September 28, 2007
Shoremen to Scrimmage WC Hall of Famer's Cortland Team
Another WC Hall of Famer to Host Scrimmage at The Haverford School

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- A special and unique convergence of Washington College men's lacrosse history will take place on Saturday, February 16th, when the Shoremen will scrimmage Washington College Hall of Famer Steve Beville's ('85) Cortland State team. The scrimmage will be played at the The Haverford School in Haverford, PA, where Washington College Hall of Famer John Nostrant ('86) serves as Athletic Director and head boys lacrosse coach.

Beville took over the head coaching reigns of Cortland State last season and guided the Red Dragons to a 15-6 record and a berth in the NCAA Division III Championship game. Prior to arriving at Cortland, Beville had served as the head coach at Division I Vermont since 2000. Beville was a standout defensemen on the outstanding Washington College teams of the mid-1980s. A two-time National Defenseman of the Year and two-time first team All-American, Beville helped lead the Shoremen to a 47-16 record and three NCAA Division III National Championship game appearances in four years. Following his graduation from WC, Beville remained at the school as an assistant coach for two seasons before getting his first head coaching job at Colorado College.

Like Beville, Nostrant was a key component of those historic Shoremen teams of the 1980's. Nostrant did his damage in the midfield, earning All-America second team honors at the position three consecutive years. With Nostrant on the team, the Shoremen posted a 46-16 record and advanced to three NCAA Division III National Championship games. Nostrant then spent three years as an assistant coach at Washington and enjoyed a successful professional lacrosse playing career, twice earning All-Pro honors in the National Lacrosse League. Since 1991, Nostrant has been the head boys lacrosse coach at The Haverford School and has built that program into one of the most successful in the nation. He led his 2000 team to a state championship and was named the Philadelphia Inquirer's Coach of the Year.

The scrimmage between the Shoremen and Red Dragons will serve as an illustration of the proud tradition of Shoremen lacrosse, which has produced numerous successful collegiate and high school coaches. The Washington College men's lacrosse team has made a continued push to unite those coaches.

"We have so many Shoremen coaching at every level that our most recent efforts to bring these coaches together has been a lot of fun," notes Washington College head men's lacrosse coach J.B. Clarke. "Last year Andy Taibl ('98), head coach of St. Stephen's & St. Agnes (VA), and Bob Shriver ('73), head coach of Boys' Latin (MD), played a game on Kibler Field. In the spring of '08, John Nostrant will bring his Haverford School team to Chestertown and Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium to take on Loyola (MD) High School. We are also hoping to have Kevin Giblin ('85) bring his Georgetown Prep (DC) team to play in Chestertown in the spring."

The ongoing reunion of Shoremen-turned-coaches is not limited to playing games, either. "My staff and I will be hosting a gathering of Shoremen coaches at the national coaches convention this December in Philadelphia," reports Clarke. "This will be another great opportunity to connect all the Shoremen in the coaching world from the youth level to the collegiate Division I level."  

The Shoremen have earned 27 NCAA Tournament berths in their history, won the NCAA Division III Championship in 1998, and were USILA Laurie Cox Division Co-National Champions in 1954. The Washington College men's lacrosse team has posted an all-time record of 567-308-1, one of the best in the nation.

Opening face-off for the scrimmage is set for 2:00 p.m.