FSU Begins Fall Practice

[SolidOrange7]

From fsulacrosse.com


Looking to build on last season’s success, the Florida State Men’s Lacrosse team opened fall practice last Thursday in their new field turf facility. 82 players attended the first day of tryouts, including 34 returning players from last year’s Final Four team. The Seminoles have also added two new assistant coaches to help them prepare for their fall schedule.

Among the returning players for the Seminoles are All-Americans DJ Romanchuk (Senior, Attack) and Jeff Goren (Senior, Goalie). Goren was named Team Captain along with Nate McFadden (Junior, Defense), Brian Corrente (Senior, Midfield) and Brad Wilson (Senior Midfield). “We’re fortunate to have great Captains, and a great group of Seniors this year,” said Head Coach Bill Harkins, “and you have to have great Senior leadership if you want to win a National Championship.”

The Seminoles are also excited about a strong recruiting class. Like last year, the Seminoles were able to bring in several transfers, including Erik Jarry (Midfield, Adelphi), Brandon Purcell (Attack, Limestone) and Mike Dowling (Defense, Dowling College). These transfers will be joined by an excellent group of incoming freshmen, including high school All-American Corey Noonan (Midfield, Oveido, FL), All-American Brian Lombard (Midfield, Bishop Moore, FL), Myles Somerville (Defense, Portsmouth Abbey, RI), Stephen Heiman (Goalie, Lake Brantley, FL), AJ Jayson (Goalie, Sewickley, PA), Matt Ferri (Midfield, Weston, FL) and AJ Berzinis (Defense, Lake Mary, FL).

Players were not the only areas where Seminoles have added to their team this off-season, as FSU added two members to their coaching staff. Stryker Buck and John Matzke will join Head Coach Bill Harkins and Assistant Matt Waesche on the Seminole sidelines, and both are drawing praise from the rest of the staff. “It was clear from our first coaches’ meeting this summer that Coach Buck and Coach Matzke were going to be great additions to the Florida State Lacrosse program,” said Coach Waesche.

In addition to new players and coaches, the Seminoles welcomed another addition to their program during the off-season: a new field. Construction on the Seminoles new playing facility was completed earlier this summer. The playing surface is a next generation field turf that is superior to older Astroturf in many ways. The field turf looks and plays more like grass than Astroturf, and drains extremely well. A new lighting system and seating were installed around the field, which will provide an outstanding environment for lacrosse.

The Seminoles will play several games over the next few months in preparation for their spring schedule (which will be released later this fall). The team will enter two split-squad teams at a weekend tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on September 24th and 25th.

On September 30th (8 p.m.), the Seminoles will welcome the Florida State Lacrosse Alumni back to Tallahassee for the first game in the new field turf facility. “It’s important to us to have the first game on our new field involve only Florida State Lacrosse players,” said Coach Harkins, “and that’s going to be a special evening for us.”

On October 15th and 16th Florida State will make their third straight visit to the Great Pumpkin Shootout in Flagler Palm Coast, Florida. There, the Seminoles will play Central Florida and St. Leo’s. FSU will conclude their trip to Flagler Palm Coast with a game featuring their freshmen against Florida’s high school select team, the Fighting Possums. The Seminoles’ fall season concludes with their traditional game against the University of Florida. The game will take place in Gainesville on November 18th.

Stay tuned to fsulacrosse.com for updates on the Seminoles’ progress throughout this fall season.

[Sonny]

Home Turf Advantage

Report on new turf field with some lacrosse mentions from RenegadeReport.com. Coach Bowden seems to like it:
http://floridastate.scout.com/2/437597.html

[Vols2]

I wish the Vols would get this kind of press on their new field turf as well...

Good article though.

[Danny Hogan]

you mean the old mini-golf putting green got torn up? say it aint so.

[OAKS]

you mean the old mini-golf putting green got torn up? say it aint so.

How can concrete that's been spray-painted green get torn up?

[Jolly Roger]

I wish the Vols would get this kind of press on their new field turf as well...

Write a coherent press release and it will be posted. Great opportunity for a journalism major.

Rather than "I wish...", think in terms of "I will...."

[Vols2]

Yes it is true, the green concrete is gone. No more shin splints after the first week of practice for the Vols.