H*5393 Concurrent Resolution, By Phillips, McCraw and Littlejohn
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO COMMEND THE COACHES AND PLAYERS OF THE NATIONALLY
 RANKED MEN'S VARSITY LACROSSE TEAM OF LIMESTONE COLLEGE OF GAFFNEY, FOR THEIR
 OUTSTANDING LACROSSE PROGRAM, TO CONGRATULATE THEM ON WINNING THE NCAA
 DIVISION II MEN'S NATIONAL LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR 2002, THEIR SECOND
 NATIONAL LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP IN THREE YEARS, AND TO WISH THEM EVERY SUCCESS
 IN ALL OF THEIR FUTURE ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC ENDEAVORS.

   06/04/02  House  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate HJ-16
   06/05/02  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence SJ-12

TO COMMEND THE COACHES AND PLAYERS OF THE NATIONALLY RANKED MEN'S VARSITY LACROSSE TEAM OF LIMESTONE COLLEGE OF GAFFNEY, FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING LACROSSE PROGRAM, TO CONGRATULATE THEM ON WINNING THE NCAA DIVISION II MEN'S NATIONAL LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR 2002, THEIR SECOND NATIONAL LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP IN THREE YEARS, AND TO WISH THEM EVERY SUCCESS IN ALL OF THEIR FUTURE ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC ENDEAVORS.

Whereas, founded in 1845, Limestone College in Gaffney has an undergraduate enrollment of 1,500, an enviable average student-faculty ratio of 11:1, and in its twenty-eighth year in intercollegiate athletics, is a NCAA Division II school providing student-athletes with the benefits of a prestigious private school education and a committed athletic program that currently sponsors fifteen varsity sports (eight for women and seven for men). Seven Limestone College athletes have been named Academic All-Americans, eight have played professionally and nearly fifty have been awarded All-American honors in various sports; and

Whereas, varsity lacrosse at Limestone debuted in 1990 and the college's lacrosse program has developed into an overwhelming success story worthy of emulation by other schools. Limestone lacrosse players have earned All-American status forty times since 1993 while sixty-four players have earned All-Deep South Conference honors, including five Player of the Year accolades since the league debuted in 1994; and

Whereas, the Limestone men's varsity lacrosse team has been nationally ranked in the Division II Top Ten every year since 1993. Limestone went wire to wire as the No. 1 team in the 2001 season, and the Saints have appeared in the NCAA Division II Men's National Championship each of the last three seasons; and

Whereas, the Saints captured the college's first ever NCAA National Championship in May 2000, beating C.W. Post 10-9 in the title game for that year. On May 26, 2002, the Saints used "a balanced offensive attack and a stingy defense" to defeat top-ranked and previously undefeated New York Institute of Technology 11-9 at Rutgers University's Yurcak Field and won their second NCAA Division II National Championship in three years; and

Whereas, indicative of their competitive spirit, the Saints have won four straight Deep South Conference titles and have won thirty-three straight games versus Deep South Conference competition by a score of 607 to 194. Limestone has also won 46 of it last 47 games against Division II squads outscoring the opposition 819 to 323 in these wins, and since Division II lacrosse was reestablished in 1993, Limestone has compiled a 78-24 (.764) mark versus Division II foes and posted an overall record of 93-39 (.704); and

Whereas, superbly coached and ably led by T.W. Johnson, who is in his first year as Head Coach, and Assistant Coaches Chris Phenicie, Mike Sessa, John Donohue, and Chris Campbell, the 2002 NCAA Division II National Championship Lacrosse Team of Limestone College includes: Chris Wolff, Nick Kobakof, Jeff Viscovich, Greg Thren, John Navarro, David Wooster, Chris Barrett, Nick Carlson, Brad Cunningham, Jared Scott, Clint Pitts, Jason Randolph, Robert Woody, Patrick Cardiff, Devan Spilker, Dustin McConnaughhay, Brad Bauer, Nick DeLonga, Isaac Deschaine, Rick Sorocco, Chris Mangum, Nolan Heavenor, Damon Woolford, Geoff Shupard, Matt Malloy, Ryan Reneau, Andrew Adams, Kyle Zentz, Josh Hough, Nick Breslin, Ben Crosser, Lou Anuszewski, Larry Yeatman, Jason Bendjy, Travis Coleman, Adam Ranns, Trey Kleber, Brian Stewart, Jesse Santerre, Mike Lindley, Blaine Fairbanks, Travis Gillespie, Zach Hosford, Harley Beekman, Andrew Wilkinson, James Fowley, Jerry Kociuruba, Pete Arbore, Russ Grimm, and Trainer, Clarence Pegram. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, commend the coaches and players of the nationally ranked Men's Varsity Lacrosse Team of Limestone College of Gaffney, for their outstanding lacrosse program, to congratulate them on winning the NCAA Division II Men's National Lacrosse Championship for 2002, their second national Lacrosse championship in three years, and to wish them every success in all of their future academic and athletic endeavors.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Head Coach T. W. Johnson on behalf of the 2002 NCAA Division II National Championship Lacrosse Team of Limestone College, Gaffney.