Philadelphia, Pa. - (2/14/2020) – Despite the loss of 10 seniors, Chestnut Hill College expects to compete as usual in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) thanks to the return of seven all-league performers. "The 2019 team was able to achieve a lot of program firsts and were led by a group of dedicated, and fiercely competitive, seniors," stated the 2019 CACC Coach of the Year, Mike Terranova. "We have a great offensive core returning and our defense has a chance to be more aggressive and improved. We need to be better in transition and at the faceoff X as well. With this young roster we may have some growing pains, but our goals – another CACC Regular Season Championship, a CACC Tournament Championship, and a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) postseason berth - are absolutely attainable. We look forward to what the future brings." 
 
In 2019, Chestnut Hill College featured the nation's best Man-Up Offense (.534), while establishing program records in wins (11), goals (247), goals per game (15.44), game-winning goals (11), assists (158), assists per game (9.88), points (405), points per game (25.3), shots (727), shots per game (45.44), man-up goals (34), ground balls per game (32.56), saves (227), saves per game (14.19), and save percentage (.584). As a result, Chestnut Hill College enjoyed unprecedented success, receiving votes in both the Inside Lacrosse (Weeks 2-4, Weeks 9-11) and United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division II (Week 9-12) national polls, before claiming a CACC Men's Lacrosse Regular Season Championship with a perfect 5-0 mark. Seven All-CACC performers return to the roster in 2020, including First Team juniors Carson Rees (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) and Scott Wilden (Wexford, Pa.). Rees – who takes on captain duties alongside junior midfielder Ben Revak (Aston, Pa.) - led the team in goals (50) and points (65), while also offering a .476 shot percentage, 27 ground balls, and nine caused turnovers. Meanwhile, Wilden scored 11 of his 43 goals on the man-up and additionally provided the Griffins with 19 assists, 29 ground balls, and three caused turnovers. Revak – who led the team in shots (135) - totaled 52 points (38 goals, 14 assists) and 14 ground balls.

Revak and Wilden make for an explosive one-two punch in the midfield as they combined for 114 points (81 goals, 33 assists) as sophomores. They are joined in the unit by juniors; Billy DiMaio (Holmdel, N.J.), Mickey Holland (Brick, N.J.), and Austin Philistine (Rising Sun, Md.), sophomores; Jack Clyne (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) and Billy Garavente (Fair Haven, N.J.), and freshmen; Blaise McCabe (Purcellville, Va.), Timmy Schumacher (Malvern, Pa.), Colby Seneca (Phoenixville, Pa.), and Mike Smith (Center Valley, Pa.). DiMaio offered five points (3 goals, 2 assists), 12 shots, 19 ground balls, and four caused turnovers in an All-CACC Second Team season. Coach Terranova will look to him to fill the two-way shoes of former captain, team most valuable player (MVP), and 2019 CACC Defensive Player of the Year (All-CACC Second Team), John Bennett '19. Holland has the size and athleticism to produce as he contributed nine points (5 goals, 4 assists), 17 shots, 14 ground balls, a caused turnover, and a .333 (5-of-15) success rate on the faceoff last season. Garavente has shown tremendous improvement and will be featured as the Scarlet and Gold's top short stick specialist. Newcomer, Smith comes from a quality high school program at Southern Lehigh and has shown great potential during the preseason as well.
 
The Chestnut Hill College attack features; Rees – who is coming off an All-CACC First Team campaign – and fellow junior J.R. Howell (East Meadow, N.Y.) – the 2018 CACC Rookie of the Year and two-time All-CACC Second Team selection (2018, 2019). The two juniors combined for 128 points (79 goals, 49 assists) as sophomores and are joined on the 2020 roster by junior transfer Maurice Kelly (Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta/ Walsh University), and freshmen; Brandon Lang (Hicksville, N.Y.), Joseph Lojewski (Philadelphia, Pa.), and Nate Matthews (Rancho Murieta, Calif.). Kelly and Matthews figure to see regular time.
 
Coach Terranova has high expectations for the defensive unit, which welcomes back All-CACC Second Team junior Connor O'Donnell (Manchester, Md.), his classmate Jordan Jeznach (Reading, Pa.) – who has played in all but four games during his first two seasons - senior long stick Steven Venango (Philadelphia, Pa.), and sophomore P.J. Spernal (Jackson, N.J.). O'Donnell contributed 16 ground balls and nine caused turnovers last season and will be looked to for leadership in 2020. Meanwhile, Spernal (2019; 4 goals, 8 shots, 13 ground balls, two caused turnovers) has made great strides to develop from a valued reserve into a reliable starter. Newcomers to the backfield include brother of Assistant Coach James DeCarlo '17, sophomore Alex DeCarlo (Conshohocken, Pa.), and freshmen; Dan Grubb (Quakertown, Pa.), Chris Keith (Phoenixville, Pa.), long stick Nick Ricco (Philadelphia, Pa.), and William North V (Friendswood, Texas). North will compete for a starting position, while Grubb will play an important role as both a long-stick midfielder and a close defender.
 
Chestnut Hill College will offer a three-man faceoff unit as they return 2019 starter, junior Stephen Lopuzzo (Ringoes, N.J.) (2019: 2 shots, 39 ground balls, 1 caused turnover, 172-of-368; .467 faceoff %), while adding freshmen; William Clarkson (Auckland, New Zealand) and Zach Schultz (Selbyville, Del.).

Meanwhile, four Griffins will vie for time in goal as seniors; Stephen Hogan Jr. (Doylestown, Pa.) and Mike Trezza (Forked River, N.J.), and sophomore Austin Jones (Courtice, Ontario) will compete with sophomore transfer Jake Miller (Columbine, Colo./Ohio Valley University) to start. As the 2019 starter, Jones was an All-CACC Second Team selection after winning four CACC Men's Lacrosse Goalkeeper of the Week awards (2/25, 3/11, 4/15, 4/29) and six CACC Rookie of the Week (2/18, 2/25, 3/11, 3/18, 4/22, 4/29) awards. He finished the with an 11-4 record (15 starts), 27 ground balls, and two caused turnovers, while posting a 10.45 goals-against average (GAA) and a .591 save percentage with 184 saves on 478 shots faced. Meanwhile, Miller has played increasingly well in the preseason and has given himself a chance to challenge Jones for the job in 2020.
 
Chestnut Hill College begins their 2020 season tomorrow, Saturday, February 15, when they welcome the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) to Victory Field #1 for a 12:00 p.m. faceoff.