In 2005, the Friars look forward to competing for their second-straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament Championship. In a league race that is expected to go down to the wire, the Friars have been chosen as the preseason favorite, along with Marist, to win the MAAC title. Providence and Marist each recorded 67 points to take top honors in the preseason poll. Mount St. Mary's (64 points) and Manhattan (63 points) were chosen to finish third and fourth, respectively.

"It is going to be a scramble for the league title," said seventh-year Friar Head Coach Chris Burdick. "All nine teams in the league have the ability to compete for the championship. From top to bottom, it's too close to call. Every league game is going to be important. There really isn't a team that anyone can take for granted."

The Friars return a host of talented players from last year's roster, but also realize they have some large shoes to fill on the defensive end of the field. Providence lost five key players to graduation in 2004, including three-time MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and All-MAAC First-Team selection Brian O'Rorke. O'Rorke and classmate Ben Brown, were four-year starters in Burdick's defensive scheme. Each brought an imposing physical presence to the field and each were able to defend the opponents' most dangerous attackers. Kevin Kornobis, Troy Moore and Roland Ostapoff also will be missed. Kornobis finished his career at Providence with 70 points on 47 goals and 23 assists. Moore started for the Friars last season in the offensive midfield and registered three groundballs. Ostapoff played a big role for the Friars during face offs as a long stick midfielder on the wing. He finished his career with 77 groundballs.

Look for senior goaltender Andrew McMinn (Pittsburgh, Pa.) to take control of the Friar defense in 2005. McMinn, an All-MAAC Second-Team honoree in 2004 and MAAC All-Tournament selection in 2004, owns an impressive 7.41 career goals against average. He also has a career save percentage of 0.587. Last year, McMinn completed the season ranked 11th in the nation in goals against average (7.99). McMinn has been solid for the Friars between the pipes in conference action, with a 12-2 career mark against MAAC opponents. The Friars also will rely on sophomore James Courter (Lincoln Park, N.J.) to step up on "D". Courter is expected to bring leadership to the unit as a team captain in his second year with the program. At 6-feet 5-inches tall, he is athletic and will likely draw the oppositions' top scorer.

Providence returns its top four scorers from a year ago, led by senior Dan Giuntini (Floral Park, N.Y.) who was chosen by the league's coaches to share MAAC Preseason Player of the Year honors with Marist's Keith Detelj. Giuntini finished the 2004 campaign with a team-best 35 points on 29 goals and six assists. He earned All-MAAC First-Team honors last year for the second time in his career. Sophomore Brendan Ryan (Chatham, N.J.) tallied 25 points in his first season of collegiate lacrosse on five goals and a team-leading 20 assists. Junior Tom Kelly (Henniker, N.H.) and senior Jonathan Hollister (Longmeadow, Mass.) finished the 2004 season third and fourth among their teammates in scoring, respectively. Kelly notched 18 goals and five assists for 23 points. Hollister, an All-MAAC Second-Team selection in 2004, joined Giuntini on the 2005 Preseason All-MAAC Team. He netted 12 goals and handed out nine assists for 21 points a year ago.

Providence should be strong at the face-off "X" with the return of senior face-off specialist Mark Rotella (Smithtown, N.Y.). Rotella, a second-year team captain, has won 365-of-662 face-off opportunities in his career. In 2004, Rotella finished the year ranked 10th in the nation with a 0.548 face-off percentage (137-250) and became the first Friar lacrosse player to earn Most Valuable Player recognition at the MAAC Championship in 2004.

These are just a few of the key returners expected to be in the line-up in 2005. Fourteen newcomers also join the team, in what is expected to be another exciting season of Friar lacrosse.

ATTACK Returning to the line-up at attack this season are Hollister, Ryan and senior Sean Kirwan (Drexel Hill, Pa.). The Friars add newcomers Devin McBride (Marblehead, Mass.), Justin Pavlecka (Waldwick, N.J.), Colin Reposa (East Falmouth, Mass.), Bennett Murphy (Princeton, N.J.) and Ryan Nixon (Wyckoff, N.J.). Kirwan finished the 2004 season with 13 goals. He has played a key role on the extra man unit and will start at attack for the second-straight season. McBride is big, strong and athletic and is expected to impact the line-up in his first season with the team. He has the ability to dodge and create offense for others, yet he also can create scoring opportunities for himself. Pavlecka is developing his game after making the transition from midfield to attack. Reposa is a "blue collar worker", who continues to develop his skill level. He is expected to make an impact in the line-up at some point during the season. Murphy has good strength. He also has a good understanding of how the game should be played - and plays it intelligently. Nixon is the younger brother of Friar second-year player, Sean Nixon (Wyckoff, N.J.). He is expected to add depth to PC's attack.

