Teams: Men's Lacrosse: Press Releases

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

HESSLER, YARBORO & MERRIGAN PICKED TO ALL-NESCAC MEN'S LACROSSE TEAM

Senior Tucker Merrigan

Freshman D.J. Hessler

MEDFORD -- A newcomer and two talented veterans from the Tufts University men's lacrosse team have been chosen to the All-New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Second Team for the 2008 season.

Freshman attackman D.J. Hessler (Monkton, MD) was one of two freshman honored among 24 total recipients in the league. Junior long-stick midfielder Jordan Yarboro (Herndon, VA) and senior defenseman Tucker Merrigan (Greenfield, MA) were both selected last season, Yarboro to the First Team and Merrigan to the Second Team.

Hessler is currently tied for fifth in the NESCAC scoring race. He had 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points in 15 games. His 23 assists are the sixth-best total in the league at the moment, and he scored three game-winning goals for the Jumbos. In nine conference games, he scored 13 goals with nine assists for 22 points. Tufts was the best man-up team in NESCAC with 20 goals, including four by Hessler. He also led the team's attackers with 29 ground balls.

Junior Jordan Yarboro

Yarboro continued to do an outstanding job defensively against the opponent's top midfielder. His 51 ground balls were third on the team and included 31 in nine NESCAC games. A solidly built 5'10" and 180 pounds, Yarboro also added three goals and two assists offensively.

Merrigan, a leader of the Jumbo defense for three seasons, is one of just three NESCAC defenders to repeat as All-Conference picks this season. He finished with 25 ground balls, corralling four in an early-season win over eventual NESCAC champion Williams. Merrigan also had an assist.

Playing the second-most competitive schedule in the country for NCAA Division III, Tufts finished 9-6 overall with wins over nationally ranked teams Williams, Western New England and Bowdoin (by a 19-4 score). The Jumbos earned third place in the NESCAC regular season with a 6-3 mark.

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