1996 All-Conference Men's Lacrosse Team

LANCASTER, Pa. -- May 7, 1996 -- Washington, which won its first Conference title with a spotless 6-0 mark, placed six players on the 1996 All-Centennial Conference men's lacrosse team which was announced today.

Western Maryland senior attackman Dean Coccia (Pasadena, MD/Chesapeake-AA), a first-team All-Conference choice on attack, was named the Conference's Player of the Year in balloting by the seven Conference head coaches. Coccia led the Conference in scoring with 18 goals and 26 assists for 44 points in six CC games and 46-53-99 overall. His 99 points is the third-highest total ever by a Centennial player in a single season.

The Shoremen, who finished the year 11-4 overall and ranked sixth nationally, placed one player on the first unit - junior midfielder George Atterbury (Newtown Square, PA/Malvern). Second-team honorees included attackmen Bart Jaeger (Crofton, MD/St. Mary's) and John Fuller (Baltimore, MD/Boys' Latin), defensemen Kevin Harms (Brielle, NJ/Manasquan) and Chris McGlone (Baltimore, MD/Loyola), and goalkeeper Andy Taibl (Fairfax, VA/Robinson Secondary). Fuller led the team in scoring with 40-11-51, while Taibl had the Conference's lowest goals against average at 8.19 overall and 7.21 in Conference games.

Joining Coccia on the first-team attack are Franklin & Marshall seniors Chris Mergardt (Bedford, NY/Fox Lane) and Don Gervais (E. Greenwich, RI/Hotchkiss School). Mergardt (51-12-63) had 25 goals in Conference play, giving him 88 in 18 career Centennial games. This is Mergardt's third consecutive first-team All-Centennial selection. Gervais (40-24-64) was fifth in the Conference in scoring with 19-12-31. Other Diplomats on the first team included midfielder Ian Sobler (New City, NY/Clarkstown North) and defensemen Tom Coleman (Upperco, MD/Gilman) and John Coleman (West Chester, PA/Malvern Prep). Western Maryland's Steve Hallowell (Downingtown, PA/Henderson) joins the Colemans on the first defense.

Gettysburg had a pair of first-teamers in midfielder Joe Feldman (Davidsonville, MD/Severn) and goalkeeper Jake Kovalcik (Boonton Township, NJ/Boonton). It is the third time that Kovalcik has earned first-team All-Centennial honors. He crafted a 63.4 save percentage in Conference games (60.0 overall) and a 9.20 overall goals against mark.

Rounding out the first team is Haverford midfielder Jeff Jollon (Locust Valley, NY/Phillips Academy), who was fourth in the Conference in scoring (21-11-32) and had 34-28-62 overall.

A - Don Gervais, Franklin & Marshall
A - Dean Coccia, Western Maryland
A - Chris Mergardt, Franklin & Marshall
M - Ian Sobler, Franklin & Marshall
M - Jeff Jollon, Haverford
M - George Atterbury, Washington
M - Joe Feldman, Gettysburg
D - Steve Hallowell, Western Maryland 
D - Tom Coleman, Franklin & Marshall
D - John Coleman, Franklin & Marshall
G - Jake Kovalcik, Gettysburg

Second Team

A - Matt Hoppe, Western Maryland
A - Bart Jaeger, Washington
A - John Fuller, Washington
M - Jeremy Nierman, Franklin & Marshall
M - David Cornell, Gettysburg
M - Ben Seigel, Swarthmore
D - Chris McGlone, Washington
D - James Gohng, Gettysburg
D - Kevin Harms, Washington
G - Andy Taibl, Washington

Honorable Mention

A - Doug Cote, Gettysburg
A - Jon Bloom, Franklin & Marshall
D - Charles Horton, Swarthmore
D - Brian Volk, Western Maryland
G - Andy Whitley, Franklin & Marshall