Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/24/16
From Press Release
Chris Wojcik, the Frisbie Family Head Coach for Harvard Men’s Lacrosse, announced twelve new additions to the roster for the 2017 season. Harvard’s Class of 2020 hails from Canada, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
“I am pleased to announce the addition of 12 student-athletes to the Harvard lacrosse family,” said Wojcik. “This morning on campus, we welcomed the class of 2020 to Harvard as they move into the Yard. The class is diverse geographically, as we continue to recruit outstanding young men from all over the United States and Canada. Today marks beginning of their journey at Harvard, and I am excited to mentor this class over the next four years.”
Inside Lacrosse ranked five of the 12 freshmen among the top 50, including No. 9 Nigel Andrews, No. 10 Kyle Anderson, and No. 14 Beau Botkiss, No. 37 Noah Knopf and No. 48 George Loring. The group of incoming freshman also includes Watson Cheek, Dalton Follows, Ryan Graff, Duncan Lechner, Jeremy Magno, David Strupp, and Chris Rota.
Kyle Anderson | Attackman | 5-10 | 180 | Downington, Pa. | Malvern Prep
Started four years at attack for Malvern Prep … 2016 US and Under Armour All-American … Played club lacrosse with Mesa Fresh for four years … Two-time All-Inter Academic League and all-state selection … 2016 All-Chester County and All-Mainline honoree … 2016 captain and team MVP … In 2014, went 24-0 and won the Inter AC championship and Intern AC Challenge championship … Also started one year on the soccer team … Mother, Lynn Anderson, played at Penn State and was on the USA women’s national team.
Nigel Andrews | Midfielder | 6-1 | 180 | New York City, New York | Deerfield Academy
Three-year starter and four-year letterwinner at Deerfield Academy … Ranked No. 9 by Inside Lacrosse in the Class of 2016 … Three-time New England West 1 champion … Finished with a record of 45-3 … Played six years of club lacrosse with Doc’s NYC and five years with the Long Island Express … Played for the U19 indoor box team … Won the Ramsay Award for most outstanding midfielder … Also played two years of varsity soccer.
Beau Botkiss | Long Stick Midfielder | 5-11 | 190 | Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. | Torrey Pines
Four-year starter at long stick midfield for Torrey Pines … Started at LSM and defense for the West Coast Starz … 2016 Under Armour All-American … Two-time US Lacrosse All-American … 2016 Adrenaline All-American … Three-time All-Avocado League selection … Two-time All-CIF honoree … Helped Torrey Pines to its most successful season, recording a 19-3 record in 2016 … Two-time captain … Won the 2013 CIF championship … Participated in the Jose Montano Foundation and the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation for four years.
Watson Cheek | Attackman | 5-11 | 190 | Wellesley, Mass. | Noble and Greenough
Four-year letterwinner at Noble and Greenough … Senior year captain … Played club lacrosse for Laxachusetts … First team All-ISL selection as a senior and All-ISL honorable mention as a junior … Recipient of the Dawson Award for all-around athletic success and sportsmanship … Member of the United States U19 indoor lacrosse team that competed at the World Championships … Also four-year starter in soccer, earning All-ISL second team honors twice … Played two years of varsity squash … Brother, Morgan Cheek ’18 plays for Harvard lacrosse … Mother, Charlotte Joslin ’90,was the first female athlete in Ivy League history to earn First Team All-Ivy honors in three unrelated sports – field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse – and helped Harvard’s women’s lacrosse team to its first national championship in 1990 … Father, Leslie Cheek IV ’88, played JV hockey at Harvard and grandfather, Jim Joslin ’57, earned three varsity letters in football … Grandfather, Leslie Cheek III ’63, also graduated from the College.
Dalton Follows | Midfielder | 6-1 | 185 | Oakville, ON, Canada | The Hill Academy
Three-year starter at midfield for The Hill Academy … Played for Team Canada U19 World Team at the 2016 World Games … Helped The Hill Academy to the 2015 NALI championship … Ranked the No. 1 high school in 2016 by Inside Lacrosse and No. 2 in 2015 … Father, Peter Follows ’86, played hockey and lacrosse at Harvard.
Ryan Graff | Attackman | 6-4 | 190 | Bloomington, Minn. | Bloomington
Four-year starter at attack for Bloomington High School … Played seven years of club lacrosse with Team Minnesota … Three-time All-American … USA Today Minnesota Player of the Year in 2015 … Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year in 2016 … Epoch-MSHSL Coaches Player of the Year in 2016 … Three-time all-state selection … Four-time all-conference honoree …. Tabbed all-section four times … Mr. Lacrosse finalist … Two-time captain … Earned all-tournament team selection in the state tournament … Bloomington finished second in the state in 2015 and recorded an 18-game winning streak … Set state and team records for career goals, assists and points … Also started for three years at center in hockey … All-conference selection in hockey … AP Scholar with Distinction (2015) … Father, Robert Graff ’87, played lacrosse at Harvard and mother, Jennifer Mazanec ’91, played basketball for the Crimson.
