[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11995]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING THE 2005 NCAA MEN'S DIVISION I NATIONAL LACROSSE 
                               CHAMPIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 8, 2005

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to invite my colleagues to join 
me in congratulating the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I National Lacrosse 
Champions, the Johns Hopkins University Bluejays.
  Johns Hopkins University is the cradle of college lacrosse. Their 
faculty, fans, alumni, students, coaches and players have waited since 
1987 to regain their position as the premier lacrosse program in the 
country. For three out of the last four years, the Hopkins Bluejays 
have made it to the final four, but the championship has remained just 
out of reach.
  Under the leadership of Coach Dave Pietramala, seniors on the team 
played all four years never losing a game on Homewood Field at Hopkins, 
and this year had a perfect season, 16-0.
  Coach Pietramala also has the distinction of being the only coach to 
have won a national championship as a player and a coach. Coach 
Pietramala was a four time All-American defensive player on Hopkins' 
1987 championship team.
  Six members of the team are my constituents: Joe Benson, Benson 
Erwin, Kyle Harrison, Kevin Huntley, Nolan Matthews and Matt Pinto. All 
deserve congratulations for their contributions to the team. Kevin 
Huntley and Nolan Matthews, sons of former Hopkins' All-Americans and 
Joe Benson, brother of a Hopkins All-American will be returning to 
Homewood Field to carry on the winning tradition. Also returning will 
be Jesse Schwartzman, who was awarded most valuable player of the NCAA 
tournament when in the championship game his skill as goal keeper kept 
Hopkins in the game and eliminated threats by the Duke Blue Devils.
  This year's graduates Kyle Harrison and Benson Erwin are best 
friends, great players and outstanding role models. This year, after 
being named a Tewaaraton Award finalist for the past two years, Kyle, a 
three time All-American, won the Award given to the most outstanding 
male varsity collegiate lacrosse player in the nation. Benson was the 
unsung hero of the team. His work ethic and reliability made him the 
man to turn to when hope seemed lost in the final seconds of the 
semifinal game. A young man of few words, Benson leads by example.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Johns Hopkins 
University Men's 2005 Lacrosse Team for their outstanding achievements 
as players and students. I ask you to join in saying congratulations 
and ``Go Blue.''

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