The inaugural team consisting of the best performers in Division-1 who hailed from the state of Michigan. Any disagreements, perceived omissions, etc., feel free to debate them in the comments.
Goalie
Cy Abdelnour
Ann Arbor Pioneer
Junior/Michigan
Abdelnour’s stat line may not seem worthy of inclusion on an all-anything list: only two games played, 9:27 of total action between the pipes, one save and three goals against for a save percentage of .250. However, he has the distinct honor of being the only goalie on a Division-1 roster from the state of Michigan this season, and thus earns the first-team nod.
Defense
Jamie Hebden
Brother Rice
Junior/Detroit Mercy
Hebden was a leader of a decent (though not up to recent standards) defense. Best of all, he did it for part of the season on a broken leg. For the season, he played in 14 games for the Titans, starting all of them. He caused 21 turnovers and picked up 38 ground balls. He also committed seven turnovers and eight penalties for 7:00.
Michael Hamilton
Brother Rice
Junior/Hofstra
Hamilton played in 13 games, for an above-average Hofstra defense, starting four of them. He caused six turnovers and picked up 21 ground balls, but committed eight turnovers and one penalty for 1:00. Making the transition from midfield to long-pole, he exceeded the expectations of many observers.
Brendan Rooney
University of Detroit Jesuit
Senior/Mount St. Mary’s
Although he Mount St. Mary’s defense was bad (we’re talkin’ quite a bit worse than Michigan’s), Rooney played in nearly every game, starting 12 of his 14 appearances. He caused ten turnovers and picked up 21 ground balls, and even took one shot on goal. He also committed five turnovers, but he was one of the players least to blame for The Mount’s defensive struggles.
Midfield
Scott Harris
Saline
Senior/Detroit Mercy
Harris played in all 15 UDM games, starting 14. He started the year at attack, but played mostly midfield. He scored 18 goals on 53 shots (34 on goal) and added eight assists. He also aided the defensive effort, causing two turnovers and picking up 14 ground balls. Like many UDM players, he was not particularly careful with the ball, and he committed 19 turnovers and seven penalties for 5:30.
Nick Dolik
Brother Rice
Junior/Penn State
Playing for the best team of any player appearing on this list (Penn State finished 9-6, and No. 20 in the country per the tempo-free numbers), Dolik appeared in all 15 games. He scored 18 goals on 63 shots (36 on goal) and added four assists. Caused five turnovers and picked up 15 ground balls. Committed 23 turnovers and two penalties for 1:30.
Alex Vasileff
Birmingham Seaholm
Senior/Michigan
One of the bright spots for an anemic Michigan offense, Vasileff played in all 14 games, starting four (though he was on the first offensive midfield for just about all of them). He was Michigan’s fourth-leading scorer with 15 goals on 41 shots (28 on goal) and five assists. Caused one turnover and picked up 11 ground balls. Committed ten turnovers and two penalties for 1:30.
Attack
Tommy McKee
Holt
Sophomore/Air Force
McKee started all 13 games for a 6-7 Air Force squad that finished dead center in the country in terms of efficiency. Scored 23 goals on 73 shots (41 on goal) and added seven assists. Picked up 19 ground balls. Committed 19 turnovers and five penalties for 5:30.
Will Meter
Brother Rice
Freshman/Michigan
Started all 14 games as a freshman for Michigan. He only scored five goals on 31 shots (20 on goal), but his primary value was as a feeder, adding 15 assists, particularly impressive on a team that had trouble finishing at times. He caused four turnovers and picked up 23 ground balls, but committed 23 turnovers and one penalty for 1:00.
Scott Drummond
Birmingham Seaholm
Sophomore/Detroit Mercy
Drummond played in all 15 games, starting 10. He scored 11 goals on 40 shots (25 on goal) and added eight assists. Caused one turnover and picked up nine ground balls. Committed 12 turnovers and two penalties for 1:00.
Specialists
Danny Henneghan – Faceoff Specialist
Brother Rice
Junior/Penn State
Like Dolik (and unlike basically everyone else on this list), he gets a bump for playing on a good squad. He started all 15 games as a FOGO, winning 149 of 293 faceoffs and collecting 62 ground balls. He didn’t score, but he recorded five shots (two on goal) and added three assists. Committed two turnovers and one penalty for 0:30.
Austin Swaney – Long-stick Midfield
East Grand Rapids
Senior/Michigan
Played in all 14 games, starting eight. He caused 15 turnovers and picked up 32 ground balls. Scored a goal on two shots (both on goal). Won two of five faceoffs. Committed six turnovers and five penalties for 4:30.
Nick Garippa – Short-stick Defensive Midfield
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep
Sophomore/Detroit Mercy
Played in all 15 games. Won two of 18 faceoffs, caused six turnovers, and picked up 10 ground balls. Took three shots (one on goal). Committed seven turnovers and eight penalties for 5:00.
Offensive Player of the Year
Tommy McKee
Holt
Sophomore/Air Force
Although Air Force’s offense and overall team were just OK, McKee’s 30 total points were four clear of the next closest opposition (26 from UDM’s Scott Drummond – and that was for a much worse offense). He also broke even in ground balls picked up versus turnovers committed, another feather in his cap compared to other candidates.
Defensive Player of the Year
Jamie Hebden
Brother Rice
Junior/Detroit Mercy
Hebden gets extra bonus points for playing in his final 4-5 appearances of the season on a sore leg – which turned out to be a fractured fibula. Although UDM’s defense didn’t live up to the hype, and Hebden was outdone statistically by Canadian LSM Jordan Houtby, he was still the best defensive player who was a product of Michigan.
Why didn’t Dakota Badder from Troy Athens make your Top Attacker’s list? He carried that team on his back.
Because he is a high schooler and these are college players?
On the women’s side there is one worth mentioning. Caley chelios (yes that chelios) from cranbrook played on the NCAA champion northwestern women’s team. Considering that team won seven of the last eight NCAA championships, that is quite an accomplishment.