Lees-McRae, Mars Hill Announce Early Lacrosse Signees
November 21, 2005

Courtesy Lees-McRae College, Mars Hill College Sports Information Offices

Both Lees-McRae and Mars Hill have announced lists of signees who will be playing lacrosse for these schools. Their releases are below.

Lees-McRae Signs Five Early
Lees-McRae College Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Matt Edmunds announced the addition of five players to the 2007 Bobcats lacrosse program, the first group of student-athletes Coach Edmunds has brought in while at the helm of his alma mater. Defenders Matt Ciotti (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Catholic), Dane Robinson (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Catholic), attack/midfielder Jack Pearl (Richmond Hill, GA / Richmond Hill), Goalie Shane Sheppard (Alpharetta, GA / Saint Francis), and attackman Forrest Dorsey (Parker, CO / Chaparral) all signed the National Letter of Intent during the NCAA early sign period, committing to play collegiate lacrosse for the Bobcats.

Ciotti, a 5’11” defender has been a member of the Charlotte Catholic Varsity team since his sophomore year and has started since his junior year. In 2005 he was a member of the team that won the North Carolina state championships and was also a nose guard/linebacker the football team that were state champions in 2004.

“Matt’s enthusiasm and ability will be a great asset to our team next year, and he will make an impact immediately, he is an extremely focused player,” commented Edmunds.

Robinson, a 5”11” midfielder has been a member of Charlotte Catholics varsity team for the past two years after completing two years on the JV. Along with Ciotti, Robinson was a member of the team that won the state championships in 2005. Robinson is planning on majoring in Business or Spanish here at Lees-McRae.

“Dane is a midfielder that will make an impact here at Lees-McRae. His ability and leadership will be noticed amongst the ranks as he steps in to become a great asset to our program at both ends of the field, said Coach Edmunds.

Pearl, a 6’5” attack/midfielder who has been playing lacrosse for seven years and is a member of the Savannah Lacrosse Club. In 2005 he was named Offensive Player of the Year and is currently playing for Team Palmetto at numerous tournaments around the country.

“Jack brings size and speed to our offensive unit and he will be a great addition to our team on and off the field. He is very enthusiastic, has a lot of talent and has the potential to become a great player within our team and our conference,” stated Coach Edmunds

Sheppard, a 5’8” goalie has been an avid lacrosse player for seven years and has been a starter for Saint Francis for the past three years as well as being nominated captain for the 2005-06 season. He has also been the head student trainer for Saint Francis for several years, gaining experience as he looks to pursue a degree in athletic training while attending Lees-McRae.

“Shane is a very passionate lacrosse player who brings a lot of attributes that will make him a very good collegiate goalie. Shane has the ability to be a great leader and will be competing for the starting spot straight away,” remarked Coach Edmunds.

Dorsey, a 6’2” attackman has been a member of the Chaparral Lacrosse team for the past four years as well as lettering in Cross Country. In 2004 he was awarded honorable mention in his conference and was voted as the MVP for the 11th annual warrior jamboree.

“After the first time I met Forrest I knew we had to pursue and recruit him, not just because of his lacrosse ability but because of his character and enthusiasm. His stick skills are good and he will add both balance and depth to our attack unit,” said Edmunds

“These five players are going to have the chance to help push this program in the right direction immediately. They are not just good lacrosse players but they are great student athletes and it has been a pleasure recruiting them over the past several months. It will be an even greater pleasure coaching them over the next four years. Right now the team has a solid foundation for the makings of a good collegiate program. Adding these players is a step in the right direction for our program and indicative of where both the athletic department and the institution are headed.”

Lees-McRae currently has fourteen freshmen on its roster, and will graduate only two seniors, captains Jason Walker and Brad Dunn. Coach Edmunds will begin his tenure at his alma mater, the first Lees-McRae lacrosse alumni to do so, on the road where they face the Knights of St Andrews College on February 18 at 2pm.

Mars Hills Announces Signee List
MARS HILL NC. — Mars Hill College Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Brian Anken has announced the signing of five standout High School student athletes. Steven Henz, Andrew Hewett, George Hastings, Brent Burlingham and Ben Lynch, have all signed National Letters of Intent to continue their education and play lacrosse at Mars Hill College beginning in the fall of 2006.

“We are very excited about the five players who have committed to the Mars Hill Lacrosse Program,” Anken said. “I feel this group will help add depth and talent to our young team. We currently have only three seniors and one junior on the roster. This class is represented by student-athletes that have the potential to become impact players early in their career.”

Steven Henz (Shoreham, NY.) – Steven is a 6-1, 175-pound attackman from Shoreham Wading River High School in NY. Steven is a versatile attackman who has tremendous field presence and awareness. In 2005 he played both attack and midfield and finished the season with 11 goals and 5 assists. Shoreham Wading River H.S. is coached by Tom Rotanz and finished the 2005 season as the Suffolk County Champions.

Andrew Hewett (Lexington, VA.) — Andrew is a 6-1, 200-pound defenseman from Rockbridge County High School in VA. Andrew is a strong and athletic defenseman who will be expected to create an immediate presence on the Lions defensive unit. He was named to the All-District Team as a sophomore and a junior. Rockbridge County H.S. is coached by Seth Goodhart and finished the 2005 season with an 8-5 record.

George Hastings (Severn, MD.) — George is a 5-11, 180-pound attackman from Old Mill High School in MD. George will bring great dodging and finishing ability to our attack corps. He was named team captain and finished the 2005 season with 4 goals and 5 assists. Old Mill High School is coached by Steve Spence and finished the 2005 season with an 8-6 record.

Brent Burlingham (Fountain Inn, SC.) – Brent is a 6-0, 155-pound midfielder from Hillcrest High School in SC. Brent brings an elevated level of strength and speed to our midfield unit. He is coming off an exceptional junior campaign and is expected to be a top offensive producer this season. Hillcrest High School is a new program coached by RJ Ramgopal.

Ben Lynch (Binghamton, NY.) — Ben is a 5-9, 170-pound defenseman from Binghamton High School in NY. Ben is a quick and tenacious defenseman who has the ability to create offense every time he clears the ball. In 2005 he was recognized as a First Team All-League defenseman and finished the season with 2 goals and 1 assist. Binghamton H.S. is coached by Scott Faulkner and finished the 2005 season with a 14-6 record.

MHC Head Coach Brian Anken states:

"I am extremely excited about the athleticism and skill of this recruiting class. We have been very active throughout the recruiting process to bring in another class of top quality student-athletes. Every member of this class will easily make the transition into our system and are expected to compete for playing time immediately."