MIDFIELD Giuntini headlines the Friar midfield along with seven returning players and two first-year players on the roster. The returning players in the Friar midfield are Kelly, Mark Seyer (Kirkwood, Mo.), Mark Bundra (Winnetka, Ill.), Mark Dillon (Gaithersburg, Md.), Sean Nixon (Wyckoff, N.J.) and Jason Trout (Lutherville, Md.). Seyer connected on 12 goals in 2004 during his second season with the program. Bundra will play offensive and defensive midfield for the Friars. Last season he scored 14 points on 11 goals and three assists. Dillon played just five games as a freshman because of an injury, and scored three goals. Burdick believes he is the most improved player heading into the season, and has brought his game to a new level. Nixon brings good speed to the midfield position. He took just two shots last season and scored on both attempts. Trout was selected as an assistant captain in 2005. He played two games as a freshman in 2004.

Joining the midfield as first-year players are sophomore Henry Pynchon (Ipswich, Mass.) and freshman Robert Lamontagne (Pittsford, Mass.). Pynchon missed the entire 2004 season with an injury. Pynchon is a very good shooter who will add a lot of scoring to the midfield attack. Lamontagne, a high school All-American, has great open-field speed and excellent shot placement.

Joining Rotella in the midfield at the face-off "X" will be returners Thomas Wenskus (East Islip, N.Y.) and Tom Ingle (Charlton, Mass.). Both of these players will have an impact on face-offs and will help to keep Rotella fresh. Wenskus won four-of-16 face-offs as a freshman in limited action in 2004. Ingle played just three games for PC and battled injury for the majority of the season. Burdick expects Wenskus and Ingle to push Rotella everyday out on the field. The three face-off men each bring a different skill set and technique to the face-off "X" that will be valuable to the team when evaluating the opposing face-off man, giving the Friars several different options to be successful. Adding depth at the face-off position are Michael Santomero (Kent, Conn.), AJ Bergmann (Oakton, Va.) and Patrick Molloy (Oak Hill, Va.).

DEFENSE Joining Courter in the Friar defense are seven returners and five newcomers. Seniors John Pynchon (Ipswich, Mass.) and Patrick Hoey (Garden City, N.Y.) will bring veteran leadership to the field. Pynchon returns to the line-up after missing most of the 2004 campaign with an injury. He also was nominated as team captain for the second-straight season, and Burdick says he is the heart and soul of the team. Hoey played 10 games for PC last season. Also returning from last season are juniors Ryan Martin (Arlington, Mass.), Liam Smith (Islip, N.Y.), Steve Gerry (Groton, Conn.) and sophomores Pat James (Lansdale, Pa.) and Chris Chalke (Auburn, Maine). Martin is making the transition from midfield to defense and could see considerable playing time this season. He played five games in 2004. Smith played 14 games for PC, with seven appearances in the starting line-up and picked up 20 groundballs. Gerry appeared in three games last season, while James and Chalke played two games and 13 games, respectively.

Joining the defense in their first season with the program are Ben Johnston (Branford, Conn.), Brian Duffy (Concord, Mass.), John-Paul DiMartino (Dix Hills, N.Y.), Ryan Donnelly (Vienna, Va.) and Ryan Mahoney (Narragansett, R.I.). Johnston is a strong athletic player making the transition from attack to defense. He has a big range and is extremely quick for his size. Burdick believes that Duffy, in his first season with the team, is an All-MAAC caliber player who could compete for Rookie of the Year honors in the league. On the field he plays the game with a high level of intelligence and athleticism, which is rare at even the highest level of Division I lacrosse. DiMartino, who has great quickness, is learning a new style of lacrosse and is adapting to the defense. His learning curve in the process will ultimately determine how much of an impact he will have in his first year. Donnelly has good work ethic, size and athleticism. He will challenge for time as the season progresses. Mahoney will add depth to the defensive unit in his first season.

GOALKEEPERS Joining McMinn between the pipes are two returning players in Ron Westgate (Forestdale, Mass.) and Peter Littell (Upper Montclair, N.J.). Each saw time during the 2004 season. Westgate, a team captain this season, appeared in four games and posted a 0.581 save percentage. Littell played five games, including two starts. He recorded a 3.75 goals against average and a 0.769 save percentage before getting sidelined with an injury for the remainder of the season. The experience of each goaltender will provide a veteran presence to a young defensive squad.