May 30, 2006
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Army lacrosse co-captains Matt Luyster and John Walker were named 2006 USILA/STX honorable mention All-America by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Sunday morning during championship weekend at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa.
It is Walker's third All-America citation, having been an honorable mention pick after his sophomore season and a first team selection a year ago. He becomes the 22nd three-time All-American in Army lacrosse history and the first since Tim Pearson (2000-2002). For Luyster, it is his first All-America nod.
Since 1922, a total of 312 All-America certificates have been bestowed upon 210 Army lacrosse players. Only one Black Knight, George Slabowski, has earned All-America plaudits all four years in which he played. Walker and Luyster's nominations also mark the seventh consecutive year in which Army has been represented in the All-America selection.
Walker finished his career as the school's second all-time leading scorer with 209 points. He is just the third player in Army lacrosse history to eclipse 200 career points. He also finished fourth in goals scored (125) and third in assists (84). His 196 ground balls list seventh all-time. Walker came four ground balls shy of becoming the first Army player to record 200 points and 200 ground balls in a career.
Additionally, Walker lists third on the Patriot League's career scoring ladder, stands fourth in career goals and ranks seventh in career assists. A four-time All-Patriot League pick, Walker was named to the loop's second team three times (2003, 2004 and 2006) while earning first-team mention in 2005. Walker was a key component of Army's on-field success over the past four years as well, helping the Black Knights carve a solid 37-26 (.587) record. During that time, Army secured three successive berths to the NCAA Division I Lacrosse Tournament, which tied for the second-longest postseason streak in the program's history.
The crafty dodger at attack finished his final campaign along the banks of the Hudson River leading the squad in scoring with 42 points and a team-high 26 assists after recovering from offseason back surgery. He opened the 2006 season with seven points against eventual NCAA semifinalist Syracuse in the Carrier Dome on Feb. 25.
An intimidating figure on defense for the past three years, Matt Luyster was tasked with marking the opposition's top offensive threat each time out. His 2006 highlights include shutting out Colgate's Matt Lalli in the regular-season meeting between the two schools and holding Navy's Jon Birsner, a first team All-America honoree this spring, to just one assist in their regular-season showdown.
Luyster played an integral role in Army's clearing game and finished with two goals and one assist. His first tally came in a one-goal win at Bucknell when he took advantage of the Bison's 10-man ride and bounced a shot from midfield into an empty cage from 40 yards away. He also scored in Army's season finale opposite Ohio State. Last year's "Defensive Player of the Year" earned his second consecutive first team all-league certificate this year after garnering second team honors his sophomore season.
Luyster becomes the first Army defenseman to earn All-America honors since Chris Carrano was an honorable mention pick in 1996.