The 2022 Southwestern Men's Lacrosse team broke the program record for wins in a season this spring, winning eleven games and just five losses. They did so behind a senior class who were great leaders as well as talented players. When a team graduates an influential senior group as the Pirates will this year, the head coach is always faced with the challenge of replacing players who have been the foundation of the team for the past four years.
Between 2020 and 2021 the Southwestern Men's Lacrosse team graduated only six seniors, the 2022 class doubled that number with twelve graduating this spring. When Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Bill Bowman was asked how he would address the loss of his largest class in program history, he had this to say.
"We aren't going to be able to replace their personalities and the leadership that they brought, this class set such good a example on and off the field, every one of them. They took care of business in the classroom, worked hard every day in practice, and were incredibly talented on the field," Coach Bowman said.
"The only thing we can do is try to plug in the pieces that we have on the field and ask guys to step into new leadership roles," explains Bowman.
In this class alone, the Pirates boasted its first-ever All-American Hudson Bearden, HCLC Offensive Player-of-the-Year Cody Foster, four HCLC All-Conference selections, 2021 SCAC Specialist-of-the-Year (Bearden), 2019 SCAC Newcomer-of-the-Year Tyler Santos, 8 SCAC All-Conference selections and SCAC Elite 19 Award winner, Jake Hessinger.
Recently, Bearden has signed on to become a faceoff specialist coach for the Faceoff Academy, the organization that taught him the complexities of his position from a young age. Bearden will now share his love for the position with the younger generation of players one day hoping to reach All-American status.
"There is no substitute for a player like Hudson at the faceoff. It is such a rarity to have a player of that caliber where you know he's the favorite everytime he steps on the field. He's been one of the best in Division III because he's mastered every element of the position," emphasizes Bowman.
Although the man at the draw is important, especially the program's first All-American, the wing play and the long-stick midfielders are just as valuable. Senior midfielders Jack Doloszycki and Matt Minnick, along with long-stick midfielders Aidan Gildea and Tyler Santos were crucial to the faceoff success.
In Doloszycki, Minnick, Gildea, and Santos, Bowman had players who could do just about everything on the field, each of them being lock-down defenders, scoring threats, and athletes who gave every ounce of effort on the field.
"Minnick could have been one of our best offensive middies but we knew we needed his versatility on defense, and Jack was a player who we thought would be a defensive middie coming in, but was central to our offense throughout his four years. They're the epitome of two-way players," explains Bowman
Thanks to their five senior defenders, the Pirates' defense in 22' ranked in the top five in program history with a 10.1 goals-against average against tough competition. Gildea and Santos ensured the opposing teams' top midfielders were taken out of the equation game in and game out, and with experienced defensive midfielders Minnick and Jarrett ZIllmann also on the field, the Pirates locked down opposing midfields all year long.
"There will be a giant hole to fill at the LSM spots, when Santos and Aidan came in we knew immediately they could cover anyone on the field and that will be hard to find," says Bowman.
The lone senior close defender, Jake Hessinger, was the Pirates' best cover defender in '22 and has provided stability as a defender throughout his four years with the Pirates. Hessinger, the former SCAC Elite 19 award winner, knew his game well. Unlike others who were skilled at taking the ball away, Hessinger used his size, athleticism, and fundamentals to ensure he was never beaten by an opposing attackman.
Hessinger also had the help of two talented but inexperienced freshman defenders. Patrick Cvitanovic and All-HCLC selection Caleb Sowell started throughout the year for the Pirates and will be expected to be solid options for assistant coach Mike Markland heading into the future.
Coach Markland was fortunate to have first-team All-HCLC goaltender Nate Blair this year, who earned his starting role back after missing the 2021 season. Blair managed a 53.7 percent save percentage during the year and provided big stops for the Pirates when they needed it the most. He was a crucial aspect of the defense with young defenders playing in front of him.
