Bucknell University Athletics
Smithies, Sussman Named Honorable Mention Lax All-Americans
12/19/2001 7:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Dec. 19, 2001
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Fresh off its first NCAA Tournament appearance last spring, the Bucknell men's lacrosse team has been ranked 19th in the 2002 Face-Off Yearbook Top 25 preseason coaches poll, released Tuesday by Inside Lacrosse magazine.
The magazine also released its preseason All-America teams, and Bucknell's Kevin Smithies (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown H.S.) and Justin Sussman (Towson, Md./Friends Academy) were cited as honorable mention honorees.
Smithies, a senior defenseman and 2002 team co-captain, and Sussman, a two-year starting goalie, were both Second Team All-Patriot League selections last season as the Bison racked up a 10-4 record (6-0 Patriot League) and a conference championship.
A 6'4", 210-pound close defenseman, Smithies started all 14 games for the Bison a year ago and ranked third on the team with 51 ground balls. He anchored a Herd defense that ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 7.93 goals per game.
Sussman led the Patriot League and ranked seventh nationally in both goals-against average (7.83) and save percentage (.622) last season. The latter figure was 10th-best in Bucknell history.
The Bison are the highest-ranked Patriot League team in the preseason poll, one spot ahead of No. 20 Army and four notches above No. 23 Hobart. Princeton is the preseason No. 1 choice in a close vote over Syracuse. Johns Hopkins, Towson, Virginia, Maryland, Georgetown, Loyola, Duke and Hofstra round out the top 10.
Bucknell's 2002 schedule features seven teams ranked in the top 25, including home contests against No. 6 Maryland, No. 13 North Carolina, No. 20 Army and No. 25 Harvard. The Bison will visit No. 7 Georgetown, No. 16 Penn State and No. 23 Hobart this spring.
