Men's Lacrosse Battles to an Even Record
May 18, 2000
The Randolph-Macon men's lacrosse team finished the season at 7-7 overall
and 1-5 in the ODAC. This marked the fourth-consecutive season, all under
head coach Jim Woodcock, that the Yellow Jackets have finished
with at least a .500 record. That stretch ties the longest in the program's
history since joining the ODAC in 1981, equaling the four-year stretch
from 1991-1994.
The team graduates seven seniors from this season, but will be returning
its leading scorer from 2000. Junior Hugh Purvis (Hunt Valley, Md./Calvert
Hall) led the team this season with 28 goals and 32 assists for a
total of 60 points and average of 4.62 per game. Purvis led the team in
all four categories and finished among the top-5 in ground balls. Purvis
finished second in the conference in scoring and assists (2.46 per game)
while placing seventh in goals (2.15 per game).
For the first time since 1983, the team had a freshman named First-Team
All-conference. Raph McNevin (Landsdowne, Pa./Malvern Prep) becomes
the first freshman since Ryland Chapman, a midfielder on the 1983 Yellow
Jackets, to earn an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) First-Team
honor.
McNevin, the sixth Randolph-Macon defenseman chosen all-time, is also
the first to be selected to both the conference's annual teams and earn
a place on the First-Team since Dek Bowen was selected back in 1991. The
school's six selections on defense join the midfield in garnering the
most selections to the All-ODAC team in the 20-year history of the league.
The freshman played in and started all 14 games this season for Randolph-Macon.
He tallied 48 ground balls from his defensive position and one assist.
An aggressive defender, McNevin led the team in takeaways this season
while also leading the team in penalties and penalty minutes.
The team must overcome its performance in conference games as the team
finished 1-5 in the ODAC for the fourth time in six years. The ODAC is
arguably the toughest conference in Division III men's lacrosse as five
of the seven teams were ranked in the nation's top-20 at some point this
spring. Despite its in-conference woes, the team continues to dominate
other non-conference opponents on its schedule. This season, the team
went 6-2 against team outside of the ODAC. Since Woodcock's first season
in 1997, Randolph-Macon has lost just seven non-conference games in four
seasons, totaling a mark of 27-7 in 34 contests.
However, next season, Woodcock must replace four of his top-seven scorers
from this season as seniors Bryan Casey (Baltimore, Md./Boys' Latin),
Henry Johnsen (Laurel, Md./Glenelg), Bryan Lambert (Lutherville,
Md./Towson) and Jim Graham (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) all
graduate. Casey was second on the team in scoring at 1.93 points per game
and was second in goals (19). Johnsen average 1.57 points per game and
was second on the team in assists (15) while Lambert was third in goals
(17) and fourth in scoring at 1.43 points per game. Captain Jim Graham
averaged 1.14 points per game while finishing third on the team in ground
balls (49).
In addition to the return of Purvis, head coach Jim Woodcock will have
the benefit of returnees Hunter Price (Charlottesville, Va./W. Albemarle)
and Rick Fegan (Gaithersburg, Md./Georgetown Prep). Price, a freshman
this past season, was fifth on the team in scoring, totaling 19 points
on 12 goals and seven assists as Fegan, a sophomore, was behind in sixth,
tallying 18 points on 14 goals and four assists.
Randolph-Macon will also return its top goalie from a year ago in freshman
F.J. Federico (Phoenix, Md./Boys' Latin). Federico led the team
with 368 minutes played, 85 saves, a .578 saves percentage and a 10.11
goals against average.