Men's Lacrosse | 2/14/2015 6:14:00 PM

Wingate, N.C.----Coaches say one of the best things about freshmen…is they become sophomores. The Wingate University men's lacrosse team enters the 2015 season following a solid 7-6 campaign in 2014 with 22 freshmen and six sophomores. "We definitely have much more experience," Wingate University third-year head coach Michael Lawson says. Bulldog fans will have their first chance to see the 2015 WU squad Sunday, as Wingate entertains Florida Southern for a 2 p.m. contest (live HD video, live statistics).

"We have many guys who played in every game last year," Lawson says. "I think it is important for us…that we don't get a sense of entitlement. We must stay focused…and understand we are still building a foundation. We still have much to prove."
"Our program is still evolving," Lawson says. "We do have heightened expectations, both individually and as a team. As a coaching staff, we must keep everyone focused…we are still very young."

Lawson sat down with the Wingate sports information department and gave a position-by-position glimpse at the 2015 Bulldog men's lacrosse team.
 
ATTACK
 
"We will work a four-man rotation with sophomore Austin Murphy (Orillia, Ontario), junior Ryan Vogrig (Vancouver, B.C.), freshman Jeremy Sullivan (Crofton, Md.) and sophomore Tanner Kotch (Butler, Pa.). Realistically, there will be an odd man out at times…as we go to the three hottest hands game-by-game. This is a very talented group…but very young. Our big thing…we must strive for consistency."

MIDFIELD

"Seniors Cory Schumacher (Gainesville, Va.) and Chase Watts and sophomore Kevin Norman (Ocala, Fla.) are our top line. We believe this position is a revolving door…we have two or three midfield lines we can use. We have six or seven guys who on certain days…can fill a variety of roles. Again, the way we will use players…boils down to consistency."

LONG-STICK MIDDIE

"Junior Robert Godwin (Greensboro, N.C.) and sophomore Tyler Antram (Whitby, Ontario) will lead the way. Freshman Marc James (Silver Spring, Md.) shows much promise at this position."

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD

"We believe we have several guys who can get the job done. Junior Andrew Gobble (Huntersville, N.C.), sophomore Michael Solter (New Bern, N.C.) and freshmen Robert Brown (Winston-Salem, N.C.), Matt Johnson (Rosemount, Minn.) and James Thatcher (East Patchogue, N.Y.) will give us good minutes at this position."
 
DEFENSE
 
"Sophomores Anthony Crisera (Silver Springs, Fla.), Jacob Humerickhouse (Dexter, N.Y.) and Drew Thompson (Charlotte, N.C.) give us a good first line of defense. Senior Ryan Foltz (Street, Md.) has seen a great deal of action. We have tremendous confidence in our first seven guys. Many of our playing time decisions will be match-up based at this position."
 
GOALIE
 
"Sophomore Jacob Ormerod (Lake Mary, Fla.) has played very steady lacrosse for us. He is our top guy. Jacob has earned this spot through his hard work and his work ethic."
 
PLEASANT SURPRISES
 
"For our coaching staff to look at our depth chart two years ago…and look at it now…we have been able to put together a good depth chart. Individually, sophomore midfield Vinny Aiello (Centereach, N.Y.) has been a very consistent contributor on the offensive end. Redshirt freshman midfield Brennan Asplen (Saint Augustine, Fla.) was with our top group at the end of the summer. He fell back to the pack, but he has clawed his way back…and will make a big difference for us this season."
 
BULLDOG NOTES
 
Wingate plays 15 regular season games this year, with eight home contests slated for the Irwin Belk Track Complex turf field. The Bulldogs will play home games against Florida Southern, Chestnut Hill (Pa.), Brevard, Rollins, Saint Leo, Coker, Lenoir-Rhyne and Mars Hill. The 2015 South Atlantic Conference Men's Lacrosse Championship is slated for April 13, 16 and 18 with quarter-finals at campus sites and the semi-finals and finals hosted by Queens University of Charlotte.
 
Wingate had four student-athletes on the pre-season All-South Atlantic Conference teams. Wingate senior midfield Cory Schumacher (Gainesville, Va.) earned a spot on the pre-season All-SAC first team. Sophomore attack Austin Murphy (Orillia, Ontario), senior midfield Chase Watts (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and sophomore defense Drew Thompson (Charlotte, N.C.) are pre-season All-SAC second team selections.
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, ranked as the 10th "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,000 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration, and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past eight years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 72 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 72 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 81 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.