A trio of juniors who have been with the Boston University men’s lacrosse team since its inaugural season were honored by the Patriot League on Monday.
Midfielder Cal Dearth and faceoff specialist Sam Talkow received first-team recognitions, while defenseman Greg Wozniak received a spot on the second team. Talkow was also individually named the conference’s Faceoff Specialist of the Year.
While a final contest awaits against No. 14 Duke University on May 8, BU (8-6, 3-5 Patriot League) head coach Ryan Polley reflected on how indispensable each stalwart has been.
“We’re really proud of those guys, and it’s well deserved,” the third-year head coach said. “The guys had great years, and we’re just really proud of them and their individual accomplishments.”
The Terriers have secured a winning season for the first time in program history, and Talkow is a major reason behind that. He’s on the watch list for the Tewaraaton Award, which is annually given to the best player in NCAA lacrosse, and his .695 faceoff percentage is the second best in the nation.
The Delray Beach, Florida native also offered a goal-scoring threat, as he found net six times, the most memorable of which was a game-tier against No. 9 United States Naval Academy with 47 seconds left in regulation. BU went on to upset the Midshipmen 10-9 in double overtime, and Talkow went 9-of-16 from the X at Nickerson Field.
“He gives us more possessions than anybody in the league, and he’s a big part of our success and why we were able to make this run and beat some ranked teams and be ranked as high as we were this year,” Polley said.
Dearth’s presence was just as influential, even though he missed two games early in 2016 to injury. He scored 12 goals and added 13 helpers, often using his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame to create for himself and others.
March 22 was arguably Dearth’s strongest day of the year, as he scored four goals and assisted twice in a 9-8 upset over a then-ranked Harvard University side. That showing helped him gain Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors on March 28, displaying the form that also saw him named an Inside Lacrosse’s preseason All-American.
“Certainly when Cal is on, he’s as good a midfielder as there is in the conference and he makes everyone around him better,” Polley said. “He’s a guy who is super athletic and very skilled, and he’s just a great offensive player.”
After starring as a longstick midfielder, Wozniak transitioned into a defenseman role midway through the season. The Yardley, Pennsylvania native’s 26 caused turnovers were fifth in the nation, and his 3.93 ground balls per game were eighth in the conference.
Wozniak’s strongest contest came against the United States Military Academy, as he picked up eight ground balls and set a program record with six caused turnovers. Polley praised Wozniak, noting the jarring presence he offers.
“He’s got a great stick, he’s got a real understanding and knack for ground balls and making plays, so he’s very disruptive,” Polley said. “He’s long and lanky and does a lot of really good things for our defense, so I’m pleased to see that he got recognized. Sometimes as a defenseman, it’s hard to really have your true value be recognized, but I think the other coaches in the league deservedly recognized his ability to play good defense and also create plays.”
Jonathan's a New Englander who writes about sports, features and politics. He currently covers men's hockey at BU, worked as Sports Editor during the spring 2016 semester and is on the FreeP's Board of Directors. Toss him a follow on Twitter at @jonathansigal.
