Salisbury University

Overview
After spending half a decade on the doorstep, Salisbury State University finally reached the summit of Division III men’s lacrosse, besting dynastic Hobart 15-9 to win its first national championship. Played at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Md., in front of a then-record crowd of 12,142, SSU leaned on a game-high five goals from Jake Bergey and 16 Erik Miller saves to deliver sixth-year head coach Jim Berkman his first ring and complete the first undefeated title run in Division III history.

In the process, the Sea Gulls ousted a Hobart team that had won 13 of the previous 14 Division III national championships and denied the Statesmen one more ring before the program elevated to Division I in 1995.

A perfect 13-0 in the regular season, SSU bounced War on the Shore rival Washington College 24-6 in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals before besting Gettysburg 20-11 in the semis. The win over Hobart avenged an 8-6 defeat against the Statesmen in the 1991 championship game, the program’s first appearance in the finals.

Major Awards
Jason Coffman, USILA National Player of the Year
Jason Coffman, USILA National Attackman of the Year
Chris McQueeney, USILA National Defenseman of the Year
Erik Miller, USILA National Goalie of the Year

USILA All-Americans (8)
Jason Coffman (1st team)
Chris McQueeney (1st team)
Erik Miller (1st team)
Ryan Murphy (1st team)
Tom McAuliffe (2nd team)
Dan Mergott (2nd team)
Sean Radebaugh (2nd team)
Dod Poe (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Jason Coffman, 67
Assists: Sean Radebaugh, 40
Points: Jason Coffman, 102
Ground Balls: Chris McQueeney, 198
Saves: Erik Miller, 159

Future Salisbury Hall-of-Famers on Roster
Jason Coffman, Class of 2006
Dan Mergott, Class of 2006
Jake Bergey, Class of 2007
Chris McQueeney, Class of 2007
Erik Miller, Class of 2012

Overview
With 13-time national champion Hobart’s reclassification to Division I, only Salisbury State (1994) and Nazareth (1992) held Division III national titles among the level’s active teams. The 1995 national championship served as a collision course between these two programs, with defending champs SSU keeping the crown and staking its claim as Division III’s new dynasty-in-the-making. Led by six goals from Sean Radebaugh and multi-goal efforts from Paul Smith, Jason Coffman, Jake Bergey, and Dan Mergott, the Sea Gulls bullied the Flyer 22-13, finishing off back-to-back undefeated runs in front of a national TV audience on ESPN2.

Salisbury State entered the NCAA Tournament with some additional hardware as Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) champions for the first time. SSU blitzed Hampden-Sydney 23-8 and Gettysburg 21-9 in the national quarters and semis to set up the clash of the titans at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Md. A record-breaking crowd of 15,768 braved the rainy conditions to see maroon and gold reign supreme again.

Major Awards
Jason Coffman, USILA National Player of the Year
Jason Coffman, USILA National Attackman of the Year
Dan Mergott, USILA National Midfielder of the Year
Chris McQueeney, USILA National Defenseman of the Year
Rich Betcher, USILA National Goalie of the Year
Jason Coffman, CAC Player of the Year

USILA All-Americans (11)
Jason Coffman (1st team)
Dan Mergott (1st team)
Chris McQueeney (1st team)
Rich Betcher (1st team)
Sean Radebaugh (1st team)
Jake Bergey (1st team)
Rob Schmitt (2nd team)
Paul Smith (HM)
John Monar (HM)
Darin Gallagher (HM)
Brendan Bellotte (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Jason Coffman, 79
Assists: Jason Coffman, 55
Points: Jason Coffman, 134
Ground Balls: Chris McQueeney, 118
Saves: Rich Betcher, 128

Future Salisbury Hall-of-Famers on Roster
Dan Mergott, Class of 2006
Jason Coffman, Class of 2006
Jake Bergey, Class of 2007
Chris McQueeney, Class of 2007

Overview
Salisbury State returned to the national championship game for the first time since winning back-to-back titles in 1994-95, reclaiming its spot on the Division III throne with a 13-6 victory over Middlebury in front of 17,418 fans at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Md. Brian Smith scored a hat trick and added an assist for a game-high four points, while Peter Troup and Joe High added two goals apiece, and Jason Tarnow stood tall in the cage with 19 saves.

