The Loyola Scrimmage

As is usual here, we're not going to post a score or any specifics about last Saturday's scrimmage at Loyola, but we're not going to try to ignore that it happened either.

What we will do here is take a look at a few of the Terps who played really well vs. the Greyhounds.

Billy Gribbin - What a debut for the Penn State transfer. Gribbin scored the Terps' first two goals and looked to be completely comfortable with the Maryland offense. His decision-making was solid and could have had a couple of assists if some shots off of some of his passes found their way into the goal. When asked about who he thought had a good scrimmage Coach Tillman, Gribbin was the first player he brought up; high praise off of one outing as a Terp.

Niko Amato - Nothing new here; Amato was terrific as a ball-stopper. The fact that he looked so at ease in front of an entirely new close defense and a mostly new crew of shorties is amazing. He played just a little more than two quarters and exited the game with nine saves. Nothing will help give the new defense time to gel together than Amato stopping shots.

Jesse Bernhardt - This is another one that could be mentioned among the "played well" each and every week. He was all over the field, defensively and on the wings. I'm not sure how many lock-down long poles there are this season, but Bernhardt is capable of taking away a midfield unit's No. 1 option. He certainly gives the Terps' defense a certain sense of security when he's on the field.

A few others that had some good moments include: Landon Carr, Goran Murray, Taylor Morgan and Michael Ehrhardt.

Still an awful lot of work to do though.

The final tune-up to the 2012 season is this Saturday when Maryland heads into the Carrier Dome to face Syracuse. I know it's hard, but no one should call this a rematch of last season's NCAA quarterfinal game in Foxborough. These two teams are just too different to even think of it being a true rematch.

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Team Captains

Five Terps were selected by team vote to serve as 2012 team captains: seniors Jake Bernhardt, Joe Cummings and Drew Snider, and juniors Jesse Bernhardt and Owen Blye.

None of these selections come as a surprise as each brings something to the table as team leaders, not to mention that these five do the right things on and off the field.

Our records on captains are not that extensive, but in the research I've been able to do this marks the first time that two juniors have been selected captain in at least 32 years (and probably a lot more).

Maryland Team Captains

2012: Jake Bernhardt, Jesse Bernhardt, Owen Blye, Joe Cummings, Drew Snider

2011: Dan Burns, Grant Catalino, Brian Farrell, Brett Schmidt

2010: Brian Farrell*, Bryn Holmes, Brian Phipps

2009: Jason Carter, Mike Griswold, Dan Groot, Chris Rhine, Jeremy Sieverts

2008: Ryne Adolph, Joe Cinosky, Will Dalton, Drew Evans, Max Ritz

2007: Jimmy Borrel, Chris Feifs, Travis Holmes, Ray Megill

2006: Brendan Healy, Ryan Lang, Bill McGlone, Xander Ritz

2005: Ian Healy, Tyler Hereth, Bill McGlone, Gavin Webb

2004: Paul Gillette, Chris Passavia, David Wagner, Lee Zink

2003: Brett Harper, Michael Howley, Dan McCormick, Mike Mollot, Ryan Moran

2002: Andy Burman, Mike LaMonica, Mike Morsell, Nate Watkins

2001: Andrew "Buggs" Combs, Chris Malone, Pat McGinnis

2000: Jason Carrier, Casey Connor, Jeff Shirk, Erik Osberg

1999: Brian Haggerty, Scott Hochstadt, Chris Lamy, Brian Zeller

1998: Mike Bonanni, Matt Hahn, Brian Reese

1997: Mike Bonanni*, Peter Hilgartner

1996: Brian Dougherty, Pat McGuire

1995: Greg Nelin, Dan Radebaugh

1994: Matt Back, Danny Robbins

1993: Erik Elfstrum, Bob Huggins, Scott McMahon, Dan Reading

1992: Craig Bullem, Brian Burlace, Dave Willard

1991: Brian Burlace, Graven Craig, Mark Douglas

1990: Chris Connor, Bill Ralph, Carl Voigt

1989: Scott Wheeler, Phil Willard

1988: Doug Poindexter, Guy Riccardi

1987: N/A

1986: N/A

1985: Jack Merrill, Dan Tracy

1983: Jack Francis, Mark Wheeler, Jim Wilkerson, Tim Worstell

1982: Don Sadler,

1981: Klay Johnson, Don Sadler, Pete Worstell,

1980: Bob Boneillo, Ron Martinello, Nick Manis

1979: John Lamon, Randy Ratliff, Bryant Waters

1978: N/A

1977: Kevin Boland, Mike Hynes, Jake Reed

1976: Mike Farrell, Ed Mullen, Frank Urso,

1975: Ed Mullen*, Gary Niels, Doug Radebaugh

1974: Dino Mattessich, Pat O'Meally, Doug Radebaugh

1973: Gary Besosa, Doug Schreiber

1972: Gary Besosa, Bill Reilly

1971: N/A

1970: Doug Carter, Reed Kaestner

I was unable to find the captains for a few years, but for the years I could find only five true juniors have been named team captains: 1972 Besosa; 1981 Sadler, 1991 Burlace, 2005 McGlone, 2012 Jesse Bernhardt.

