The lacrosse team has made all types of history this season.
For the first time since 1954, the Blue Devils captured the Atlantic Coast Conference championship on April 23. Yet just a few weeks later, on May 14, Notre Dame downed Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament, marking the first time a No. 12 seed had defeated a No. 5 seed and also the first time the Fighting Irish had ever beaten an ACC team.
Tuesday, however, was another day of good news for the lacrosse team. Five Duke players were named All-American, the first time since 1952 that five Blue Devils have received that accolade.
Headlining the list is senior midfielder Matt Ogelsby, who was named first-team All-American. Ogelsby, a three-time selection from Bryn Mawr, Pa., was also named 1995 ACC Player of the Year after totaling 31 goals and 16 assists. In addition, he picked up a team-high 99 ground balls and was selected to the ACC All-tournament team. He was a second-team All-American in 1994 and third-team honoree in 1993.
"The last time we had a first teamer was 1954," head coach Mike Pressler said. "It's a pretty big honor."
Seniors Scott Harrison and Ross Moscatelli garnered third-team honors. Harrison, an attackman from Jupiter, Fla., led the Blue Devils in scoring for the third consecutive season with 27 goals and 26 assists. He was named All-ACC and recognized as a member of the All-ACC tournament team. Tuesday's selection marks his second All-American honor.
Harrison has also been honored as a GTE University Division Academic All-American on the male at-large team in District III, which consists of all Division I schools in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Harrison was one of 10 athletes to be chosen for this regional award and will now compete with athletes from across the nation for the GTE Academic All-America team, which will be announced on June 20.
Moscatelli--a midfielder from Frisco, Colo.--was named the Blue Devils' first ever ACC tournament MVP this season. Moscatelli produced a team-high 34 goals and added nine assists.
Junior goalie Joe Kirmser was also chosen as a third-team selection, after leading the ACC this season with a .660 save percentage. The native of Wilton, Conn., collected 218 saves while allowing only 112 goals against in 1995. Yet another third-team honoree is sophomore defenseman Tyler Hardy. The New Canaan, Conn., native anchored a defense that held opponents to just 8.4 goals a game--a figure that ranked first in the ACC. Hardy also picked up 56 ground balls and scored three goals.
"One of the exciting things about this is that we will have two of the players back next year," Pressler said. "It is an all-time first to have five players on the first three teams."
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