SSU cruised to a CAC title and outlasted Washington College 16-15 in overtime in the War on the Shore leading into the NCAA Tournament. Easy victories over Hampden-Sydney (15-10) and Denison (14-7) set up the title game clash with Middlebury, where the Sea Gulls secured their third national title in the past six years.

Major Awards
Chris Turner, USILA National Midfielder of the Year
Chris Turner, CAC Player of the Year

USILA All-Americans (8)
Chris Turner (1st team)
Peter Troup (1st team)
Joe High (2nd team)
Darren Geraci (2nd team)
Dave DiPaola (3rd team)
Tim Parks (HM)
Mark Breier (HM)
Jason Tarnow (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Joe High, 56
Assists: Brian Smith, 33
Points: Joe High/Peter Troup, 79
Ground Balls: Chris Martin, 119
Saves: Jason Tarnow, 163

Future Salisbury Hall-of-Famers on Roster
Joe High, Class of 2010
Chris Turner, Class of 2010

Overview
This is where the fun begins.

Making their first national title game appearance since losing to Middlebury in 2000, the Sea Gulls got the best of the three-time defending champs Panthers at Ravens Stadium in Baltimore. Trailing 13-12 with less than five minutes remaining, Andy Arnold netted the tying goal to send it into overtime. Then 89 seconds into OT, Chris Lauer found Chris Phillips for the sudden-death winner, securing the maroon and gold’s first national championship under the Salisbury University moniker and its first in a run of five in six years.

Riding high after CAC Tournament and War on the Shore victories, Salisbury torched Cabrini 16-1 in its opening NCAA Tournament game, later taking down Franklin & Marshall (26-8) and Whittier (15-8) to roll into the championship game against Middlebury. The Sea Gulls’ win denied Middlebury a Division III four-peat.

Major Awards
Andy Murray, USILA National Player of the Year
Josh Bergey, USILA National Attackman of the Year
Andy Murray, USILA National Midfielder of the Year
Sean White, National Long-Stick Midfielder of the Year
Eric Martin, National Defenseman of the Year
Josh Bergey, CAC Player of the Year
Jim Berkman, CAC Coach of the Year

USILA All-Americans (7)
Josh Bergey (1st team)
Jeff Bigas (1st team)
Eric Martin (1st team)
Andy Murray (1st team)
Sean White (2nd team)
Chris Phillips (HM)
Corey O'Neil (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Josh Bergey, 72
Assists: Josh Bergey, 48
Points: Josh Bergey, 120
Ground Balls: Andy Murray, 211
Saves: Dan Korpon, 151

Future Salisbury Hall-of-Famers on Roster
Eric Martin, Class of 2014
Andy Murray, Class of 2014
Jeff Bigas, Class of 2015
Sean White, Class of 2016
Dan Korpon, Class of 2019

Overview

The third undefeated side in Sea Gull history, Salisbury won all 20 of its games and stretched its overall winning streak to 29 games by besting Nazareth 13-9 at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium. Andy Arnold scored four goals in the title game – Scott Simmons and Justin Smith added three and two each, respectively – to lock down the program’s second string of back-to-back crowns (1994-95).

SU took care of business against Wooster and Washington & Lee in its first two NCAA Tournament games to set up a rematch with Delmarva Peninsula rival Washington College in the semis. With the game tied 7-7 at halftime, Arnold and Jimmy Creighton teamed up for a string of three straight goals to give the Sea Gulls a 10-7 lead; the two sides exchanged tallies the rest of the way to give Salisbury the 13-11 decision.

