Delaware Men’s Lacrosse Standout Defender Pat Dowling Earns Spot on USILA All-American Team
May 26, 2011
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Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
• Complete list of USILA All-Americans
BALTIMORE -- University of Delaware men’s lacrosse standout Pat Dowling, an intimidating defenseman who led the Blue Hens to a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year this spring, capped his career with a big honor Thursday as he was named an honorable mention All-American by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association.
Dowling, a 6-6 close defenseman from Fairfield, Conn. (Ludlowe High School), enjoyed an outstanding senior season as he anchored a strong defense and ranked among the league leaders in caused turnovers and groundballs. He led the Blue Hens to an 11-7 record this spring as Delaware captured the Colonial Athletic Association title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and for the third time since 2007.
The Blue Hens, led by head coach Bob Shillinglaw, suffered a heartbreaking setback in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a furious rally fell just short in a 15-14 setback to defending national champion and No. 5 seed Duke in Durham, N.C.
A four-year starter, Dowling earned CAA All-Rookie honors as a freshman in 2008 and followed as a first team All-CAA pick in 2009 and 2011 and a second team All-CAA selection in 2010. An honor student as a history major with a minor in Spanish, he was also a CAA All-Academic selection and was a top 20 finalist for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award this spring.
As a senior in 2011, Dowling played in all 18 games and started all but one. He led the team with 21 caused turnovers and was second on the team with 50 groundballs. He also dished out an assist in a mid-season win over Dartmouth. He recorded two or more caused turnovers seven times, including three each vs. Presbyterian, Marist, and Dartmouth, and scooped up three or groundballs nine times, including a season-high seven against Bellarmine.
Dowling set the UD career record for caused turnovers in 2010 and expanded on it this season, raising his standard to 69, more than double the No. 2 spot all-time at Delaware. He also recorded 143 career groundballs and appeared in 66 games, the fifth highest mark in UD history and the most ever by a Blue Hen defenseman.
Delaware has now placed at least one player on the USILA All-American teams six times in the last seven seasons and Dowling becomes the first UD close defenseman to earn All-American honors since Marc Traverso earned honorable mention laurels in 1999.
Dowling was one of nine CAA players earning All-American notice. Attackman Jay Card, faceoff specialist John Antoniades, defenseman Mike Skudin, and goalkeeper Andrew Gvozden of Hofstra, attackman Scott Perri and goalkeeper Mark Manos of Drexel, midfielder Anthony Biscardi of Massachusetts, and goalkeeper Austin Kaut of Penn State, also earned honorable mention honors.
The USILA first team consisted of attackmen Jeremy Boltus of Army, Rob Pannell of Cornell, and Steele Stanwick of Virginia; midfielders Kevin Crowley of Stony Brook, David Earl of Notre Dame, Roy Lang of Cornell, and John Ranagan of Johns Hopkins; longstick midfielders Brian Karalunas of Villanova and Joel White of Syracuse; faceoff specialist Matt Dolente of Johns Hopkins; defensemen Max Feely, of Cornell, John Lade of Syracuse, and Kevin Ridgway of Notre Dame; and goalkeeper John Galloway of Syracuse.
A total of 92 players were selected among the first, second, third, and honorable mention teams.
