Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh men’s lacrosse seniors: making their mark
4/21/2011 3:38:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Media Relations
Every player has a role, whether in high school, collegiate or professional athletics. For the Lehigh men's lacrosse program, its senior class of Richard Bradley (Short Hills, N.J.), Ryan Brown (Redding, Conn.), Morgan Haller (Annapolis, Md.), Chris Ryan (Devon, Pa.), Will Scudder (Exton, Pa.) and Jonathan Stumpf (Ellicott City, Md.) epitomizes that statement.
"The Class of 2011 will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Lehigh head coach Kevin Cassese. “Bradley, Haller, Scudder and Stumpf have been with me since the day I became the head coach at Lehigh University. Brown and Ryan seamlessly joined the ranks along the way.”
The class includes natives of four different states along with a multitude of positions, ranging from close defense, midfield, defensive midfield and goaltender. Roles vary from starting defenseman to faceoff specialist, scout team contributor and more. But in the end, all six have made their own unique impact on the program's rise to where it is today, as a Patriot League Tournament qualifier with aspirations of winning the league championship.
“We have all grown together as leaders, as men, as a team, and as a family,” said Cassese. “I am grateful to these excellent young men for the hard-work, dedication, and loyalty they have shown to me as their head coach and to the Lehigh Lacrosse program as a whole."
Regardless of what happens in Saturday's Senior Night Game against archrival Lafayette, the Mountain Hawks have already clinched its first league tournament berth since 2006. The season is extra special for that very fact, helping the program achieve something it hasn't accomplished in five years.
“I hope people will think that our class had something to do with the transformation,” said Scudder. “Hopefully, we'll be looked at as the stepping stone for where this program will be in a couple years.”
The diversity of the class is incredible. Not only are the roles very different, but the class also includes a mix of four-year players and transfers. A variety of majors includes Integrated Business & Engineering (Stumpf), History (Scudder), English (Ryan), Accounting (Haller), Marketing (Bradley) and Earth & Environmental Science (Brown).
Despite being very different on the surface, each senior from the close-knit group has made a major contribution to the program's transformation from where it was when they entered. Contributions from someone like Brown, who is a key scout team player, should not be overlooked. Although not seeing a great deal of playing time, he has made his mark in other areas.
“Ryan has been an essential part of the team, and even more so, our class,” said Bradley. “He's a great player; he works hard every day in practice. What he does in practice is amazing.
“He's stripped all of our starters,” Bradley continued. “He keeps the group grounded. He's a quiet, always mellow kid, so if people are getting hectic, you can always turn to him. He's always level-headed and a calming aspect of the team.”
Ironically, in a year that featured Lehigh's first win over Navy since 1913, the United States Naval Academy is one common connection among at least three members of this senior class.
Brown came to Lehigh from Navy, where he was set to play football before he decided to pursue another route. Ironically, his best friend from Navy - Marty Gallagher - was also Scudder's best friend from home. Haller, an Annapolis native, has an obvious connection, having grown up in the area and played at St. Mary's High School.
Scudder is also a part of another connection, as he has known Chris Ryan since they were three years old. In the end, he was a major in influence in Ryan joining the program. Chris originally went to the University of Pittsburgh where he didn't play lacrosse, but after talking to his old friend, he decided to transfer.
“Will is one of my best friends,” said Ryan. “I wanted to play lacrosse again, too, because I wasn't playing at Pitt. Will was having a great time, so I talked to him and decided to transfer here.”
A defensive midfielder, Ryan's impact goes far beyond any statistics he could produce.
“He's definitely like a silent assassin,” said his roommate Stumpf. “He's one of the best athletes on the team. He's not very vocal, but everyone understands the role he serves, which is an extremely hard worker and someone you can always look to and see how it's done right.”
For Stumpf, he'll leave a legacy as one of the top all-around student-athletes not only on the team, but also the school, region and nation. There's no better proof than Stumpf being named one of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
“I want to be remembered as someone who was a little less vocal, yet led by example in terms of hard work,” said Stumpf. “Someone who has a tough academic load can look to me as an example that it can be done, both on and off the field.”
Stumpf's play isn't too shabby either, as he's posted 55 career points, including a career-high 24 so far this season via 14 goals and 10 assists.
“His impact is hard to put into words,” said Ryan. “He's super competitive. He gets very competitive with anything we do, no matter how big or small. I think that's what drives him to be the best.
The most vocal members of the class are undoubtedly Bradley and Scudder, who are two of the three captains (along with Stumpf, who leads more by example).
As a two-time captain and one of the team's top defensemen, Bradley knows his leadership role on the team. He has continued to thrive in both areas this season, winning two straight Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week Awards while also posting a team-leading 21 caused turnovers.
“I want to be remembered as someone who worked hard every day at practice and was a leader on and off the field,” said Bradley.
“Rich has done great things for this program,” said Brown. “He's a really great leader; a lot of people look up to him. He's a good role model for everyone on the team. I think given the chance, everybody would love to turn out like Rich.”
Scudder is equally as vocal, while keeping things loose amongst the team.
“I think one of my biggest impacts on the team is my sense of humor and a serious, yet joking attitude that I bring to practice, gameday and in the offseason,” he said.
Haller couldn't agree more.
“Will's been a rock for us throughout our whole time here,” he said. “He's been that reliable guy who's always been that vocal leader on the field. He just brings a little more fun to the game.”
Haller has been a leader in his own way, as one of the veterans of the scout team.
“I think I've become a little bit of a mentor to the younger kids, especially in the academic sense,” he said. “I hope to be remembered as somebody who has helped bring the younger guys along and mentor them in the process.”
“Morgan is a great friend and teammate,” said Scudder. “He's one of the most dependable people I've ever met. He never questions anything or really ever complains. He just puts in his time and works hard.”
The diversity of this senior class cannot be denied. But in the end, they have made their mark on the program by collectively coming together to work towards one common goal. They each understand their roles and how everyone's role is crucial in the team's success.
One goal has been reached, a Patriot League Tournament berth, but these seniors have even bigger aspirations - a league championship and the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
“Will and I have been talking about this since our freshmen year, how cool it would be to make the Patriot League Tournament,” said Bradley, “And for it to happen our senior year, it finally gives us some positive affirmation that the program is heading in the right direction. It's a huge weight off our shoulders; it's what we've wanted for four years and to finally get to it our senior year couldn't be better.”
The Mountain Hawks are locked in as the No. 4 seed and will play the winner of Saturday's Bucknell at Colgate game. The winner will earn the top overall seed and will host the entire tournament.
Despite dropping eight games on the season, they have all been to ranked squads by the slimmest of margins. Lehigh's three league losses have been to the other three tournament participants (Bucknell, Colgate and Army) by a combined seven goals.
“We've played very closely with everyone in the Patriot League, so morale is up,” said Brown. “There is an aspect of finality going on, which is only going to drive the seniors and everybody else around them to make a real push. No one wants to go home; no one wants to stop playing.”
“I don't feel like my career would be complete if I hadn't made the tournament when I was at Lehigh,” said Scudder. “We still have some unfinished business, though.”
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