University of North Carolina Athletics
Three Tar Heels Cop Spots On Inside Lacrosse All-Freshman Team
June 20, 2011 | Men's Lacrosse
June 20, 2011
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Attackman Nicky Galasso, face-off man R.G. Keenan and defenseman Jordan Smith have been named to the 2011 Inside Lacrosse All-Freshman Teams. Galasso, from West Islip, N.Y., and Keenan, from Perry Hall, Md., were named to the first-team squad, while Smith, from Winston-Salem, N.C., was chosen for the second team.
Galasso, had a stupendous freshman year for Carolina, leading the Tar Heel team in assists and points and setting University season records for freshmen in both categories. Galasso started all 16 games for the Tar Heels as they finished 10-6 overall and earned the No. 8 seed in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
Galasso finished with 24 goals, just one behind team leader Billy Bitter, to go with 32 assists for 56 points. He had 18 more assists on the season than any other Tar Heel and had 17 more points than any other member of the team. He scored three man-up goals, had 20 ground balls and scored on 31.6 percent of his sheets.
Keenan played in all 16 games for the Tar Heels as the team's primary face-off man. He set Tar Heel freshman records for face-offs won in a season with 191 victories in 321 attempts, a winning percentage of .595. Keenan had 109 ground balls on the season, the most by a freshman in school history. He also scored three goals and added an assist, scoring on 33.3 percent of his shots.
Smith made the second team. The close defenseman earned a starting spot at mid-season and played in 15 games overall while starting seven times. He had eight ground balls and four caused turnovers.
