Starsia named D-I Coach of the Year; Cavaliers Top Coaches Polls

For the second time in the five-year history of the award, FieldTurf has named Virginia men's lacrosse head coach Dom Starsia as the NCAA Division 1 Coach of the Year. In addition to this recognition, the Cavaliers were voted No. 1 in the 2010 Coaches Poll, No. 1 in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll, and No. 2 in the InsideLacrosse Face-Off Yearbook 2011 rankings. Four Virginia players also made the IL Preseason All-America team, while two received an honorable mention.

In 2010, Starsia's team was one of the most prolific in Virginia history, holding down the No. 1 spot in the polls most of the season and capturing the ACC title as victors of the league's regular season and tournament crowns. UVa's 16 wins in 2010 stand only behind the 2006 NCAA title team's 17 triumphs. Balanced across the board, UVa ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring margin (5.22), winning percentage (.889) and ground balls (37.17) - No. 3 in the nation in offense (13.44), assists (8.17) and points (21.61) - No. 6 in defense (8.22). Eight members of the 2010 edition of the Cavaliers were named All-Americans.

Despite winning the national championship last year, the Duke Blue Devils were voted last in the ACC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Virginia topped the poll, followed by North Carolina and Maryland. Junior attacker Steele Stanwick, Senior middie Shamel Bratton, sophomore short stick defensive middie Chris LaPierre, Senior defender Bray Malphrus, and Senior goalie Adam Ghitelman all made the Coaches' Preseason All-ACC list.

Stanwick and S. Bratton were also named to the IL All-America First Team earlier this month. Last season, Stanwick was named a USILA 2010 second-team All-American, while S. Bratton was named to the first team for the second consecutive year. Rounding out the All-American honors are Chris Bocklet and Rhamel Bratton on the third team, and LaPierre and Ghitelman with honorable mentions.

Virginia was ranked No. 2 in the 2011 Face-Off Yearbook preseasn rankings, behind Syracuse, who won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009. Virginia earned the top nod in the Coaches Poll, followed by Syracuse, North Carolina, Duke and Maryland in the top 5.

The Cavaliers start the 2011 campaign by hosting Drexel on February 19 at 5:00 p.m. The first televised game will be against Cornell in the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic in Baltimore on March 12.