Cassese, Lehigh Announce Men’s Lax Incoming Class

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh Smith Family Head Lacrosse Coach Kevin Cassese announced the team’s incoming class of 2017 on Wednesday, which includes 11 standouts across several states and positions. The group enters Lehigh this fall looking to help replace a stellar senior class that featured 14 total members and several All-Americans, All-Patriot League Players and Major League Lacrosse draftees. These incomers hope to mesh with the returnees and win their third straight Patriot League Championship next spring.

The class features five New Jersey natives and one from Connecticut, Maryland, New York, and Washington, D.C. There are also two Pennsylvania natives, including one local Lehigh Valley product from nearby Emmaus.

For a complete player-by-player rundown, please see below.

Kevin Dougherty • M • Washington, D.C. • Arts and Sciences • Watch: Highlight Video
Brother of current Mountain Hawk Pat Dougherty, Kevin was a four-year varsity starter for St. Albans under coach Malcolm Lester for three years and coach Robbie Walsh (Lehigh ’07) for one. The senior captain was an Adidas All-Washington D.C. selection. He was a member of the MadLax Lacrosse Club and a Headmasters List selection both semesters senior year. Dougherty was a recipient of the 2D Art Award. He also played wide receiver and defensive back on the football team. Brother Ryan was captain of the Georgetown basketball team as well.

Conor Duffy • D • Leonardtown, Md. • Business • Watch: Highlight Video
Duffy impressed at Leonardtown High School as a First Team All-County and All-Conference honoree in 2011 and 2012. He was a varsity captain as a junior and senior, and four-year varsity starter at Leonardtown High School. Duffy was a Brine National Classic All-American in 2011, member of the New England West 1 All-Star Team and Honorable Mention Best Defenseman in the New England West 1 League in 2013. Duffy led Choate Rosemary to the 2013 Founders League Championship and was Best Defensive Player at the 2011 Warrior North American Showcase. Duffy also lettered in track and field and was on the relay team that broke a school record. He also played football and ran cross country. Duffy played club lacrosse for Chesapeake Rock Lacrosse, POE lacrosse and Docs Rotten Apples. In the classroom, Duffy cracked the high honor roll all four years and was a member of the National Honor Society. He volunteered for St. Mary’s Youth Lacrosse Association Clinics.

Jason Kozel • D • Westport, Conn. • Business • Watch: Highlight Video
Kozel was two-time team MVP at Kent School and team captain as a senior. He was Western New England Prep School First Team All-Division at defense as both a junior and senior. The New England Prep School All-Star selection as a senior was also a standout football player. Kozel was a senior captain who also garnered Defensive Player of the Year and was a member of the All-New England Prep School Team and an All-Founders League honoree. Strong in the classroom, Kozel was a member of the honor roll at Kent School.

Casey McAdam • M • Somerville, N.J. • Engineering • Watch: Highlight Video
A First Team All-State Group 2 honoree in 2013, McAdam was a two-time All-Skylands and All-Curcio honoree. He was a four-year varsity letterwinner while garnering Second Team All-State as a junior. McAdam was a team captain and MVP as a senior and Star Ledge News Player of the Week. He also worked with Leading Edge and was a member of the 2013 War at the Shore Champions. McAdam was a Face Off Club Champion in 2009, Garden State Challenge Champion in 2011 and member of the New Jersey Under-Armour All-American Team in 2012. A two-sport athlete, McAdam was a three-year varsity letterwinner in football. The senior captain and team MVP, he was Special Teams Player of the Year in 2011 and Mini Maxwell Football Award Winner in 2012. McAdam garnered the Super 100 All-State Football Award, was First Team All-Skyland, Third Team All-Area and Third Team All-Somerset. Strong in the classroom, McAdam was a high honor roll student, peer leader and winner of the Somerville High School Hall of Fame Scholarship. He was a camp counselor in the summer and volunteered at Branchburg Barrage.

Garrett Miers • G • Allentown, Pa. • Business • Watch: Highlight Video
A local product, Miers was a standout goalie at Emmaus High School. While there, he was a three-year letterwinner and team MVP as a senior. Miers was a member of the All-Area and All-League teams and was named Morning Call Player of the Year. He ended his senior campaign with a 71.2 save percentage. Also strong in the classroom, Miers was an honor roll student at Emmaus.

Anthony Ramaizel • A • Melville, N.Y. • Arts and Sciences • Watch: Highlight Video
Ramaizel was a four-year varsity letterwinner at Half Hollow Hills East. A team captain his final two years, Ramaizel was a member of the 2011 Suffolk County Rising Junior Team. He was awarded 2012 All-Division Attack and 2013 All-Division Midfield while garnering Team MVP as a senior. Ramaizel finished his career with 164 points, leading his team in scoring as a sophomore (52) while putting up 64 points as a junior to lead Half Hollow Hills to its first playoff victory in over five years. Ramaizel made the switch to midfield as a senior, posting 50 points. He was also strong in the classroom as a member of the honor roll every semester. He was Vice President of the Varsity Club while volunteering for the Hills v. Autism Lacrosse program and the Half Hollow Hills Challenger Lacrosse Clinic for children with disabilities. Ramaizel was also a junior firefighter with the Melville Fire Department.

