Starsia Announces 2012 Recruiting Class

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia men’s lacrosse head coach Dom Starsia is pleased to announce the signing of 10 student-athletes to national letters of intent for the 2012-13 academic year.

“It is always an exciting moment to introduce the newest members of the Virginia Lacrosse program,” said Starsia. “Even a casual fan will notice the divergent locations and hometowns. Our game continues to grow across the country and that evidence is strongly supported with this announcement. Fans of the program and our sport will be impressed with both the athleticism and the skill level, and will enjoy getting to know these newest Cavaliers.”

Joining the Cavaliers next fall are: James Dahlheimer (Medina, Ohio), Matt Florence (Greenwood, Colo.), Michael Howard (Richmond, Va.), Dan Marino (Garden City, N.Y.), Will McNamara (Haverford, Pa.), Carlson Milikin (Woodberry Forest, Va.), James Pannell (Smithtown, N.Y.), Tanner Scales (Denver, Colo.), Dickson Smith (Dover, Mass.) and Zach Wood (Aurora, Ill.).

Dahlheimer is a 6-foot, 190-pound midfielder from Medina, Ohio. He is an Under Armour All-Star and earned all-state honors as a junior at Western Reserve Academy. He tallied 25 goals and 25 assists in 2010. Dahlheimer is currently a CB/TB and a captain on the football team at Medina High School.

Florence is a 5-foot-10, 175-pound midfielder from Greenwood Village, Colo. He is an All-American and a member of the USA U-19 team. Florence will join current Cavaliers Ryan Tucker, Gregory Danseglio and Tanner Ottenbreit in Turku, Finland for the 2012 FIL U19 World Championships. As a sophomore he led his Kent Denver High School team with 30 goals and 11 assists. Florence is also a running back on the Kent Denver football team, rushing for over 1,000 yards and earning all-state honors.

Howard is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound defenseman from Richmond, Va. He was an Under Armour All-American at the Collegiate School, the alma mater of recent UVa alum and captain Mikey Thompson. Howard was a first-team All-Prep selection in 2011 and also plays soccer and basketball.

Marino is a 5-foot-11, 200-pound goalie from Garden City, N.Y. Inside Lacrosse ranks him as the No. 24 rising senior. He is a 2011 Under Armour All-Star and was named the Nassau County Goalie of the Year in 2011. He is presently playing football at Garden City High School.

McNamara is a 6-foot, 175-pound midfielder from Haverford, Pa. Inside Lacrosse ranks him as the No. 6 rising senior. McNamara was a All-American and an Under Armour All-Star in 2011 at the Haverford School, the same school of current Cavalier Carl Walrath and 2011 senior captain John Haldy. McNamara also plays soccer at the Haverford School. ESPN.com ranks him the top midfielder in the class.

Milikin is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound midfielder from Woodbury Forest, Va. The Woodbury Forest High School product was the Central Virginia Player of the Year in 2011 with 37 goals and 17 assists. Milikin was a first-team all-prep selection in 2011. He also was a junior captain on the football team, helping Woodbury to the 2010 state championship. He earned first-team all-state honors as a defensive back and also plays basketball.

Pannell is a 5-foot-10, 175-pound attackman from Smithtown, N.Y. Inside Lacrosse ranks him as the No. 3 rising senior. He is a 2011 All-American and a 2011 Under Armour All-Star who scored 50 goals and dished out 25 assists at Smithtown West High School as a junior. In 2010 he had 41 goals and 36 assists. Pannell also plays football and basketball. He is the younger brother of Cornell All-American Rob Pannell.

Scales is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound defenseman from Denver, Colo. Inside Lacrosse ranks him as the No. 8 rising senior. He is an All-American and an Under Armour All-Star. He was named the New England Defender of the Year at Salisbury in Connecticut. He currently attends Regis Jesuit in his home state of Colorado, the same school as current Cavaliers Rhody Heller and Tanner Ottenbreit. Scales also played hockey at Salisbury, earning all-state honors as a sophomore.

Smith is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenseman from Dover, Mass. He is an Under Armour All-Star out of the Holderness School, earning first-team all-league honors. He averaged nearly eight ground balls a game as a junior.

Wood is a 6-foot-3, 195-pound attackman and midfielder from Aurora, Ill. He was an All-American and an Under-Armour All-Star in 2010 and 2011. He is an all-state performer at Metea Valley High School, leading the state of Illinois in points in 2009 (108) and 2010 (108). He currently is the all-time leading scorer for the state of Illinois with 235 goals, 96 assists and 331 career points through three seasons. He also plays football and was listed as a Top 50 football player on both offense and defense in DuPage County in 2010.

“I would also like to use this opportunity to continue to impress on young, aspiring lacrosse players that it is not a coincidence that each of these signees is a multi-sport athlete,” said Starsia. “The qualities of teamwork, sportsmanship, discipline and commitment are forged and strengthened on the playing fields, courts and rinks in the fall and winter.

“I still recall high school football as one of my fondest athletic memories and I applauded Tanner’s playing for the first time this fall, Zach’s perseverance with a new program, encouraged Dan to continue, watched Will switch from football to soccer, Matt from tailback to QB and highlights of a game-saving, tackle by James (Dahlheimer). Carlson helped lift a team that had been racked by injury and James (Pannell) played his final game in the throes of a wild, winter storm. We talked Michael from college soccer to lacrosse and Dickson from one stick (hockey) to another. There are memories here that will last a lifetime and skill sets that will enhance their college lacrosse careers. This is the caliber of student-athletes we are always looking for here at the University of Virginia.”

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