COLLEGE PARK, MD -- Maryland senior close defenseman Ajax Zappitello headlined Maryland's three USILA All-America selections Thursday, garnering the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Outstanding Player of the Year award. Luke Wierman and Eric Spanos also earned All-American recognition.
Zappitello, also a First Team All-American selection, is the seventh Terp all-time to be named the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Outstanding Player of the Year, joining Doug Schreiber (1973), Frank Urso (1975), Brian Dougherty (1995), Matt Rambo (2017), Jared Bernhardt (2021) and Logan Wisnauskas (2022). Zappitello is the first non-offensive player to win the award since 2003 when Virginia goalie Tillman Johnson earned the honor. He is the first close defenseman to garner the recognition since 1993 (David Morrow, Princeton).
Graduate faceoff specialist Luke Wierman garnered Second Team recognition while junior midfielder Eric Spanos earned an Honorable Mention nod.
Zappitello was the lone unanimous First Team Selection by the USILA as well as Inside Lacrosse. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 PLL Draft is the leader of a terrific Terrapin defense. His 23 caused turnovers this season lead the team and his 31 groundballs rank second. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year also has two goals on the season. His 71 career caused turnovers are 10th all-time.
Wierman has been a force at the faceoff X, winning 62 percent on the season, a number that ranks third in the nation. Wierman became the program's all-time leader in faceoffs won and groundballs this season. The All-Big Ten selection from West Chester, PA has also tallied nine points (four goals and five assists) to go along with 212 faceoff wins and 117 groundballs.
Spanos is in the midst of a breakout season for the Terps and currently has 34 points on 23 goals and 11 assists. He has scored four goals or more three separate times this season.
The seventh-seeded Terps will play in the NCAA semifinals against No. 6 Virginia on Saturday, May 25. The game is slated for a 2:30 pm start on ESPN2.
Zappitello, also a First Team All-American selection, is the seventh Terp all-time to be named the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Outstanding Player of the Year, joining Doug Schreiber (1973), Frank Urso (1975), Brian Dougherty (1995), Matt Rambo (2017), Jared Bernhardt (2021) and Logan Wisnauskas (2022). Zappitello is the first non-offensive player to win the award since 2003 when Virginia goalie Tillman Johnson earned the honor. He is the first close defenseman to garner the recognition since 1993 (David Morrow, Princeton).
Graduate faceoff specialist Luke Wierman garnered Second Team recognition while junior midfielder Eric Spanos earned an Honorable Mention nod.
Zappitello was the lone unanimous First Team Selection by the USILA as well as Inside Lacrosse. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 PLL Draft is the leader of a terrific Terrapin defense. His 23 caused turnovers this season lead the team and his 31 groundballs rank second. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year also has two goals on the season. His 71 career caused turnovers are 10th all-time.
Wierman has been a force at the faceoff X, winning 62 percent on the season, a number that ranks third in the nation. Wierman became the program's all-time leader in faceoffs won and groundballs this season. The All-Big Ten selection from West Chester, PA has also tallied nine points (four goals and five assists) to go along with 212 faceoff wins and 117 groundballs.
Spanos is in the midst of a breakout season for the Terps and currently has 34 points on 23 goals and 11 assists. He has scored four goals or more three separate times this season.
The seventh-seeded Terps will play in the NCAA semifinals against No. 6 Virginia on Saturday, May 25. The game is slated for a 2:30 pm start on ESPN2.
