Greensboro Sports

Greensboro, N.C. — Guilford College’s Gates Benson (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill) and Tyler Harrison (Cockeysville, Md./Dulaney) earned Second Team All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) men’s lacrosse honors Thursday. The Quakers’ two All-ODAC selections are their most since 1996. Guilford senior Andrew Vigne (Concord, Mass./Middlesex) also received honorable mention all-conference recognition. The league’s seven head coaches voted on the all-star teams at the their annual meeting Tuesday in Charlottesville, Va.

A 6-3, 210-pound junior defender, Benson started 13 of 14 games and led the Quakers in both ground balls (44) and caused turnovers (10). He had five games with four or more ground balls. One of his best performances came against Roanoke College April 16 when he scored once and scooped up a season-high five ground balls. Benson also had an assist and five ground balls against the University of the South March 21. Through three seasons, he has 121 ground balls and caused 46 turnovers in 41 games (40 starts).

Harrison, a 6-0, 180-pound senior defender, started all 13 games as the Quakers’ top defender. He stood third on the team with 38 ground balls and led the defense with a career-high seven points on four goals and three assists. One of his best outings came in a win over Neumann College March 8 when he scored a goal and had a career-high eight ground balls. Harrison also had seven pickups in a win over Emerson College March 10. In his four seasons, he compiled 146 ground balls and 56 caused turnovers. He also scored 10 goals and had four assists. An Inside Lacrosse honorable mention preseason All-American in 2008, Harrison started all 53 career games and earned honorable mention All-ODAC in 2007.

Vigne, a 5-8, 190-pound goalie, started 13 of Guilford’s 14 games. Through games of May 4, he stands second in the ODAC in saves per game (13.14) and fourth in saves percentage (.546). Vigne had a season-high 24 stops against Roanoke College April 16 and posted a season-high .615 saves percentage with 20 saves against Washington & Jefferson University March 12. In his four seasons, he set the Guilford record for minutes played by a goalie (2656:49) and ranks second in school history with a 12.56 goals against average. Vigne’s 674 career saves ranks third all-time at Guilford.

Fourth-year head coach Andy Rowe’s Quakers finished with a 2-12 overall record, 0-6 in the ODAC. Rowe expects 21 letter winners, including Benson, back for the 2009 season.