Major Awards
Eric Martin, USILA National Player of the Year
Andy Murray, USILA National Midfielder of the Year
Sean White, USILA National Long-Stick Midfielder of the Year
Eric Martin, USILA National Defenseman of the Year
Eric Martin, CAC Player of the Year

USILA All-Americans (10)
Jeff Bigas (1st team)
Eric Martin (1st team)
Andy Murray (1st team)
Corey O'Neil (1st team)
Sean White (1st team)
Andy Arnold (2nd team)
Justin Smith (2nd team)
Scott Simmons (HM)
Brian Oakley (HM)
Dan Korpon (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Corey O'Neil, 72
Assists: Andy Arnold/Scott Simmons, 28
Points: Andy Arnold/Corey O'Neil, 86
Ground Balls: Andy Murray, 179
Saves: Dan Korpon, 123

Future Salisbury Hall-of-Famers on Roster
Eric Martin, Class of 2014
Andy Murray, Class of 2014
Jeff Bigas, Class of 2015
Sean White, Class of 2016
Justin Smith, Class of 2018
Dan Korpon, Class of 2019

Overview

Salisbury completed its only national championship three-peat and extended its overall winning streak to 49 games with a tense 11-10 victory over Middlebury in the finals at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. Trailing 10-8 with just over five minutes to go, Mike Hurley scored one goal and Jimmy Creighton tied it with another moments later. Then with five seconds left on the clock, 2003 overtime hero Chris Phillips struck again with a stunning goal to deliver the Sea Gulls their third consecutive Division III crown.

After retaining the CAC and War on the Shore titles, SU muscled its way through Cabrini (13-9), Gettysburg (12-9), and Roanoke (13-11) en route to its final showdown with Middlebury, showing a particular mettle that earned the most recent three-peat in Division III men’s lacrosse.

Major Awards
Justin Smith, USILA National Player of the Year
Justin Smith, USILA National Midfielder of the Year
Sean White, USILA National Long-Stick Midfielder of the Year
Jeff Bigas, USILA National Defenseman of the Year
Dan Korpon, USILA National Goalie of the Year
Jeff Bigas, CAC Player of the Year
Jim Berkman, CAC Coach of the Year

USILA All-Americans (8)
Jeff Bigas (1st team)
Dan Korpon (1st team)
Chris Phillips (1st team)
Justin Smith (1st team)
Sean White (1st team)
Dan Boyer (2nd team)
Bryan Bradford (3rd team)
Chris Heier (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Dan Boyer, 69
Assists: Justin Smith, 39
Points: Justin Smith, 88
Ground Balls: Bryan Bradford, 170
Saves: Dan Korpon, 188

Future Salisbury Hall-of-Famers on Roster
Jeff Bigas, Class of 2015
Sean White, Class of 2016
Justin Smith, Class of 2018
Dan Korpon, Class of 2019
Chris Heier, Cass of 2021
Matt Hickman, Class of 2022

Overview

Salisbury saw its historic 69-game winning streak snapped and its quest for four straight titles undone in overtime by Cortland in the 2006 national championship game. One year later the Sea Gulls would have their revenge, riding five goals and one assist from Matt Hickman to best the Red Dragons 15-9 in the 2007 title game at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium. SU’s fourth national title winner in five seasons established new NCAA Division III records for wins (23), goals (417), assists (271), and points (688), outscoring its foes by a combined margin of 417-115.

The Sea Gulls took care of Widener (16-8) and Roanoke (15-9) with ease to open the NCAA Tournament. Then in the semis SU faced a tough task from Gettysburg, holding a 7-2 cushion at halftime and ultimately turning back the Bullets 9-6 to earn its fifth straight trip to the title game.

