May 30, 2013
2013 Under Armour All-American Boys' Rosters Announced
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State men's lacrosse is to be well represented at the 2013 Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Classic set for July 6 at 8 p.m. in Towson, Md. on ESPNU. Three incoming Nittany Lions are among the 44 of the nation's top boys' lacrosse players.
Midfielder Nick Aponte (West Islip, N.Y.) will represent the North Team, while midfielders Mike Sutton (Sewell, N.J.) and Nick Mazza (Davidsonville, Md.) will team up for the South. The game will be played at Towson's Johnny Unitas Stadium. The All-America team is selected by a panel of lacrosse experts from Inside Lacrosse Magazine, which includes input from high school and college coaches as well as nominations from the public.
Penn State is one of just eight programs to have at least three representatives participate in July's contest with such top-flight programs as 2013 national champion Duke (5), national runner-up Syracuse (6) and fellow NCAA Tournament participants Maryland (6) and North Carolina (5). Virginia (4), Harvard (3) and Johns Hopkins (3) round out the group of eight programs with at least three participants.
Mazza and Aponte were both ranked as top 50 juniors in 2012 by ESPNHS. Mazza, which was ranked 21st by ESPNHS, helped lead his Calverton squad to its fifth straight Maryland Independence Lacrosse League title this season. Aponte has helped his West Islip squad to New York Class A titles in 2010 and 2012.
Sutton was a 2012 U.S. Lacrosse All-American with former St. Augustine Prep teammate and future Nittany Lion teammate Tommy O'Neill (Shamong, N.J.). The entire 2013 Nittany Lion freshman class will be announced later this summer.
Penn State recently wrapped up one of its finest seasons in school history, winning a record 12 games and earning its third bid to the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, the Nittany Lions were the proud hosts of the CAA and NCAA Tournaments.
Head coach Jeff Tambroni, the reigning CAA Coach of the Year, returns all of the team's close defenders, long-stick midfielders and USILA First-Team All-American goalkeeper Austin Kaut (Morton, Pa.), which had the nation's second best scoring defense. Moreover, 70 percent of the team's scoring from last year as well including leading goal scorer and CAA Rookie of the Year TJ Sanders (Orillia, Ont.).
--NITTANY LIONS--