May 27, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -
Junior attackman Billy Bitter and junior defenseman Ryan Flanagan lead a list of five University of North Carolina men's lacrosse players named to the 2010 U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All-America Team. Bitter repeated honors on the first team from 2009 while Flanagan joined him on this year's first team, giving UNC two first-team All-Americas for the first time since 2004 when Jed Prossner and Ronnie Staines both copped first-team accolades.
Bitter and Flanagan were joined on the All-America Teams by senior midfielder Sean DeLaney on the second team and sophomore midfielder Jimmy Dunster and sophomore defenseman Charlie McComas on the honorable mention squad. This is the second straight year the Tar Heels have had five All-America selections, the most since the 2004 team had six choices.
Bitter (Manhasset, N.Y.) becomes the first attackman to earn back-to-back first-team honors since Jed Prossner in 2004 and 2005. Despite being hurt for much of the season, Bitter had a sensational year, finishing second on the team in scoring with 44 points on 22 goals and 22 assists. He was also fourth on the team in ground balls with 42, the most of any Tar Heel attackman.
Flanagan (West Islip, N.Y.), a third-team All-America last year, joins Bitter on the first team. Flanagan was the defensive leader for a team which allowed only 8.75 goals per game in 2010. He started every game for the Tar Heels and led the team in caused turnovers with 36 while ranking second in ground balls with 51.
DeLaney, of Moorestown, N.J., moved up to second-team All-America after being a third-team All-America last year. DeLaney missed four games this year with a shoulder injury but still ranked as the team's fourth leading scorer with 34 points. He tied for second on the team in goals scored with 25. He led Carolina with 10 man-up goals this season.
A pair of sophomores, Dunster (Cos Cob, Conn.) and McComas (Parkton, Md.), were tapped for honorable mention status. Dunster was UNC's sixth-leading scorer with 30 points on 17 goals and 13 assists. He pumped in a career high four goals in the NCAA quarterfinal game. McComas started on close defense in 14 games. He had 40 ground balls (sixth on the team) and 14 caused turnovers in 2010.
The USILA will announce its end of the year position award winners on Friday.