Major Awards
Chase Caruso, USILA National Player of the Year
Kylor Berkman, USILA National Midfielder of the Year
Chase Caruso, USILA National Long-Stick Midfielder of the Year
Luis Gonzalez, USILA National Short-Stick Specalist of the Year
Chris Heier, USILA National Defenseman of the Year
Chase Caruso, CAC Player of the Year
Jim Berkman, CAC Coach of the Year

USILA All-Americans (11)
Kylor Berkman (1st team)
Eric Bishop (1st team)
Chase Caruso (1st team)
Matt Dasinger (1st team)
Chris Heier (1st team)
Luis Gonzalez (1st team)
Matt Hickman (2nd team)
Kyle Hartzell (3rd team)
Greg Titus (HM)
Brett Yoder (HM)
Max Zarchin (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Greg Titus, 76
Assists: Kylor Berkman, 44
Points: Eric Bishop, 102
Ground Balls: Ryan DeRose, 129
Caused Turnovers: Kyle Hartzell, 42
Face Offs Won: Ryan DeRose, 210
Saves: Max Zarchin, 134

Future Salisbury Hall-of-Famers on Roster
Chase Caruso, Class of 2018
Kylor Berkman, Class of 2020
Chris Heier, Class of 2021
Matt Hickman, Class of 2022

Overview

In the third of a trilogy of championship bouts with Cortland, Salisbury left no doubt as to whose dynasty reigned supreme, ousting the Red Dragons 19-13 in front of a record Division III crowd of 24,317 at Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium. Kylor Berkman earned Most Outstanding Player honors after netting five goals with two assists, while Nick Fiorentino recorded 14 saves in his third-ever collegiate start between the pipes.

SU began its championship defense with easy dubs over Ohio Wesleyan and Cabrini, setting up an epic semifinal showdown with Gettysburg. Berkman played the hero in double overtime, taking a pass from Bruce Richardson to deposit the winner and send the Sea Gulls to a sixth straight title game.

The 2008 national championship completed an epic run of five crowns in six seasons for Salisbury. From 2003-08, Salisbury posted an overall record of 124-2, running up distinct winning streaks of 69 and 45 games.

Major Awards
Kylor Berkman, USILA National Player of the Year
Kylor Berkman, USILA National Midfielder of the Year
Jim Berkman, USILA National Coach of the Year

USILA All-Americans (6)
Kylor Berkman (1st team)
Matt Hickman (1st team)
Ben Sandlin (1st team)
Bruce Richardson (HM)
Greg Titus (HM)
Mike Von Kamecke (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Matt Hickman, 61
Assists: Kylor Berkman, 49
Points: Matt Hickman, 94
Ground Balls: Ryan Brown, 135
Caused Turnovers: Connor Burgasser, 50
Face Offs Won: Ryan Brown, 234
Saves: Zach Krissoff, 86

Future Salisbury Hall-of-Famers on Roster
Kylor Berkman, Class of 2020
Matt Hickman, Class of 2022

Overview
The Sea Gulls had vengeance on their minds after a loss to Tufts in the 2010 title game, rolling through the regular season and fending off Stevenson for the CAC crown. SU breezed through its first three NCAA Tournament fixtures, powering through Endicott, Dickinson, and Roanoke to set up a rematch with the Jumbos at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium.

With a maroon and gold heavy crowd of 18,086 watching, Salisbury steamrolled Tufts 19-7, giving head coach Jim Berkman his largest-ever margin of victory (12) in a championship game. Sam Bradman matched the entire Jumbo attack with seven goals plus one assist to earn Most Outstanding Player honors, while goalkeeper Johnny Rodriguez stood tall in the cage to cement his place in the SU keeping pantheon.

