GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Grove City College men's lacrosse team enters the 2023 season with plenty of experience and depth as the Wolverines look to continue their climb into Division III's upper echelon.
Grove City posted a program-record 15 victories in 2022 and earned its third straight trip to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. Sixth-year head coach Alec Jernstedt welcomes back 21 lettermen from last year while also incorporating a large and talented crop of newcomers.
While the Wolverines do have some graduation-related vacancies to fill this spring, Grove City has plenty of competition for those openings.
In goal, Grove City returns two men with ample starting experience. Senior Jack Petit (Pensacola, Fla./West Florida High School of Advanced Technology) has made 15 career starts, including 11 as a sophomore in 2021. That year, Petit earned Second Team All-Presidents' Athletic Conference honors.
Meanwhile, junior Danny Stone (Chantilly, Va./Flint Hill) took over as the regular starter in 2022 as he went 9-4 in his 13 starts. Jernstedt expects both men to see time in goal this season.
Grove City's netminders will benefit from a veteran group of defensemen. Fifth-year senior Cody Adams (Pullman, Wash./Pullman) returns for his final season after earning USILA Honorable Mention All-America in both 2021 and 2022.
Adams has 52 career starts to his credit and has also earned All-PAC recognition throughout his Grove City tenure.
Senior Brock Simmons (Akron, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian) earned First Team All-PAC in 2022 and has been a fixture on Grove City's backline since his rookie season. He totaled 33 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers last year and will once again be counted on to help lead the defensive efforts.
The Wolverines also welcome back senior Bailey Decker (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte), who has started 22 games at defender over the last two seasons.
Injuries have hampered senior Charley Brannan (Tampa, Fla./Plant) over the last two seasons but the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder looks to break back into the lineup in 2023. He made four starts in the abbreviated 2020 season and then started twice in 2022.
Sophomore defender Zach Furry (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) moved into the starting lineup as a freshman and finished with 14 caused turnovers. He made 14 starts last year and looks to hold down a starting assignment again this year.
The Wolverines also return a pair of All-PAC performers as short stick defensive midfielders, senior David Kraus (Sewickley, Pa./Quaker Valley) and sophomore Alec Jones (Chesterfield, N.J./Notre Dame). Kraus earned First Team All-PAC while Jones merited Second Team recognition.
Fifth-year senior Addison Bennett (Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield) returns for his final season at long stick midfielder and is a returning All-PAC honoree. Bennett has 52 career appearances on his ledger and will again be an integral part of Grove City's defensive efforts.
Senior Kyle Coogan (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis Christian) also returns at long stick midfielder after seeing extensive action during his first three seasons.
Sophomore Tyler Curry (Huntingdon Beach, Calif./Mater Dei) made 13 appearances at long stick midfielder last year and is contending for a greater role in 2023.
Grove City's midfielders are expected to be a key source of offense again in 2023, most notably fifth-year senior Brett Gladstone (Marriottsville, Md./Marriotts Ridge).
A returning USILA All-American and PAC Player of the Year, Gladstone holds Grove City's career records for goals (176) and points (225). He fired in a career-high 61 goals last season after scoring 54 goals in only 13 games in 2021.
Junior midfielder Griffen Agawa (San Ramon, Calif./California) posted 11 goals and 10 assists last season and will be counted on for offensive production again in 2023. He is a two-year letterman.
Sophomore midfielder Jason Muench (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) emerged as 2022 progressed, playing in 14 games. He will contend for a starting spot, as will junior Prince Ayivon (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora). Ayivon has 17 career appearances.
On attack, sophomore Matt Blythe (Mendon, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) returns after earning the conference's Newcomer of the Year award last year. Blythe finished second on the team with 56 goals and 76 points last season. Jernstedt expects Blythe to be a focal point of the Grove City offense again this spring.
Senior James Petrolle (Damascus, Md./Damascus) has rifled in 90 career goals, including 41 last season. A returning Second Team All-PAC selection, Petrolle has made 33 starts over the last two seasons and is Grove City's most experience attack player.
Injuries limited sophomore Zachary Hougan (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) to 12 games in 2022 but Hougan still generated 25 goals and 23 assists.
Classmate Trey Zabroski (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) played both attack and midfielder in 2022 and may split time again this season. He tallied 10 goals and 11 assists as a freshman.
Senior Max Chmura (Wadsworth, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) looks to take over as Grove City's full-time faceoff specialist. Chmura has a .650 career faceoff percentage. He has also played midfielder during his career, scoring a career-high eight goals as a sophomore.
Several newcomers are expected to compete for playing time, according to Jernstedt.
Grove City will be tested by a rugged non-conference schedule, which begins Saturday, February 18 at No. 3 Christopher Newport. The Wolverines will also visit Denison, John Carroll, Southern Virginia and York in non-league action. Grove City will host Washington & Lee in a late-season game April 21.
Those non-league games will help prepare Grove City for play in the rapidly-improving Presidents' Athletic Conference. League play begins Tuesday, March 7 at Thiel.
Grove City's home opener will be Saturday, February 25 against Baldwin Wallace.