Matt Raposo • A/M • Branchburg, N.J. • Business • Watch: Highlight Video
A 2013 USL All-American, Raposo was also a Skyland Conference Scholar-Athlete. Raposo was varsity captain and four-year starter at Somerville High School. The two-time team MVP led Somerville in scoring all four years while finishing with a school record 320 career points (159 goals and 161 assists). Raposo was a Second Team All-State selection as a senior after earning Third Team laurels a year prior. He was named First Team All-Somerset County in 2012 and 2013 after earning Second Team in 2011, while garnering First Team Bianchi Conference his final three seasons. Raposo was First Team Skyland Conference three times and Honorable Mention once. He earned Courier News All-Area twice and was an Under Armour All-America underclass selection. Raposo’s squad was Group 2 NJ State Tournament Finalists in 2012 (18-2 record) and 2013 (18-3), and semifinalists in 2011 (14-4). Somerville was also Tournament Champions of the Garden State Games in 2011. A multi-sport standout, Raposo was a varsity football letterman in 2011 and 2012 while also impressing in the classroom as a four-year honor roll student and Peer Leader Mentor in 2012 and 2013.

Mike Sammarro • M • Mountain Lakes, N.J. • Business • Watch: Highlight Video
Sammarro was a two-time First Team All-State, All-County and All-Conference honoree for Mountain Lakes High School who won the Morris County Championship. Sammarro led Mountain Lakes to the Group 1 State Championship, and also played in the New Jersey All-Star Game. The senior captain garnered the First Place Lacrosse honors with Mountain Lakes Award and was named most formidable offensive player. Sammarro also played football and was a Second Team All-Conference and Third Team All-County running back. Sammarro led his squad to the NJAC Conference Championship and finished as state runner-up.

Ian Strain • M • Springfield, Pa. • Business • Watch: Highlight Video
Strain comes in as the 38th ranked incoming midfielder by Inside Lacrosse. The talented midfielder helped lead Episcopal Academy to a 33-11 record over his final two seasons. This came in the Inter-AC, one of the top lacrosse conferences in the nation. Strain led Episcopal to the 2012 Inter-AC Championship over nationally ranked (and rival) Haverford while leading the squad back to the Championship Game as a senior. Strain was a two-time All-County and All Inter-AC performer, and team captain. He excelled in football as a wide receiver and defensive back while even spending some time at quarterback when injuries hit the team. For his efforts, Strain was a two-time All-County and All Inter-AC honoree, Class of 1977 Lacrosse Award Winner and 2012 Team MVP. Strain was a Philly Showcase Gait All-Star, Philly Showcase MVP, Team MVP of the 2011 EPSLA Showcase and a member of the 2013 ESPN Rise Watch List. Strong in the classroom, Strain was a member of the honor roll every semester and was a Buckley Scholarship Award Winner.

Chester Toye • M • West Orange, N.J. • Business • Watch: Highlight Video
Toye was a three-sport standout in high school, also playing football and soccer. He lettered three times at Seton Hall Prep, and was the leading scorer and points leader on the freshmen lacrosse team. Toye played for Tri-State Lacrosse and was a Tri-State National Champion. He was the freshman soccer team Offensive MVP. Off the field, Toye was an honor roll student throughout high school and a member of the National Honor Society. He was elected student council president by the entire student body.

Cody Triolo • M • Princeton, N.J. • Engineering • Watch: Highlight Video
Triolo enjoyed a strong career at Princeton Day School, highlighted by his senior season when he posted 45 goals and 23 assists in 15 games. The 2013 Town Topics Spring Performer of the Year, Triolo was twice a First Team All-Prep honoree while earning an Academic All-America nomination. He was a two-time First Team All-Area and All-Bianchi honoree and garnered Second Team All-State in 2013. A two-time team MVP, Triolo played in the Gill Gibbs All-Star Game and was Spokesman Athlete of the Month in 2012. He was the Nick Gusz Scholar Athlete winner given to the top male and female student-athletes at Princeton Day School. Triolo was also a Gil Rossi Scholar-Athlete nominee. A multi-sport athlete, Triolo was a four-year varsity starter and senior captain for ice hockey and lacrosse. He served as assistant captain for Princeton Tigers U-18 AA National Team and was 2011 and 2013 High School State Champion. Triolo garnered the Fred Woodbridge Leadership Award for promoting class unity and the Frankie K. Award for placing the team above individual goals. The senior class president, he was a member of the honor roll every term and was inducted into the Cum Laude Society,

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