LANCASTER, Pa. – Eight Haverford College men's lacrosse players were named to the 2011 All-Centennial Conference team that was released by the conference office Wednesday. The selections were made by the conference's nine head coaches.
The eight selections is the most by any school in 2011. Attack Max Hjelm, midfielder Travis Gregory and goalie Joe Banno were tabbed for the first team. Attack Myles Monaghan, midfielder Phillip Valliant and defenders Dillion Hamill and Scott Kelley were second team selections. Defender David Whitcomb was named honorable mention.
Gregory and Hamill were also named to the conference's academic honor roll listing.
With this year's selection to the first team, Hjelm becomes the second Haverford player– and 21st overall–to be named to the All-Centennial Conference first team for three consecutive years. Chris Anderson was the first Ford to accomplish this feat by making the team in 1999, 2000 and 2001. This season, Hjelm is the conference leader with six game-winning goals. He sits eighth, and leads the team, with 24 goals. Hjelm is also the team's point leader (34). In his career, he has scored 156 goals, which is second all-time at Haverford.
Gregory is a first-time pick for the second consecutive season. In 2011, he has a team-high 19 assists, which is fourth in the conference. He ranks third on the team in points (31).
Banno, a second team pick in 2010, is tops in the Centennial in save percentage (.650) and saves per game (13.47). He owns the fourth-best goals against average (GAA) (7.24). Nationally, Banno holds down the third position in save percentage. In three seasons, Banno owns the most career wins(36) and has posted the best career GAA (7.75) in school history.
Monaghan is second on the team in goals, and 13th in the conference, with 23. He has a total of 29 points which ranks fourth on the team.
Valliant has racked up 33 points (20 goals, 13 assists) in 2010. He is second on the squad in points and assists and third in goals.
A second team selection for the second straight year, Hamill is fifth in the conference after scooping up 61 ground balls. He is the team leader in ground balls and caused turnovers (47). He tied his own school record with eight caused turnovers in a win at Ursinus.
Kelley was second on the Fords with 20 caused turnovers and third with 51 caused turnovers.
Whitcomb recorded 12 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers.
Haverford is 11-4 overall and ranked 12th in the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association poll. The Fords are waiting to see if they will receive an at-large bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament. The tournament field will be announced on Sunday, May 8.