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News Release

Former Retriever Lacrosse Standouts Brendan Mundorf and Drew Westervelt Prep for 2010 FIL World Championships

7/14/2010

Drew Westervelt, Brendan Mundorf

They came to UMBC from the Mount St. Joseph’s and John Carroll, high schools not noted for standout lacrosse, in the falls of 2002 and 2003 respectively. Attackmen Brendan Mundorf and Drew Westervelt were not highly-recruited, but by Westervelt’s freshman campaign in the spring of 2004, the duo began a journey together that has now reached the pinnacle of the sport.

In November of 2009, both Retriever alumni were among 23 players named to represent the United States in the 2010 Federation of International Lacrosse World Championships to be held in Manchester, England. The six-nation tournament gets underway on Friday, July 16 as Team USA battles Team Australia.  

Mundorf comes into the tournament in top form. He was named MVP of the Major League Lacrosse All-Star game after leading Team USA to a 13-12 win over the MLL All-Stars.  He scored six goals including the game-tying goal with under 2 minutes to go in Team USA’s final tune-up game on July 8. On consecutive goals in the second quarter, he was assisted by Westervelt.

Mundorf and Westervelt, who are current teammates with Major League Lacrosse’s Denver Outlaws, are the third and fourth former Retrievers to represent the USA. Defenseman Gary Clipp (’76) earned the first distinction in 1982, and defenseman George McGeeney (’82) was a two-time selection in 1986 and 1990.

Mundorf earned All America honors in 2005 and 2006 and was the America East Player of the Year in 2006. He is currently sixth on UMBC’s all-time scoring list with 112 goals (6^th), 73 assists (9^th) for 195 points. A powerful dodger, the southpaw competed for Australia in the 2006 World Lacrosse Championships held in Ontario, Canada and had a brilliant tournament, helping the Aussies to an impressive third-place finish. He finished tied for third overall in the tournament with 32 points (24 goals, 8 assists). 

He saved his best for last—tallying three goals and two assists in a tough 13-10 semi-final loss to the USA and adding a personal tournament high nine points (six goals, three assists) in the third-place triumph over the Iroquois Nation. 

A 2007 Third Team All American, Westervelt is UMBC’s third all-time leading scorer with 112 goals (6^th, tied with Mundorf), 94 assists (3^rd) for 206 points. He had a brilliant 2007 campaign, scoring 35 goals and adding 36 assists for 71 points, the second-highest figure in UMBC’s Division I history.

Retriever head coach Don Zimmerman’s products led UMBC to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006 and 2007 and UMBC maintained the momentum, earning berths in the 2008 and 2009 championships.

Both Mundorf and Westervelt were selected to the 2009 MLL All-Star team. Former UMBC teammate Alex Hopmann has joined the pair in Denver this season and has become a force for the Outlaws. Another teammate, Terry Kimener, competes for the MLL’s Chicago Machine, while former Retrievers Peet Poillon and Kyle Wimer are members of the Chesapeake Bayhawks.

Poillon earned a spot opposite Mundorf and Westervelt on the 2010 MLL All-Star team.

Eighty-four players were invited to the tryouts for Team USA, which took place in June of 2009 and 41 players earned a spot on the training team.

Team USA plays arch-rival Canada on July 17, the Iroquois Nation on July 18, host England on July 19 and Japan on July 20. The semifinals will be played on July 22 and the title game is slated for Saturday, July 24.