Men's Lacrosse

(L-R) Dan Maude, Head Coach Matt McGinnis, Alex Baruch and Rick Mackessy all pose with their All-America plaques.

Denison University senior goalie Alex Baruch (Richmond, Va./St. Christopher's) was named the 2008 NCAA Division III Goalie of the Year, headlining a list of three Big Red men's lacrosse players who were named to the 2008 All-America squads.

Joining Baruch on the Division III All-America list is senior Rick Mackessy (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) and junior Dan Maude (Wayne, Pa./Haverford School).  The three All-Americans runs Denison's all-time total to 100. 

In his fourth year as the the Big Red's starting goalie, Baruch led Denison to their 10th North Coast Athletic Conference Championship and a No. 12 ranking in the final USILA Division III coaches poll while anchoring what would be the nation's top-ranked defense.

He received 2008 NCAC Player of the Year award and was named to the Division III senior North-South All-Star game which will be played in Foxboro, Mass.  Baruch led the nation in save percentage (.697) and finished second in the national rankings in goals against average (5.50).  He appeared in 57 games in his Denison career and logged 3,095 minutes in the cage.  Denison was 40-16 in games that Baruch started.  He is the seventh player in Denison history to earn first-team All-America honors.

Mackessy enjoyed a stellar senior season as the table-setter and playmaker for the Denison offense.  He nearly doubled his career numbers in goals and assists while finishing 10th in the NCAA in assists with 37.  Mackessy led the team in points with 67 (29 goals - 37 assists) and leaves Denison with 62 career goals and 68 assists.

Like Mackessy and Baruch, Maude was a first-team All-NCAC pick in 2008 after finishing second on the team in goals scored with 32.  He will return in 2009 with 74 career goals to his credit.

Denison's 14 victories in 2008 were the most by a Big Red team since 1982 and just one off the school record for wins, set by that 1982 team.  They won 11 consecutive games spanning March 26 through their loss to No. 3 Gettysburg on May 10 in the second-round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.