Major Awards
Johnny Rodriguez, USILA National Goalie of the Year
Sam Bradman, NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player

USILA All-Americans (10)
Sam Bradman (1st team)
Matt Cannone (1st team)
Johnny Rodriguez (1st team)
Collin Tokosch (1st team)
Tyler Granelli (HM)
Erik Krum (HM)
Tony Mendes (HM)
Nick Mooney (HM)
Andrew Sellers (HM)
Shawn Zordani (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Sam Bradman, 55
Assists: Matt Cannone, 39
Points: Matt Cannone, 88
Ground Balls: Tyler Granelli, 110
Caused Turnovers: Nick Mooney, 30
Face Offs Won: Tyler Granelli, 220
Saves: Johnny Rodriguez, 128

Future Salisbury Hall-of-Famers on Roster
Tyler Granelli, Class of 2025
Johnny Rodriguez, Class of 2023

Overview
The program’s most recent undefeated national champion, the Sea Gulls were the nation’s best from wire to wire, outscoring the competition 400-115 for an average margin of victory of 12.4 goals per game. Easy early NCAA Tournament victories over Goucher and Cabrini set up a threequel against Stevenson, who Salisbury dispatched 11-10 in the regular season and 12-9 in the CAC championship; the Gulls smothered the Mustangs 7-2 to clinch a spot in the title game at Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium.

Facing a tough out in Cortland, Salisbury clung to an 11-10 lead with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter. Ryan Clarke and Lantz Carter scored within a minute of each other to give SU breathing room, and Sam Bradman put it away with three minutes left, giving the Sea Gulls a ring for all 10 digits and staking its claim as the greatest of all Salisbury men’s lacrosse teams.

Major Awards
Sam Bradman, USILA National Player of the Year
Matt Cannone, USILA National Attackman of the Year
Sam Bradman, USILA National Midfielder of the Year
Dean Rossi, USILA National Short-Stick Specalist of the Year
Tyler Granelli, USILA National Face-Off Specialist of the Year
Andrew Sellers, USILA National Defenseman of the Year
Jim Berkman, USILA National Coach of the Year
Jim Berkman, Howdy Myers Man of the Year
Sam Bradman, CAC Player of the Year
Jim Berkman, CAC Coach of the Year

USILA All-Americans (12)
Sam Bradman (1st team)
Matt Cannone (1st team)
Ryan Clarke (1st team)
Tyler Granelli (1st team)
Erik Krum (1st team)
Dean Rossi (1st team)
Andrew Sellers (1st team)
Evan Hockel (3rd team)
Parker Dickerson (HM)
Tony Mendes (HM)
Zeke Smith (HM)
Alex Taylor (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Sam Bradman, 71
Assists: Matt Cannone, 67
Points: Matt Cannone, 130
Ground Balls: Tyler Granelli, 164
Caused Turnovers: Zeke Smith, 50
Face Offs Won: Tyler Granelli, 242
Saves: Alex Taylor, 167

Future Salisbury Hall-of-Famers on Roster
Tyler Granelli, Class of 2025

 

Overview
Spurred in part by a shock defeat against York (Pa.) in the CAC Championship, the Sea Gulls locked in on the big prize and came away with their 11th national title. After easily dispatching Catholic and Colorado College in the early rounds, Salisbury survived an 11-10 overtime test from Denison, with Thomas Cirillo netting the sudden-death winner to send SU onto the final four.

The Sea Gulls trounced Gettysburg 14-6 in the semis and met up with rival Tufts in the final at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Tied 4-4 early in the second quarter, SU rattled off eight goals in a row to build a 12-4 lead. Undaunted, the Jumbos netted the next seven to cut it to 12-11. Cirillo’s man-up marker with 11:38 to go in the fourth quarter stopped the bleeding, and the teams traded goals until the final seconds when Colin Reymann’s save held the Salisbury line for good.

Major Awards
Preston Dabbs, USILA National Player of the Year
Thomas Cirillo, USILA National Midfielder of the Year
Preston Dabbs, USILA National Short-Stick Specialist of the Year
Thomas Cirillo, CAC Player of the Year
Jim Berkman, CAC Coach of the Year

All-Americans (9)
Preston Dabbs (1st team)
Thomas Cirillo (1st team) 
Nathan Blondino (2nd team)
James Burton (2nd team)
Kyle Tucker (2nd team)
Will Nowesnick (2nd team)
Andrew Ternahan (3rd team)
Carson Kalama (HM)
Brendan Bromwell (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Carson Kalama, 64
Assists: James Burton, 51
Points: Nathan Blondino, 101
Ground Balls: Andrew Ternahan, 104
Caused Turnovers: Kyle Tucker, 49
Face Offs Won: Duncan Campbell, 198
Saves: Colin Reymann, 116

