The Misericordia University men's lacrosse team officially has captains for the 2009 season, says head coach Jim Ricardo. Seniors Tim Bojanowski and Ryan Blevins, junior Dan Rafferty and sophomore Joe Lodato will lead a team looking to bounce back from an injury rattled '08 season.

 

Bojanowski is a second-year captain and fourth-year starter. The 6-2 defender was a second team All-PAC selection after a season in which he led the team with 59 takeaways.

 

“Bojanowski led our team last year in takeaways and ground balls,” Ricardo said. “He did it all while covering opponents' top offensive threats.”

 

Blevins, a 6-3 defender, was injured in the second game of the 2008 season, and Rafferty, a 5-10 attacker, played most of last season with a torn hamstring. Rafferty missed the final couple of games after scoring seven goals and two assists in the first 11.

 

“Ryan's coming back from a season-ending injury, but he started every game as a freshman at LSM and is ready for another strong year,” Ricardo said. “As a freshman, Rafferty was our leading scorer with 18 goals and 15 assists for 33 points. They've both fully recovered and are ready for a strong season.”

 

Lodato, a 5-11 defender, earned his captain spot after starting 12 games as a freshman. Like Rafferty, Lodato played through injury after suffering a high ankle sprain. Above all, Lodato's “strong work ethic has made him a perfect captain,” Ricardo said.