BALTIMORE – Syracuse’s 2013-14 men’s lacrosse signing class has been ranked No. 2 in the nation by Inside Lacrosse. The top 20 men’s classes for the upcoming season are featured in Inside Lacrosse’s annual recruiting issue available now. This year’s crop of rookies features 16 incoming players, including seven listed among Inside Lacrosse’s “Power 100.”
Jordan Evans (Jamesville, N.Y.) headlines the class. He was selected as the publication’s top overall prospect in the Class of 2013 after shattering the Jamesville-DeWitt High School season scoring record with 182 points (82 goals, 100 assists) as a senior. Evans was one of six Syracuse signees to receive Under Armour All-America honors in 2013, tied with Duke for the most of any school.
“I’m excited to see them get out on the practice field and compete in an Orange jersey for the first time,” SU head coach John Desko said. “We feel like it’s a strong, competitive group that’s balanced at all positions.”
Maryland’s freshman class is No. 1 in the magazine’s rankings followed by Syracuse at No. 2 and Virginia at No. 3. North Carolina (No. 4) and Duke (No. 5) round out the top five.
Syracuse fall practice gets underway Sept. 16 and culminates on Oct. 12 with the annual Orange Alumni Classic at the Carrier Dome.
2013-14 Syracuse Signee Profiles
Joe DeMarco, Midfield
Massapequa, N.Y. (Massapequa HS)
Earned the Nassau County Lacrosse Association’s Jim Condon Award (top offensive player) and was an all-county selection … Recorded two goals, 14 assists, 235 ground balls and a .910 faceoff winning percentage as a senior … Totaled eight goals, 42 assists, 438 ground balls and a .820 faceoff winning percentage in his career … Two-time team captain … Represented Long Island at the 2012 Empire State Games … Also played soccer at Massapequa.
Jordan Evans, Midfield/Attack
Syracuse, N.Y. (Jamesville-DeWitt HS)
Rated the top midfielder and the No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2013 by Inside Lacrosse … Under Armour and U.S. Lacrosse All-American … 2013 Nike/U.S. Lacrosse National Player of the Year … Named the Central New York (CNY) co-Player of the Year in 2013 by The Post-Standard … Two-time All-CNY First Team selection … Led the Rams to two undefeated seasons (22-0, 22-0) and back-to-back New York Class B state championships in 2010 and 2011 … The Rams were 80-6 in Evans’ four varsity seasons … Owns the Jamesville-DeWitt career records for points (401), goals (207) and assists (194) … Set the school single-season scoring record and led New York state with 182 points (82 goals, 100 assists) in 2013 … Voted the Rams’ MVP … Two-time captain … Also played basketball at Jamesville-DeWitt for two seasons and won a state championship in 2011 … High school basketball teammate of current Syracuse center DaJuan Coleman … Coached in lacrosse by former Orange All-American Jamie Archer.
Parker Ferrigan, Goalie
Baldwinsville, N.Y. (C.W. Baker HS)
Listed as the No. 3 goalie and 39th overall prospect in the Class of 2013 by Inside Lacrosse … Under Armour and U.S. Lacrosse All-American … Two-time All-Central New York (All-CNY) selection … Made 237 saves and posted a .743 save percentage as a senior … Also contributed one goal and three assists in his final season … Finished with 842 career saves and nine career points (four goals, five assists) … Lacrosse team captain and two-time MVP … Also was a centerman for the Bees’ hockey team, earning MVP honors twice.
Scott Firman, Defense
Fayetteville, N.Y. (Jamesville-DeWitt HS)
Ranked fourth among defenseman and No. 17 overall in the Class of 2013 by Inside Lacrosse … Under Armour and U.S. Lacrosse All-American … Three-time All-Central New York (CNY) selection … Led the Rams to two undefeated seasons (22-0, 22-0) and back-to-back New York Class B state championships in 2010 and 2011 … The Rams were 80-6 in Firman’s four varsity seasons … Tallied 12 goals, five assists and 80 ground balls as a senior … Spearheaded a 2013 J-D defense that held all but three opponents to single-digit goals … Two-time captain … Coached by former Orange All-American Jamie Archer … Also played hockey for four years … Earned hockey all-league honors and won a state title as a senior.
JT Forkin, Midfield
Long Beach, N.Y. (Long Beach HS)
Rated the fourth-best midfielder and the 20th overall prospect in the Class of 2013 by Inside Lacrosse … Under Armour and U.S. Lacrosse All-American … Winner of the Bill Rich Award as the Nassau County Attackman of the Year … All-conference and all-county selection … Received All-Long Island First Team honors from Newsday … MSG Varsity All-Tri-State First Team … Scored 153 goals, passed out 63 assists and picked up 185 ground balls in his career, including 57 goals, 20 assists and 50 ground balls as a senior … Two-time team captain and MVP … Also played football and hockey for four seasons.
Matt Lane, Attack
Upper Montclair, N.J. (Montclair Kimberley Academy)
U.S. Lacrosse All-American … Won two NJISAA Prep B state championships and the 2012 NJSIAA Non-Public B state title with the Cougars … Essex County and Montclair Kimberley all-time leading scorer with 337 points (155 goals, 182 assists) … Notched 44 goals and 45 assists as a senior … 2013 Star Ledger Essex County Player of the Year … All-New Jersey selection … Named to the Gil Gibbs Senior All-Star Team … Team captain and MVP … Also played soccer and basketball for four seasons … Won back-to-back state titles and posted 52 career shutouts as the goalkeeper for the Montclair Kimberley soccer team … Scored more than 900 points and pulled down over 1,000 rebounds in his basketball career.
