The Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse team will host UR/#18 Loyola in the ECAC Lacrosse League opener for both teams. Action begins in Holuba Hall at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 3. Penn State is 0-2 overall and is coming off heart-breaking 11-8 loss to Notre Dame last Sunday. The Nittany Lions scored the game¡¯s first two goals and five of the last six, but their fourth quarter comeback came up just short of a win. Pat Heim led Penn State with three goals in the contest while Gil Pearsall added two. Loyola enters the game with an identical 0-2 mark. The Greyhounds lost their opener 9-7 to Notre Dame and the dropped a 9-8 heart-breaker to visiting Towson on Monday. Penn State will continue its early season homestand when it hosts Ohio State on Saturday, March 10, at 1 p.m.

ADAMS AND HEIM NAMED TO TEWAARATON WATCH LIST
Two members of the Penn State Nittany Lion men¡¯s lacrosse team have been named to the 2007 Tewaaraton Trophy Preseason Watch List. The list, compiled by the Tewaaraton Award Foundation, includes all those considered early contenders and players to watch for the post-season award.

Sophomore Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) and senior Pat Heim (Wayne, Pa.) both on the list of nearly 50 individuals considered preseason contenders for the 2007 Tewaaraton Trophy, given each year to Division I¡¯s player of the year. Adams, a sophomore goalie for the Nittany Lions, was the 2006 ECAC Lacrosse League Goalie of the Year, ECAC Lacrosse League Rookie of the Year and was a member of the 2006 All-ECAC first team. He ended last year with an 8.25 goals against average and a .603 save percentage.

Heim, now in his fourth year as a starter for Penn State, is one of Penn State¡¯s captains this season. He entered this year with 44 goals and 23 assists for his career and has quickly added three goals and an assist in Penn State¡¯s first two games this campaign. Heim was a first team All-ECAC pick last year as well. Both he and Adams were USILA honorable mention All-Americans in 2006. The list will be voted upon by coaches and narrowed down as the season progresses, ultimately reaching a final list of five players who will constitute the award¡¯s finalists.

HOGAN HAS SOLID COLLEGIATE DEBUT
Freshman middie Chris Hogan had a solid collegiate debut, scoring two goals to lead Penn State in the Nittany Lions¡¯ 10-5 loss to Denver on 2/17. Hogan took five shots, connecting on two of them for a team-best .400 shot percentage. He also collected three ground balls.

HEIM, MULQUEEN AND SALTSMAN NAMED 2007 TEAM CAPTAINS
The Penn State Nittany Lion men¡¯s lacrosse team, under the direction of veteran head coach Glenn Thiel, will rely upon a trio of veteran leaders in 2007. Seniors Pat Heim (Wayne, Pa.), Dan Saltsman (Concord, N.H.) and Matt Mulqueen (Downingtown, Pa.) have been named captains for the 2007 campaign.

Heim returns for his final go-round with the Nittany Lions after earning his second straight first team All-ECAC nod in 2006. The midfielder had 22 points off 17 goals and five assists last year and posted a .254 shot percentage. He also had 28 ground balls. Over three years as a starter, Heim has 67 points off 44 goals and 23 assists. ¡°Pat is the backbone of our offense,¡± Thiel said. ¡°He will team with Gil Pearsall to give us great leadership on attack.¡± Heim was also an honorable mention All-American last year.

Saltsman emerged as a defensive anchor for Penn State in 2006. He started all 13 games in the backfield and had 28 ground balls. Saltsman was honored as a first team All-ECAC pick. He has played in 40 games at Penn State. Mulqueen also played in 13 games last season, starting eight of them. He was third on the team with 38 ground balls as he helped anchor the defense with Saltsman. Mulqueen has played in 33 games over three seasons as a Nittany Lion. ¡°Defensive captains Saltsman and Mulqueen are Penn State prototypes,¡± Thiel said. ¡°They are hard working, intense and physical defenders.¡±

HEIM NAMED INSIDE LACROSSE PRE-SEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse player Pat Heim (Wayne, Pa.) has been named a second team pre-season All-American by Inside Lacrosse magazine. Heim is a senior co-captain on head coach Glenn Thiel¡¯s squad. Heim is a three-year starter at midfield for Penn State. A two-time first team All-ECAC pick, Heim has 67 career points off 44 goals and 23 assists. He has played in 41 games for Penn State through three seasons with the Nittany Lions and was a 2006 USILA honorable mention All-American.

A trio of Nittany Lions were named to the Inside lacrosse honorable mention list. Senior co-captain Dan Saltsman (Concord, N.H.), senior attacker Brain Boyle (Derry, N.H.) and sophomore goalie Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) were all on the pre-season HM list.

ADAMS NAMED ECAC ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AND GOALIE OF THE YEAR TO LEAD SIX LIONS ON ALL-ECAC TEAMS
Four members of head coach Glenn Thiel¡¯s Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse team have earned All-ECAC honors as voted on by the league¡¯s eight head coaches. Freshman Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) leads the way as the conference¡¯s Goalkeeper of the Year and Rookie of the Year.

Joining Adams on the All-ECAC squad is senior attacker Nate Whitaker (Great Falls, Va.), junior midfielder Pat Heim (Wayne, Pa.) and junior defender Dan Saltsman (Concord, N.H.). Junior Brian Boyle (Derry, N.H.) and senior Greg Gurenlian (Springfield, Pa.) were named to the All-ECAC second team. In his first season with Penn State, Adams started all 13 games for Penn State and boasted an 8.25 goals against average. He had 164 saves as well, facing 414 shots during the course of the season. Adams is the only freshman on the team and one of only two underclassmen.

NITTANY LIONS UNRANKED IN USILA AND NIKE/INSIDE LACROSSE POLLS
The Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse team dropped out of the national rankings in both polls this week after a tough 0-2 start against two nationally ranked teams. The Lions will face their third straight ranked foe to open up the season when No. 18 Loyola visits Holuba Hall this coming Saturday. ECAC foe Georgetown is No. 1 in the USILA Coaches Poll and No. 2 in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll. Princeton tops the media poll.