The only two-time captains were Besosa in 1972-73, Mullen in 1975-75, Sadler 1981-82, Burlace 1991-92, Bonanni 1997-98, McGlone 2005-06 and Farrell 2010-11.

Mullen was a senior in 1975, but was injured and redshirted the season. He returned to be a two-time captain in 1976.

Bonanni redshirted a season, so he was a captain as a fourth-year junior and fifth-year senior in 1997 and 1998, respectively.

Farrell was injured and redshirted the 2009 season and was also a fourth-year junior and fifth-year senior in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

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Hall of Fame Terps

Congratulations go out to Terp attackman Jim Wilkerson, who was inducted into the Greater Baltimore chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame last month.

Wilkerson was a two-time first team All-American for the Terrapins in 1982 and 1983.

He enjoyed his finest season as a Terp in 1982 as a junior, totaling 62 points on 41 goals and 21 assists. His 41 goals still ranks tied for 11th on Maryland's single-season goals list.

Wilkerson followed that up with a 31-goal, 25-assist seniot campaign in 1983.

He still ranks sixth all-time with 198 points, eighth with 117 goals and tied for 14th with 81 assists.

Joining Wilkerson in the 2012 class is former Maryland assistant coach Paul Cantabene.

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Preseason Polls Are Out

(Full disclosure - this paragraph was copied and pasted from last year with just the year changed, because the view expressed has not changed one bit.) Before we get into the preseason polls, let's make one thing perfectly clear: The polls do not matter! The rankings are for fans and media to have something to look at and talk about throughout the season. The polls have no bearing on a team's tournament worthiness or potential seed. But, while that may be true, the polls and rankings are the way we judge teams in the regular season and it provides a fun debate. So where do the Terps stand in the 2012 preseason polls? Take a look:

Ranking	IL Media	USILA Coaches
1	Virginia	Virginia
2	Duke	Johns Hopkins
3	Johns Hopkins	Cornell (T3)
4	Cornell	Duke (T3)
5	Denver	Denver
6	North Carolina	North Carolina
7	Syracuse	Maryland
8	Maryland	Syracuse
9	Notre Dame	Notre Dame
10	Villanova	Villanova
11	Princeton	UMass
12	Hofstra	Bucknell
13	UMass	Harvard
14	Bucknell	Hofstra
15	Harvard	Penn
16	Penn	Princeton
17	Yale	Penn State
18	Penn State	Yale
19	Colgate	Delaware
20	Drexel	Drexel

Ok, that was fun. It still doesn't mean much, but it is interesting and here are some more interesting nuggets:

- The top 10 teams are the same in both polls. Virginia is No. 1 in both polls, but it's a bit jumbled from there.

- Both polls share 19 of 20 teams. Colgate is included in the media poll at No. 19, while Delaware is No. 19 on the coaches' poll. Five teams are ranked in the same spot in both polls: Virginia (1), Denver (5), North Carolina (6), Notre Dame (9) and Villanova (10)

- The ACC has all four teams in the both polls. The only other league with at least four is the Ivy League, which has five in both polls. The average ranking of the top four teams in each league: ACC (4.25 media, 4.25 coaches), Ivy (11.5 media, 11.75 coaches).

If you're wondering what the Terps have been ranked in past preseason polls you're in luck.

Year	IL Media	USILA Coaches
2012	8th	7th
2011	4th	4th
2010	8th	7th
2009	3rd	3rd
2008	7th	7th
2007	6th	N/A
2006	3rd	N/A
2005	5th	5th
2004	8th	5th
2003	5th	5th
2002	N/A	6th

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Looking Ahead

Last week I promised some news on a new feature this year and I'm pleased to announce that this season we will be having an additional edition of the Blog each week. Each Wednesday, beginning next week, one of the Maryland Terrapins will have their opportunity to share their thoughts on whatever topic(s) are on their mind. Hopefully this will allow the fans to connect with the Terps in a new way this season and give an even greater insight into what it's like to be a Terp.

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Wrapping Up

That's it for this week's edition. Next week will be more of a 2012 preview with a position-by-position look at this year's Terps. We should also have the video preview finished and posted here as well.

If you haven't "liked" the Maryland Men's Lacrosse Facebook page, click here and do so now and you'll get all of the latest news and info on your Facebook page.

Maryland Men's Lacrosse is also on Twitter. Click here to follow.

Once again this season, videos for the Maryland men's lacrosse team will be posted to the official Maryland Athletics YouTube channel. We will be shooting the 2012 video preview next week, so make sure you keep an eye out for that the week of the Harford game.