Dylan Maltz, Attack
Ashburn, Va. (Stone Bridge HS)
Ranked sixth among attackmen and No. 18 overall in the Class of 2013 by Inside Lacrosse … Under Armour and U.S. Lacrosse All-American … Younger brother of Syracuse senior attackman Derek Maltz … Broke all of Derek’s career records at Stone Bridge, finishing with 190 goals, 130 assists and 320 points … Also owns the school record for career ground balls (198) …. Tallied 49 goals, 39 assists and picked up 79 ground balls as a senior … Named to the Washington Post All-Met First Team … Four-time All-Liberty District and three-time all-region selection … Team MVP and two-time Stone Bridge Offensive Player of the Year … Father, also named Derek Maltz, played lacrosse at Syracuse from 1983-85 and was a member of SU’s 1983 NCAA championship team.
Niko Manning, LSM
Baldwinsville, N.Y. (C.W Baker HS/Onondaga Community College)
Played the 2012 and 2013 seasons at Onondaga Community College (OCC) … 2013 NJCAA Second Team All-American … Helped the Lazers to two Mid-State Athletic Conference titles, two Region III championships and two NJCAA national championships … OCC was a perfect 37-0 in Manning’s two seasons … Led a Lazers’ defense that allowed just 5.1 goals per game in 2013 and 3.4 goals per game in 2012 … Also contributed one goal and eight assists in 2013 … All-Central New York (CNY) Third Team selection as a junior at Baker and helped the Bees to the CNYCL National Division title.
Hayes McGinley, Midfield
Bentleyville, Ohio (University School)
Ranked No. 22 among midfielders and No. 61 overall in the Class of 2013 by Inside Lacrosse … U.S. Lacrosse All-American … Three-time all-state selection and four-time all-region choice … Recorded 85 points (52 goals, 33 assists) as a senior … Also collected 123 ground balls … Had 170 goals and 89 assists in his high school career … Two-time team MVP and captain … Also played basketball and football … Nephew of actor John C. McGinley who attended Syracuse in the 1980s and starred in such films as “Platoon,” “Wall Street” and “Office Space.”
Syrrus Nash, Midfield
Tully, N.Y. (Tully HS)
Earned 2013 OHSL Patriot League Second Team honors … Had 92 points (53 goals, 39 assists) in his final two scholastic seasons, including 25 goals and 21 assists as a senior … Collected 187 ground balls in that span, including 101 in 2013.
Josh Pulver, Defense
Manlius, N.Y. (Fayetteville-Manlius HS)
Earned CNYCL All-American League honors twice … 2013 All-Central New York (CNY) selection by The Post-Standard … Participated in the Section III Senior All-Star Game … Totaled five assists and 76 ground balls as a senior … Winner of the David Volles Award as the Hornets’ team MVP … Earned all-league honors as a linebacker on the football team and helped Fayetteville-Manlius to the NYSPHSAA Section III Class AA-1 football championship … Named F-M’s Senior Athlete of the Year.
Spencer Schmitt, Midfield
Encinitas, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic HS)
Two-time All-City League selection … Named to the 2013 All-San Diego Boys’ Lacrosse Team … Scored 98 goals and passed out 103 assists in his career, including 36 goals and 44 assists as a senior … Also collected 88 ground balls in his senior season … Two-time Cathedral Catholic Offensive Player of the Year … Also played soccer.
Ryan Simmons, Midfield
Fayetteville, N.Y. (Fayetteville-Manlius HS/Salisbury School (Conn.))
Earned All-Central New York (CNY) First Team honors as a senior at Fayetteville-Manlius in 2012 … Recorded 32 goals, 21 assists and 64 grounds in his senior season … Had 116 career points (82 goals, 34 assists … Selected for the Section III Senior All-Star Game … Received all-league honors as a junior … Winner of the David Volles Award as the Hornets’ team MVP … Led F-M in ground balls as a junior and senior … Also played football for the Hornets and was an all-league defensive back … Completed a post-graduate year at the Salisbury School in Connecticut … Great-grandfather (Roy Simmons Sr.), grandfather (Roy Simmons Jr.) and father (Roy Simmons III) all played and coached lacrosse at Syracuse … Roy Simmons Sr. and Roy Simmons Jr. are both in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame … Roy Simmons III is the team’s current director of operations.
Winston Wenham, Defense
Ithaca, N.Y. (Ithaca HS/Northfield Mount Hermon School (Mass.))
Anchored an Ithaca defense that surrendered 5.25 goals per game in 20 contests in 2012 on its way to a state championship game appearance … Spent a post-graduate year at the Northfield Mount Hermon School (Mass.) in 2013 … Started all 17 games for NMH and led the team with 55 caused turnovers … Third on the team in ground balls (71) … Also had one goal and two assists … Selected to play in the WNESSLA Senior/PG All-Star Game and received the NMH Impact Award.
Nick Weston, Midfield
Honeoye Falls, N.Y. (Honeoye Falls-Lima HS/Salisbury School (Conn.))
Under Armour All-American … Earned Democrat & Chronicle All-Greater Rochester and all-league honors at Honeoye Falls-Lima … Received All-New England First Team honors in 2013 at the Salisbury School … Salisbury lacrosse team MVP … Totaled 199 points (110 goals, 89 assists) in his scholastic career … Also was an All-New England First Team selection in football and helped lead the Salisbury football team to the 2012 NEPSAC Class A New England title.
Jimmy Wyrick, Defense
Round Hill, Va. (St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School)
Led St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes to three Virginia Division I state championships (2010, 2012, 2013) and the school’s first-ever Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) title (2013) … Named to the 2013 Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division I All-State First Team … Picked up 64 ground balls as a senior … Lacrosse team captain … Also played soccer for the Saints.
