Gnazzo, Nevitt Earn Preseason All-GWLL Honors
1/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Jan. 8, 2009
BALTIMORE, Md. - Air Force senior lacrosse players Dan Gnazzo and Griffin Nevitt have been named to the preseason All-Great Western Lacrosse League team, as announced by Inside Lacrosse. The team, voted on by the league's six head coaches, appears in the Face-Off Yearbook 2009. Both Gnazzo and Nevitt were also previously announced as preseason honorable mention All-Americans by the publication.
Gnazzo, a native of Eden Prairie, Minn., is a two-time all-conference selection at the long-stick midfield position, including a first-team selection in 2008. A three-year starter, Gnazzo led the team with 23 caused turnovers last season, while ranking amongst the top 10 in the nation in ground balls per game with 5.33. The team's most improved defensive player in 2008, Gnazzo also gave Air Force a boost on the offensive end, scoring three goals and four assists.
Meanwhile, Nevitt, a Charlotte, N.C., native, has earned first-team All-Great Western Lacrosse League honors in the past two seasons, while being named a second-team midfielder as a freshman. A team captain in 2009, Nevitt has led the Falcons in goals scored for three-straight seasons, while also finishing as the points leader in 2007 and 2008. The Falcons' most consistent scorer over the last three years, Nevitt has recorded 63 goals and 30 assists in his career, scoring at least one goal or assist in 38 of 40 games at Air Force.
In addition, the Face-Off Yearbook 2009 includes the preseason rankings for the GWLL. Air Force is projected to finish fourth in the league, while Notre Dame was picked to repeat as conference champion. Denver and Ohio State, both NCAA participants in 2008, were chosen to finish second and third, respectively, while Bellarmine (fifth) and Quinnipiac (sixth) round out the preseason rankings.
The Falcons open up the 2009 season on Feb. 14, when they meet 2008 NCAA participant Maryland in a neutral-site contest in Jacksonville, Fla.
GWLL Preseason All-Conference A - Joel Dalgarno, Sr., Ohio State
A - Ryan Hoff, Sr., Notre Dame
A - Jamie Lincoln, So., Denver
M - Jimmy Green, Jr., Ohio State
M - Joey Murray, Sr., Denver
M - Griffin Nevitt, Sr., Air Force
F/O - Bobby Snider, Sr., Bellarmine
SSDM - Kyle Widerstedt, Sr., Denver
LSM - Dan Gnazzo, Sr., Air Force
D - Scott Matthews, Sr., Ohio State
D - Regis McDermott, Jr., Notre Dame
D - Dillon Roy, Jr., Denver
G - Kevin Benzing, Jr., Quinnipiac
GWLL Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Notre Dame
2. Denver
3. Ohio State
4. Air Force
5. Bellarmine
6. Quinnipiac
