity for four seasons (1984-88), and played for the club lacrosse program at Purdue University for four years. He earned Big 10 midfielder of the year honors from 1992-94. His accomplishments also include second team All-Empire Lacrosse League and team MVP honors at Oswego in 1988.