Guilford Welcomes 16 Newcomers for 2011-12 Lacrosse Season

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Second-year head coach Tom Carmean welcomed 16 new student-athletes Guilford College this fall as part of the restoration of the Quakers’ men’s lacrosse team. The class, which includes 12 freshmen and four transfers, represents 13 states and will contribute to a team coming off its best season in 19 years.

The first-year students are:

  Trent Evans          Mid.    RJ Reynolds                  Winston-Salem, NC
  Duncan Fitzgerald    Mid.    Kearsarge Regional HS        North Sutton, NH
  Garrison Goth        Goal    Mt. Hebron                   Ellicott City, MD
  Sam Horacek          Mid.    Littleton HS                 Littleton, CO
  Nick Huckins         Mid.    The Woodlands                Woodlands, TX
  Aaron Knauss         LSM     Carmel HS                    Carmel, IN
  AJ Oliver            Def.    Bridgton Academy             Yarmouth, ME
  Ian Parker           Att.    McIntosh                     Peachtree City, GA
  Justin Przezdziecki  Mid.    Archbishop Moeller           Loveland, OH
  Ben Rosenthal        LSM     Redwood                      Larkspur, CA
  Juquan Tellis        Mid.    George Washington Carver     Birmingham, AL
  Chandler Zirkle      Att.    East Chapel Hill             Chapel Hill, NC

Evans, a 5-10, 160-pound midfielder, played in the 2011 NC Great 38 All-Star Game after helping his RJ Reynolds High School team to a conference championship. Evans earned all-conference recognition and also lettered with the cross country team. He has been named a Bonner Scholar at Guilford and will participate in many community service activities.

Fitzgerald, a 5-11, 203-pound midfielder, earned first-team all-state recognition for Kearsarge Regional High School after compiling over 90 pts as a senior. He helped his team reach the 2011 state semifinals. Fitzgerald was also an accomplished scholastic golfer and active with youth lacrosse programs.

Goth, a six-foot, 185-pound goalie, started two seasons between the pipes for Mt. Hebron High School and helped his team deep into the playoffs both years. Goth was selected as a scholar athlete in his final three years at Mt. Hebron and also competed on the school’s football team as an offensive lineman.

Horacek, a 6-1, 180-pound midfielder, comes to Guilford after a solid career at Littleton High School. He registered over 20 points in his shortened senior season and garnered first-team all-conference accolades. A 2011 team captain, he earned four lacrosse letters and was a four-year member of the school’s honor roll.

Huckins, a 6-1 200-pound defender, earned all-state honors for The Woodlands School as a senior. The team captain accumulated 66 ground balls and led his team in caused turnovers. A three-year lacrosse letter winner, Huckins also excelled on the football field as a three-year letter-winning linebacker. He also was selected as the Rotary Student of the Year in 2011.

Knauss, a 6-3, 190-pound long-stick midfielder, wrapped up a successful high school career by helping perennial powerhouse Carmel High School to the Indiana state championship. Knauss helped the team to a 14-1 record. He also was active as a hockey player for three years.

Oliver, a 6-2, 215-pound defender, comes to Guilford from Bridgton Academy where he was a team captain and first-team all-conference selection. A three-sport standout at Yarmouth High School, Oliver is also a reserve goalie on the Quakers’ men’s soccer team.

Parker, a 5-11, 165-pound attackman, led McIntosh High School deep into the state playoffs for a fourth consecutive season last spring. He was an all-state honoree after scoring a school-record 83 goals. A team captain, Parker collected was named his team’s Offensive Most Valuable Player. As a junior he set the school record for goals in a game and helped McIntosh to a berth in the state quarterfinals.

Przezdziecki, a 5-10, 180-pound midfielder, helped Archbishop Moeller reach the Ohio state semifinals last spring and won the team’s Service Award. A four-year member of the school’s honor roll, he earned two varsity lacrosse letters.

Rosenthal, 6-2, 190-pound long-stick midfielder, overcame a season-ending knee injury to earn First Team All-MCAL recognition for the second straight season. He was named Redwood High School’s 2011 Defensive Player of the Year and won the school’s Most Inspirational Athlete Award. The four-year lacrosse letter winner also played basketball for three years and is an award-winning writer.

Tellis, a 5-9, 150-pound midfielder enjoyed a prolific high school career on the football and lacrosse fields of Birmingham, Ala., and was a four-year letter winner in both sports. As a senior he was selected to the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star team, the Alabama All-State team (for the third time), and named George Washington Carver High School’s Mr. Athlete. Tellis won both offensive and defensive team MVP honors in football and was a four-year letter winner in both On the gridiron he earned the team’s offensive and defensive MVP awards. Tellis also served with Habitat for Humanity and worked with tornado victims in Alabama and Mississippi.

Zirkle, a six-foot, 185-pound attackman, joined Evans in the 2011 NC Great 38 All-Star Game after a senior year in which captained East Chapel Hill High School to a state title game. One of the most prolific scholastic scorers in the United States, he not only led his team scoring, but also in ground balls. Zirkle graduated with school records for assists in a career, season and game, as well as points in a game. He was a conference player of the year and a second team all-state selection. Zirkle, whose parents both attended Guilford, also lettered three times with East Chapel Hill’s football team and was a team captain.

In addition to the talented class of freshmen, the Quakers welcome four transfers to the 2011-12 unit:

  Thomas Deane           Goal    Ladue                        St. Louis, MO
  Jess Rogers            Mid.    North Carroll                Hampstead, MD       
  Kyle Smith             Mid.    Manhasset                    Manhasset, NY
  Jordan Vittner         Goal    New Hampton School           Meredith, NH

Deane, a 6-1, 200-pound goalie, comes to Guilford following an injury-shortened freshman season at Ohio Wesleyan University. As a senior at Ladue High School he led his team to the Missouri state championship and a 16-1 record. He was three-time first-team all-state and two-time all-conference honoree. Deane graduated as Ladue’s all-time leader in wins, saves and shutouts. He was also a two-time all-conference football player.

Rogers, a 6-3, 205-pound midfielder, spent his first two seasons at Messiah College. He redshirted his freshman year and contributed 13 points in 2011 as a midfielder and member of the extra-man unit. At North Carroll High School he was a team captain and garnered all-county and all-conference honors. Rogers also an all-county football player who captained the team and earned four varsity letters. A member of the National Honor Society, he was named to North Carroll’s honor roll four times.

Smith, a 6-4, 200-pound midfielder, joins the Quakers following two seasons at CW Post University where he played two football seasons as a tight end. While playing lacrosse for Manhasset High School, he played for the 2009 New York Class C state champions. Smith captained his high school football team and earned all-county and All-Long Island recognition. He was also an all-star member of the basketball team.

Vittner, a 5-11, 185-opund goaltender, started three seasons for the New Hampton School. He finished his senior year with a 5.48 goals against average, a .700 save percentage and won his team’s defensive player of the year award. Vittner spent 14 years playing ice hockey and has been very active in the Meredith, N.H. Parks & Recreation Department as a youth coach.

The sizable class of newcomers hopes to continue the progress made in Carmean’s first season when the Quakers finished 9-7, the program’s best season in 19 years. The newcomers will be on display Oct. 8 when the Quakers play in the “Battle of the Boro” at the Smith High School Fields in Greensboro. Guilford kicks off the 2012 regular season Feb. 13 at home vs. Shorter University.