5/8/00 – Senior captain Pierce Davis (Wellesley, MA/Wellesley HS) took home two trophies yesterday, the Unsung Hero Award and the Hustle Award, at the 2000 Michigan Lacrosse Awards Brunch at the Campus Inn in Ann Arbor. Davis led the team in ground balls for the second straight year and was a key component of Michigan’s face-off and man-up units. The Wolverines finished the regular and conference seasons with a perfect 12-0 conference record and an 18-4 record overall and claimed the CCLA tournament crown for the second straight year. Michigan leaves tomorrow for St. Louis as the 5^th seed in the USLIA National Championship Tournament at the Anheuser-Busch Sports Centre.

Also receiving awards yesterday were:

Junior defenseman Wesley Martus (Nashville, TN/Hillsboro HS) who’s 3.7 GPA in BioPhysics led the team and qualified him for the Scholar-Athlete Award. Martus also took home the Most Improved Award for the remarkable transformation he’s made over the past two years from short stick to long stick.

Senior captain and midfielder Dan Jerneycic (Bloomfield Hills, MI/Univ. of Detroit Jesuit HS) took home the Leadership Award. Jerneycic was the highest scoring midfielder on the team and a true leader – always giving 100% in practices and in games.

Freshman midfielder Brian Marchena (Troy, MI/Country Day HS) was awarded the Rookie of the Year Award. Marchena anchored the defensive line this year.

Senior captain Jeff Hadwin (Vestal, NY/Vestal HS) was awarded one of two Coach’s Awards. Hadwin’s return after a year absence solidified an already potent attack unit. His 93 goals led the team.

The other Coach’s Award went to senior Ross Tucker (Simsbury, CT/Grapevine HS). Tucker served the past two years as team president and improved greatly over the past four years at midfield.

The Offensive MVP Award went to sophomore attackman Adam Denenberg (Wynnewood, PA/Lower Merion HS). Denenberg led the team in overall scoring with 71 goals and 56 assists in 21 games for a 6.0 points per game average.

The Defensive MVP Award went to junior defenseman Greg Deutch (Boca Raton, FL/St. Andrews HS) for the second straight year. Deutch anchors a steadily improving defensive unit and is the best take-away defenseman of the group.

Michigan loses seven graduating seniors this year: goalie Josh Charm (Randolph, NJ/Randolph HS), defenseman Greg Graetz (Bloomfield Hills, MI/Cranbrook HS), midfielders Alex Gregor (Bloomfield Hills, MI/Country Day HS) and Tom Willis (Milford, MI/Univ. of Detroit Jesuit HS), Davis, Jerneycic and Tucker. In addition, the team will have to go without Denenberg and backup goalie Kirt Marsh (Tacoma, WA/Curtis HS) in 2001 as both are going overseas for the year.

Despite the losses, there is much to look forward to with the projected return of key senior midfielders Kevin Chan (Manhasset, NY/Manhasset HS) and Micah Veith (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park River Forest HS) who both sat out this year to focus on academics. With the addition of an outstanding group of incoming freshmen, the 2001 team should be favored to hold on to the CCLA crown and challenge again for a national championship.