Offensively, this was the third-best Pirates team in program history as far as total points in the season with 362 (236g, 126a). However, this team's offensive sets and motion were the best Bowman has seen in his tenure at Southwestern and against some of the toughest defenses week in and week out.
The scoring came from everywhere, nine players accrued double-digit goals this season with six of them having 15 goals or more. The team shared the ball better than ever before leaving defenses puzzled on who to look out for. Leading the way for the Pirates were seniors Nick Doxey and Cody Foster, the two top points scorers on the roster. Doxey achieved the most productive year of his career in his final season, scoring 27 goals and 13 assists.
"Nick is one of the most dynamic players we have. Each year his game has expanded and the moment never seems to be bigger than him. Nick's consistency week in and week out has been crucial to the success of the team," says Bowman.
Even with Doxey's diversity and production over the past four years, the Pirates needed someone in the third attack spot, the vacancy left by the program's all-time leader in points, Zac Asbury.
Foster stepped up in a big way, moving down from midfield to take over the attack line. Foster fulfilled the role strikingly well, having a career year and leading the team with 58 points (39g, 19a). Foster has always shown the ability to get goals from the midfield, but the attack spot suited him to a tee.
Foster's ability to shoot, dodge defenders, and score drew a lot of attention from defenses. But he shared the ball just as well, leading the team in assists and facilitating one of the most diverse offenses in history.
Bowman has a lot to look forward to based on this season's record-breaking success. The Pirates lost three games by two goals or less including an overtime loss to NCAA Tournament team, UMass-Boston. The Pirates also lost by five goals in a hard-fought match at the conference championship game against Colorado College, which could have given them a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
"The tournament is right around the corner for us, this was the best season we have ever had against a really competitive schedule, we felt equal with every team we played. If we win a couple more of those tight games the momentum of the season going into conference would have been incredible," says Bowman.
The Pirates have secured depth in their recruiting classes in recent years, so while Bowman will have to search for others to step up and fulfill new leadership roles he looks forward to the challenge of plugging talent into different roles.
"I'm excited to see what the offense will look like, there are actually a lot of returners, offensively next season may even be more spread out than this year. It could be even MORE productive," emphasized Bowman.
Junior attackman Matt Caldwell racked up 30 goals this season, he was the team's second-leading goal scorer even though he missed over a third of the season due to a lacerated kidney. His production could be off the charts in 2023. And the third-highest goal scorer on the team was freshman attackman, Cade McDonald. McDonald put up 28 goals and 7 assists while splitting time on the midfield and attack line.
There is no doubt McDonald and Caldwell are going to exceed their goal totals next season and coach Bowman will be expecting big things from both.
"I want Caldwell to start to initiate more from behind because he is just that good, his role has been from his lefty wing spot but I think he will be able to facilitate and score from behind," says Bowman.
Mcdonald will be versatile behind as well, proving on multiple occasions he can dodge and score from behind the goal. The issue will be who takes over the coveted third spot Foster leaves behind. Freshman standout Matthew Sganga, who scored 12 goals and 9 assists might take the next step to fulfill the role, or Bowman might look to one of his twelve incoming seniors to take over.
But overall and most importantly Bowman needs to find new leadership for his team after the loss of a class he holds in such high regard. This group will see the graduation of Ben Libby, a senior that Coach Bowman and Coach Markland see as the heart and soul of Southwestern Lacrosse.
"There is not a person that has gone through more than Ben Libby. After surviving cancer and coming back to the team, what he had to deal with on a daily basis just to suit up, much less play, has been extraordinary. His love for this game and this team has meant so much to everyone in this program," says Coach Bowman.
After all of the turmoil of 2020 and 2021 Coach Bowman and Coach Markland finally got to see the full capabilities of the 22' senior class, and it turned out to be the most successful season in men's lacrosse history.
"I am so proud of this senior class and was happy to see what they could truly do on the field with a full schedule and a normal season. This group left the program better than they found it, there are guys ready to take their place and that is testament to how well they set the example and led the players coming after them".