Starsia Announces UVA Recruits for 2010-11

from press release

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia men's lacrosse head coach Dom Starsia is pleased to announce the signing of 11 student-athletes to national letters of intent for the 2010-2011 academic year

Joining the Cavaliers next fall are Mark Cockerton (Monsignor Paul Dwyer HS/Oshawa, Ontario), Rob Emery (St. Ignatius/San Francisco, Calif.), Austin Geisler (St. Anne's Belfield/Fredericksburg, Va.), Pat Glading (Georgetown Prep/Bethesda, Md.), Pat Harbeson (DeMatha/Annapolis, Md.), Bobby Hill (Malvern/West Chester, Pa.), Tom Kelly (Rocky Point HS/Rocky Point, N.Y.), Scott McWilliams (Mountain Lakes HS/Mountain Lakes, N.J.), Frank Price (Holly Springs HS/Holly Springs, N.C.), Garrett Swankowski (Loudon Valley HS/Purecellville, Va.) and Owen Van Arsdale (St. Anne's Belfield/Charlottesville, Va.).

"It is always an exciting moment to introduce the future of the Virginia Lacrosse program to the public," said Starsia. "It is striking to note that these young men hail from the West Coast to East Coast and from north of the border to south of Charlottesville."

Cockerton is a 5-foot-10, 175-pound attackman from Oshawa, Ontario. He is the brother of current UVa freshman Matt Cockerton and the son of Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Famer Stan Cockerton, the one-time NCAA goal scoring record holder at N.C. State. Mark Cockerton is out of Monsignor Paul Dwyer HS and tallied 51 goals and 46 assists in 25 games, including playoffs, for the Whitby Warriors of the Junior A Lacrosse League in 2009. He led the Whitby club in scoring and was 11th overall in his first year playing in the Junior A Lacrosse League.

Emery is a 6-foot-3, 185-pound midfielder from San Francisco, Calif. He is listed as the nation's No. 7 rising senior by Inside Lacrosse, as the All-American enters his final year at St. Ignatius College Prep. West Side Lacrosse recognizes Emery as the top-rated senior in the West. Emery, who also plays quarterback for St. Ignatius, was a 2009 Lacrosse Under Armour All-Star.

Geisler is a 5-foot-11, 190-pound goalie from Fredericksburg, Va. Prepping at local St. Anne's Belfield, he is teammates with fellow signee Van Arsdale and former high school teammates with current UVa lacrosse member Howie Long. Geisler saved 70 percent of the shots taken on him as a junior, stopping attempts at a rate of 11.7 saves per game, while picking up 54 ground balls for the back-to-back state champions. Currently Geisler is rated as the No. 46 rising senior by Inside Lacrosse.

Glading is a 5-foot-11, 175-pound attackman from Bethesda, Md. He is the younger brother of former UVa standouts and current Major League Lacrosse (MLL) players, Bill and Danny Glading. He registered 21 goals and 32 assists a season ago at Georgetown Prep, helping them to a 20-3 record and a final No. 4 national ranking.

Harbeson is a 5-foot-8, 175-pound midfielder from Annapolis, Md. Rated as the No. 32 rising senior by Inside Lacrosse, Harbeson tallied 26 goals and 28 assists at DeMatha Catholic a season ago, earning all-conference honors in the WCAC. A 2009 Lacrosse Under Armour All-Star, Harbeson also is a cornerback on the undefeated and presently nationally ranked No. 10 DeMatha Catholic football team.

Hill is a 5-foot-9, 185-pound midfielder from West Chester, Pa. He turned in an all-state (1st team) performance a season ago at Malvern Prep, registering 25 goals and 14 assists, making him a 2009 Lacrosse Under Armour All-Star. Hill, a running back and defensive back on the football team, also earned All-American and first team All-Philadelphia honors for his lacrosse exploits.

Kelly is a 6-foot, 185-pound midfielder from Rocky Point, N.Y. He succeeded on 75 percent of his faceoff opportunities, while registering 26 goals and 16 assists this past season at Rocky Point, HS. Kelly is a two-time all-county performer in lacrosse and also was named a 2009 NYS Shootout All-Star in soccer.

McWilliams is a 6-foot-3, 195-pound defenseman from Mountain Lakes, N.J. Inside Lacrosse lists him currently as the No. 6 rising senior after helping Mountain Lakes HS to a 14-5 record. McWilliams was an all-state honoree in 2009 and was named an Under Armour All-Star. He is also the quarterback on the football team, which is currently 10-0, conference champions and playing in the Group I State semifinals on Saturday, while riding a 23-game winning streak which includes a 2008 state championship.

Price is a 6-foot-3, 185-pound defenseman from Holly Springs, N.C. He is a two-time first team all-state honoree, as well as an All-American last season at Holly Springs HS, helping the Golden Hawks to a 16-3 record a season ago. Price registered 142 ground balls and caused 118 loose balls last season, while scoring seven goals and dishing two assists. He is also a wide receiver on the Holly Springs football squad.

Swankowski is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound defenseman from Purcellville, Va. He was an All-American, AAA District Player of the Year and first team all-district selection after registering 63 groundballs and 44 takeaways last season at Loudon Valley. He also was district wrestler of the year in 2009 at 189 pounds.

Van Arsdale is a 5-foot-8, 160-pound attackman from Charlottesville, Va. The son of renowned UVa associate head coach Marc Van Arsdale, he is ranked by Inside Lacrosse as the No. 50 rising senior in the nation. Owen Van Arsdale registered 36 goals and 56 assists at St. Anne's Belfield a season ago, where he was teammates with Geisler and current UVa freshman Howie Long. He also earned All-American honors, was first team all-state and MVP of the 2009 state championship game. A wide receiver on the football team, Van Arsdale also was a 2009 Lacrosse Under Armour All-Star.

"We have signed brothers of present players and former players," said Starsia. "One is the son of a celebrated coach, another of a lacrosse Hall of Famer. They are talented multi-sport athletes, with two still leading undefeated high school football teams into their respective playoffs. It has been a pleasure to get to know these young men and their families and I am proud of the efforts of our staff to convince them to join us. I am very confident that fans of Virginia Lacrosse are going to thoroughly enjoy getting to know this diverse, dynamic group of student-athletes."

UVa opens up the 2010 slate at Drexel on Feb. 20. Faceoff commences at 1:00 p.m.