Noah Knopf | Long Stick Midfielder | 5-11 | 185 | New York City, New York | Fieldston
Four-year starter at long stick midfielder for Fieldston … Played club lacrosse for Sweetlax and Long Island Express … Member of the Israel National team … President’s Team honoree at U-19 World Championships … First team all-league in 2013, 2014 and 2015 … Named US Lacrosse All American in 2015 and 2016 … Awarded Philly Showcase MVP in 2013 … Led Fieldston to an Ivy Preparatory School League Championship in 2015 and held an unbeaten record in Ivy Preparatory School League play … Assisted Fieldston to a second-place finish in the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) Tournament … Named to the First team all-league for ice hockey for three-consecutive seasons, with second team recognition for soccer in 2016 … Named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist in 2016 … Earned the single season and career leading scorer titles for ice hockey at Fieldston … Started for three years at center back in soccer and four years at center in hockey.
Duncan Lechner | Goalie | 6-4 | 200 | Manchester, Mass. | St. Paul’s School
Four-year varsity letterwinner in lacrosse for St. Paul’s … Starting goalie for New Hampshire Tomahawks for three-consecutive seasons … Named to the Independent School League (ISL) All-League team in 2015 … Winner of the 2015 Coach’s Award at St. Paul’s … Finished the 2015 season with 176 saves and 1 assist … Four-year Honor Roll Student … Father, John Lechner ’80 played lacrosse at Harvard and was named an All-American lacrosse goalie in 1980 … Brother, John Lechner ’12 and sister, Julia Lechner ’16 also graduated from the College.
George Loring | Midfielder | 6-1 |205 | Dedham, Mass. | Noble and Greenough School
Four-year starter and letterwinner at Nobles and Greenough … Senior captain … Seven year member of the Laxachusetts club team … Played in multiple tournaments for the Baltimore Crabs … Earned all-league selection for his junior and senior years in the Independent School League … Ranked the No. 45 recruit in the class of 2016 by Recruiting Rundown … Named Under Armour All-American in 2016 … Recipient of the Arnold Bowl at Nobles for overall contribution to the lacrosse team in 2016 … Led Noble and Greenough to a 15-3 record in 2016 … Awarded the Under Armour All-American Community Hero Award for his service with the Metro Lacrosse organization … Also was a three-year starter and letterwinner for football at Nobles and Greenough … Sister, Eliza Loring played soccer at Yale and graduated in 2016.
Jeremy Magno | 6-2 | 210 | Attackman | Clifton, N.J. | Bergen Catholic
Four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at attack for Bergen Catholic … Senior captain … Member of the Tri-State Club Lacrosse team … Named as Under Armour All-American in 2016 … Recognized as an US All-American and US Academic All-American in 2016 … Selected as an MSG Varsity all-metro member … Named MVP for the Vail Shootout All-Tournament Team … Leading point scorer at Bergen Catholic for the 2015-16 season … Awarded team MVP at Bergen Catholic for the 2015-16 season … Named to all-county, All-Gibbs, all-non-public, all-state, all-class, all-suburban and all-league first teams … Graduated as the seventh all-time point scorer and fifth all-time goal scorer in school history … Placed in top five percent of graduating class … Recognized as an AP Scholar … National Merit Commended Student … Member of the Math Honor Society.
Chris Rota | 6-0 | 200 | Midfielder | South Easton, Mass. | The Roxbury Latin School
Four-year starter and letterwinner for Roxbury Latin School at midfield … Senior captain … Six-year member of the Top Gun Fighting Clams lacrosse team … Assisted Roxbury Latin to the most wins in school history for the 2015 season … Earned All-Independent School League (ISL) honorable mention in 2015 and 2016 … Named Philly Showcase All-Star in 2015 … Secured King of the Hill Lacrosse All Star in 2015 … Granted the Harvard Book Award in 2015 … Received the Roxbury Latin Class of 1913 Award … Won the Headmaster’s Spanish Detur in 2015 … Secured the Maureen O’Donnell Memorial Award in 2015 … Also a three-year letterwinner for football, with All – ISL honors ion 2015 … Lettered one year in both hockey and wrestling … Awarded All-ISL for wrestling in 2016 placing seventh in New England at the 220-lb weight class.,
David Strupp | 6-2 | 200 | Defenseman | New Canaan, Conn. | New Canaan
Four year starter at defense for New Canaan … Senior captain … Member of the Eclipse lacrosse club from 2014-16 … Led New Canaan to back-to-back state championships … Earned All-American status in 2016 … Named to the Under Armour All-American team … Named to the All Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC) team for lacrosse in 2014, 2015 and 2016 … Earned all-state team honors in 2014, 2015 and 2016 … Named team MVP in 2016 … Earned third team All-USA honors … Started at defensive end for football, earning All-FCIAC and all-state honors in 2015 and 2016 … Won the Scholar Athlete Award and Sikorski Memorial Award in 2016 … Harold S. Kenney Scholar Athlete Award recipient.