Overview
The Sea Gulls successfully defended their crown to make it an even dozen national championships, marking the fifth time in program history SU won at least two titles in a row. Salisbury annihilated Mary Washington and York (Pa.) on the way to a CAC title and kept the buzzsaw rolling against Misericordia and Hampden-Sydney in the early NCAA Tournament before avenging a late-season loss against Cabrini, 17-5, in the quarters.

Salisbury faced a stiff challenge from Denison in the semifinals but outlasted the Big Red by one goal for the second straight tournament, 12-11, to roll into the final at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. against RIT. Up 5-4 late in the second quarter, Garrett Reynolds deposited one in the cage to give SU a two-goal cushion at the break; the tally was the first of a 10-3 run to close the game. Colin Reymann played a brilliant second half, recording seven of his 12 saves to put the championship on ice.

Major Awards
Nathan Blondino, USILA National Player of the Year
Andrew Ternahan, USILA National Long-Stick Midfielder of the Year
Kyle Tucker, USILA National Defenseman of the Year
Nathan Blondino, CAC Player of the Year

All-Americans (10)
Nathan Blondino (1st team)
Brendan Bromwell (1st team)
Andrew Ternahan (1st team)
Will Nowesnick (1st team)
Kyle Tucker (1st team)
Carson Kalama (2nd team)
Nick Garbarino (HM)
Aaron Leeds (HM)
Colin Reymann (HM)
Troy Miller (HM)

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Carson Kamala, 69
Assists: Nathan Blondino, 73
Points: Nathan Blondino, 134
Ground Balls: Duncan Campbelll 109
Caused Turnovers: Will Nowesnick, 44
Face Offs Won: Duncan Campbell, 237
Saves: Colin Reymann, 156

Overview
Two years removed from a double overtime defeat in the finals, the Sea Gulls finished the job and broke a six-year title drought with their 13th national championship, tying Hobart for the most in NCAA Division III history.

Salisbury entered the national tournament riding a 15-game winning streak that began on Mar. 4 with an overtime win at Lynchburg and culminated with a 9-4 triumph over Christopher Newport in the inaugural Coastal Lacrosse Conference (CLC) championship. After dispatching Colorado College, Amherst, and Washington & Lee in the early rounds, SU met up with CNU and dispatched the Captains for the third time that season, 12-8, in the semifinals at Sea Gull Stadium.

At Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, Salisbury was pitted against a Tufts team lauded for its offense. The Sea Gulls stormed out of the gate, though, with the game’s first six goals and took a 10-4 lead into halftime. The Jumbos got as close as 11-9, but Jude Brown’s man-up goal in the final seconds of the third quarter sparked a 5-1 run to rebuild the margin to 16-10, with back-to-back strikes from Most Outstanding Player Cross Ferrara putting it away for good.

Major Awards
NCAA National Championship Most Outstanding Player - Cross Ferrara
USILA National Coach of the Year - Jim Berkman
CLC Player of the Year - Cross Ferrara
CLC Rookie of the Year - Blake Malamphy
CLC Coach of the Year - Jim Berkman

USILA All-Americans (8)
John DeFazio (1st team)
Jack Dowd (1st team) 
Cross Ferrara (1st team)
Jude Brown (2nd team)
Zach Timmons (2nd team)
Thomas Ballard (HM)
Braden Glushakow (HM)
Luke Nestor (HM)

Team Statistical Leaders
Goals: Cross Ferrara, 88
Assists: Jude Brown, 65
Points: Cross Ferrara, 122
Ground Balls: Blake Malamphy, 136
Caused Turnovers: John DeFazio, 57
Face Offs Won: Blake Malamphy, 193
Saves: Nicholas Ransom, 182