There's a new standard at Ursinus: championship or bust. The Bears captured their first Centennial Conference title in 2019 and were off to a 7-0 start before the pandemic shut down the 2020 campaign. Head coach Gary Mercandante's squad hits the field this spring with a No. 6 national ranking and sky-high expectations: the Bears were picked atop the CC preseason poll, earning three first-place votes to edge out Gettysburg and F&M for pole position. With six of its top eight point-scorers back in the fold, Ursinus has its sights set on a repeat.
Top Returners
Hakan Atillasoy
Sr. | A | Haverford, Pa.
2020 CC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- 2020 Stats: 7 Games | 21 G | 8 A | 23 GB | 9 CT
- Led Centennial Conference in points (29) and 2nd in goals (26)
- Named an Inside Lacrosse Media All-American and a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree
- Current all-time ranks: 5th in goals (93), 8th in points (130), 11th in assists (37)
- 2nd in single-season school history in points (80) and goals (55) in 2019
- Set school record with 9 goals against Muhlenberg in 2019
Aaron Grill
Sr. | M | Reading, Pa.
- 2020 Stats: 7 Games | 12 G | 6 A | 3 Man-Up G
- Made a huge leap last season, ranking 3rd on the team with 18 points and 4th with 12 goals
- Scored in every game he played in 2020, and had an assist in all but one
- Netted game-winning man-up goal with 12 seconds remaining in 13-12 season-opening victory over Stevenson (2/15)
- Put up 3 goals and 2 assists in 14-13 win over Stockton (3/11)
Chase Rondeau
So. | D | Norristown, Pa.
2020 Inside Lacrosse All-Freshman Team
- 2020 Stats: 7 Games | 17 GB | 12 CT
- Tied for Centennial Conference lead with 12 caused turnovers
- Earned All-Freshman Team laurels from Inside Lacrosse
- Started every game as a rookie
- Scored first career goal in opener vs. Stevenson
Alex Dean
Sr. | A | Haddonfield, N.J.
- 2020 Stats: 7 Games | 8 G | 6 A | 5 GB | 4 CT
- Saw a much expanded role in 2020, registering a point in all seven contests
- Finished fifth on the team with 14 points
- Had a goal and two assists in a win over Christopher Newport and added three goals and an assist in victory against Illinois Wesleyan
Chris Porzelt
Jr. | GK | Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.
- 2020 Stats: 7 Games | .547 SV % | 9.95 GAA
- Enjoyed a strong campaign in first full season as a starter
- Posted a .547 save percentage and 9.95 goals-against average
- Produced double-digit saves in five of seven starts, including 16 against Christopher Newport and 15 versus Stevenson
By the Numbers
- 4 - Since Gary Mercadante took over as head coach in 2019, Ursinus has lost only 4 of its 24 games
- 5 - The Bears' ranking in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III preseason poll, the highest in program history
- 6 - Six of the Bears' top eight point-scorers are back in 2021
- 7 - Consecutive regular-season victories for Ursinus
- 7 - Number of seniors on the roster
- 7 - Games the Bears are schedule to play this season
- 10 - Different states represented on the Ursinus roster
Head Coach Gary Mercadante
- Entering 3rd season as head coach
- Led Bears to first Centennial Conference title in first season in 2019, when the Bears took down Gettysburg for the first time in program history in the title game
- Named CC Coach of the Year in 2019
- Owns a career record of 20-4 in first two seasons
- Six Bears received All-CC honors in 2019
2021 Schedule
- March 20 at Muhlenberg (3 PM)
- March 27 vs. F&M (12 PM)
- April 3 vs. Washington College (3 PM)
- April 10 at Gettysburg (4 PM)
- April 17 vs. Dickinson (12 PM)
- May 1 at McDaniel ( 3 PM)
Credits:
Kathy Leister David Morgan/Stylish Images