Chris Passavia has been an impact freshman for the Terps, who will host an NCAA Quarterfinal at Byrd Stadium on May 20. If Philadelphia is known as the City of Brotherly Love, then the University of Maryland men's lacrosse team may as well be known as the team of brotherly love - literally and figuratively. In the 1990's alone, Coach Dick Edell's team has seen seven brothers play together. The 2001 squad is no different with Dan and Mike LaMonica , as well as Chris and Willy Passavia , continuing a tradition of younger siblings following in their family's footsteps. It helps that we have some actual family playing together, in that sense.
Family traditions are nothing new for the lacrosse team.
Some of the Terps best players have had relatives play under Edell or previous coaches. That list includes Scott and Craig Hochstadt , Dave, Marcus and Brian LaChapelle, Phil and David Willard, Sean and Mike Crawford, and Erik and Paul Elfstrum, just to name those in the last decade. Edell explains the family tradition as a result of both academic success and athletic achievement at the university. Mike LaMonica has been a consistent part of the Terrapins lethal offensive attack as the senior midfielder has registered 15 goals and 4 assists after a breakout junior season, in which he tallied 20 goals, including a career-high 4 goals against Towson on March 11, 2000. He has scored 23 goals and tallied 23 assists working with Combs and redshirt sophomore Mike Mollot on the top attack line.