Our preview on Mount St. Mary’s will be published Friday, but here’s a sampling of my interview with coach Tom Gravante.
The Mountaineers have taken the unusual step of asking a trio of seniors in attackman Cody Lehrer, midfielder Eric Ososki and long-stick midfielder Mark Burns to sit out the upcoming season despite being healthy.
All three players are business majors, and after graduating this spring, they will enter the school’s MBA program. They will be play in 2013 when the team will be competing to win the Northeast Conference tournament and the subsequent automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament – which is not available in 2012.
“What I sold to them was that, ‘Sometimes when you sign with a company, you get a signing bonus. If you sign on with me for five years, you can get your MBA and your signing bonus is an opportunity at the 2013 AQ, which I can’t give you in 2012.’” Gravante said. “… They’re all business majors, they’re very good students and intelligent young men, and I sold them and the parents on this opportunity. So we’re doing some things to really work toward the 2013 season.
"They were concerned that it would send a message to the team that the 2012 season wasn’t important to them, but that wasn’t for them to worry about. That was for me and my staff. So far, so good. The issue with those guys was, would they show up for practice because they have a year off? Well, they have. We’ve spoken to them about it, and they’re keeping themselves accessible and accountable. It’s a no-nonsense presence and commitment on everybody’s part.”
Not having those three players this year could present Mount St. Mary’s with a few challenges. Lehrer, a starter last spring, ranked third in points with 43, and Ososki, also a starter, had 14 goals and nine assists. Burns led the defense in caused turnovers (15) and added 36 groundballs, four goals and three assists.
“We’ll have a few growing pains, but their absence creates opportunity for three other guys, which we need because we need to build that depth,” Gravante said. “So it’s a win-win situation. Cody was the one who was a little bit apprehensive, and that’s how he is. He’s an intelligent young man, he’s not quick to judge or respond, and it’s OK. But he came around, he sees the value in the opportunity of getting the MBA.”