May 1, 2008

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Several members of the Providence College men's lacrosse team were honored at the annual Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men's Lacrosse Championship banquet on Thursday, May 1 in Loudonville, N.Y. Headlining the Friars' list of individual achievements were senior defenseman Ben Johnston (Branford, Conn.) and 10th-year Head Coach Chris Burdick. Johnston was tabbed MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, while Burdick earned Anaconda Sports Coach of the Year honors.

In addition to Johnston and Burdick bringing home two of the league's major awards, six Friars earned All-MAAC honors. Graduate student Mark Dillon (Gaithersburg, Md.) and Johnston were named to the All-MAAC First Team. Graduate student Bennett Murphy (Princeton, N.J.), sophomore Jackson Fallon (Arlington, Mass.), senior Dylan Cox (Newbury, Mass.) and sophomore Ryan Riedl (Winchester, Mass.) were each selected to the All-MAAC Second Team. Each player earned post-season honors for the first time in their career.

A Providence defenseman has earned MAAC Defensive Player of the Year honors five of the last seven years, putting Johnston among familiar company. Former Friar Brian O'Rorke `04 earned the honor three-straight seasons from 2002 to 2004, while James Courter `07 took home the award last season (2007). Johnston helped to anchor the Friar defense in 2008, typically responsible for the opposing team's top offensive threat. He played a significant role in the Friars' No. 1 ranking among NCAA Division I lacrosse programs in scoring defense (6.13 goals allowed per game), and picked up 15 groundballs on the year. Johnston also was named to the All-MAAC First Team for his performance in 2008.

Burdick, earns MAAC Coach of the Year for the first time in his career. In 2008, he led the Friars to a share of the MAAC Regular-Season title and the No. 1 seed in the league tournament. It marks the fourth regular-season title overall for the Friars under the direction of Burdick, in addition to three MAAC Tournament titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances. He guided the Friars to a 7-1 record in MAAC regular-season action in 2008 and holds an impressive 54-27 mark all-time in MAAC play. Burdick also is 6-4 all-time in MAAC Tournament play, including a streak of four-straight wins dating back to the 2006 season. The Friars' seven victories in league play this season ties a program record. Providence also posted 7-1 records in MAAC action during the 2003 and 2005 campaigns.

Dillon returned to the field after missing the 2007 season with an injury. In doing so, he posted single-season career highs in points (23), goals (16) and assists (seven). He also netted one game-winning goal and two man-up goals on the season. Dillon posted at least one point in 12 of the 13 games he has played this season. He recorded a career-high six points on four goals and two assists in a 10-5 victory over Mount St. Mary's on April 5. Dillon registered five multiple-point games during the regular-season schedule.

Murphy, also finishing his eligibility as a graduate student, completed the regular-season ranked first on the team in scoring (34 points), goals (21) and assists (13). Four of his 21 goals came during man-up situations. He has recorded at least one point in each of Providence's last 13 games and has posted two-or-more goals in six games, including each of the last four contests. On April 23, he posted a season-high five points against Wagner with three goals and two assists. He went on to lead the Friars to an 11-5 victory over Canisius in the regular-season finale on April 26 with four points on two goals and two assists.

Fallon has scored at least one point in 12 of the Friars' 14 games this season, including a streak of nine-straight heading into the MAAC Tournament. He tallied a single-season career high of 20 points in 2008 on 13 goals and seven assists. He currently owns a team-best six, man-up goals on the year. Fallon led the Friars in man-up goals as a rookie in 2007 (six). On March 15 he registered a career-high four points in a 12-4 victory over Manhattan with two goals and two assists. He scored four points for the second time this season in a 10-5 victory over Mount St. Mary's on April 5 with a season-high three goals and one assist.

Cox and Riedl, who join Johnston in the defense, anchor an imposing unit for the Friars. Cox is in the midst of his second season with the Friars after playing two years of ice hockey at PC. In 14 games, he has picked up 25 groundballs and owns 57 in his career. He tallied his first collegiate point on an assist in a 12-3 victory over Wagner on April 23.

Riedl owns a single-season career high of 23 groundballs this season through 14 games. He scored his first collegiate point in a 12-5 victory over VMI on March 22. The goal came off the only shot attempt of his collegiate career.

Johnston, Cox and Riedl combine to mark the most defenseman to be named All-MAAC in a single season in Friar history. Providence's six All-MAAC selections overall also mark the most in program history for the Friars.

In addition to PC's six All-MAAC selections, several Friars were named to the 2008 MAAC All-Academic Team for their performance in the classroom. Murphy, Dillon and fellow graduate student Henry Pynchon (Ipswich, Mass.) each earned the honor for their course performance as grad students in the MBA program. Joining the trio as undergraduates are senior Colin Reposa (East Falmouth, Mass.), sophomore Ryan Vermette (Topsham, Maine) and junior Joe Watkins (Ocala, Fla.).

The Friars enter the 2008 MAAC Men's Lacrosse Tournament as the No. 1 seed and will face No. 4 seed VMI in the semifinals on May 2 in Loudonville, N.Y. on the campus of Siena College. Game time is set for Noon. In the second semifinal game, scheduled for 3:00 p.m., No. 2 Canisius will face No. 3 Manhattan. The winner of each semifinal game will advance to the MAAC Championship game scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 4 in Loudonville, N.Y. Providence and Canisius each claimed a share of the 2008 MAAC Regular-Season title. It marks the fourth regular-season league title overall for the Friars since joining the league in 1996. Providence also has won three of the last four MAAC Tournament titles, including each of the last two.

- FRIARS -