May 29, 2008

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Honorable Mention All-American Nick Mirabito (Binghamton, N.Y.) was the 43rd overall pick and taken in the fifth round by the New Jersey Pride in the 2008 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Draft held on Wednesday night in Hoboken, N.J.

Arguably one of the most underrated players in the country during his four-year stay in Annapolis, Mirabito picked up All-America kudos for the first time in his career after leading Navy this spring with 46 points on 23 goals and 23 assists.

Behind a one-goal, two-assist performance at Army during the regular season, he became just the ninth player in the program's 101-year history to reach 150 points. He is the third player under Richie Meade's guidance to do so and the third in the last three years (Jon Birsner with 154 in 2006; Ian Dingman with 188 in '07).

He concluded his illustrious career with 158 points on 96 goals and 62 assists. He is one of just four players in school history who has scored 90 goals and dished out 60 assists, joining 1980 Turnbull Award winner Mike Buzzell (111-111), four-time All-American Mike Herger (107-90) and former teammate and All-American Ian Dingman (125-63).

He finished among Navy's top 20 in nearly every statistical category, including the point list where he finished seventh behind Jeff Long (233), Buzzell (222), Herger (197), Dingman (188), Paul Basile (183) and Jimmy Lewis (169). Additionally, he ended his career ranked ninth in the Patriot League's all-time top-10 points record book.

With his goal against Johns Hopkins in the NCAA quarters, Mirabito took sole possession of sixth on Navy's career goals list with 96. Meanwhile, in the Mids' regular-season meeting against the Blue Jays, Mirabito punched in his 20th goal of the season, marking the fourth consecutive year in which he has topped the 20-goal mark. He also became one of just five players in school history to achieve this feat.

Finally, he dealt out 62 assists over a four-year span, finishing just outside of the top 10 in 12th.

Mirabito scored a point in 60 of the 62 games in which he played with only Maryland solving the offensive arsenal, as the Terps twice held Mirabito scoreless. He produced five multi-goal games in 2008, 28 in his career, including three hat tricks this spring and 14 during his collegiate career. He owned six multi-assists games in 2008, 15 in his career, while posting 12 multi-point performances in his senior campaign and 46 in his career.

Mirabito joins nine other former Navy lacrosse players who currently appear on MLL rosters. The L.A. Riptide have five former Midshipmen on their roster, including three players who led Navy to the 2004 NCAA national championship game. Sean Donnelly represents the Class of '92, while two-time Kelly Award winner Mickey Jarboe, out of the Class of '00, is coming off an impressive 2007 campaign in which he was named an MLL All-Star. Finally, Graham Gill (Class of '05), Chris Pieczonka (Class of '06) and Matt Russell (Class of '06) round out the Navy players currently on the Riptide squad, though all three are inactive due to military obligations.

Another three members of Navy's 2004 squad have been reunited on the Chicago Machine this season. While brothers Steve (Class of '06) and Billy (Class of '07) Looney, both three-time All-Americans, begin the season inactive because of their military commitments, defenseman Mitch Hendler (Class of '05) has made the move to the Midwest where he will help solidify a defense that has given up 19 goals in the two games it has played this season.

Finally, Ian Dingman (Class of '07) remains a part of the Philadelphia Barrage organization, however, he is currently deployed.