Preseason first-team All-American from the 2017 Face-Off Yearbook, senior midfielder Zach Miller (Steamburg, New York), will not be returning to play for the Pioneers for the 2017 campaign. The news was released on Jan. 16 by Inside Lacrosse from DU Head Coach Bill Tierney.
“Zach [Miller] has decided to take some time away from school,” Tierney said in an interview with Inside Lacrosse. “We are obviously disappointed in his decision, but respect his right to make it and hope that everything works out for him.”
Miller grew up on an Allegany Reservation in Steamburg, New York. In an interview with The Denver Post, Miller said he played lacrosse for the pleasure of the creator who demonstrated the game of lacrosse as a form of healing people.
“Obviously being closer to his daughter, Annamae, will make him happier, as the rigors of school and missing her eventually took their toll,” Tierney said. “I feel comfortable in knowing that we provided Zach [Miller] with the financial, coaching, mentoring and academic support necessary for him to succeed in college and am thankful for having had him on our team for three years.”
Miller, who started in every game since he joined the program in 2013, amassed 91 goals and 77 assists over three seasons, including a 47-game point-streak that ended against St. John’s University on April 16 of 2016.
“He [Miller] was certainly an instrumental part of our recent success as he achieved one of his personal goals of winning a national championship. Zach’s [Miller’s] teammates, fans and coaches will miss him, but his personal and academic circumstances didn’t allow him to continue the process in his final year. We wish Zach [Miller] and Annamae much good fortune in the future,” Tierney said.
Miller’s absence will be pronounced, but the Pioneers’ roster is loaded with depth.
Senior attackman Connor Cannizzaro (Cazenovia, New York) and junior faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste (Denville, New Jersey) were also picked as preseason All-Americans by Face-Off Yearbook.
Returning attackmen include junior Connor Donahue (Groton, Massachusetts) and Colton McCaffrey (Parker, Colorado).
The rising sophomore class has talent in each position with returners Austin French (Danville, California) and Nate Marano (Tustin, California) up top. Colton Jackson, a starting midfielder, alongside senior Tyler Pace (Coquitlam, British Columbia) and Sean Mayle (San Carlos, California) are expected to be dominant in the midfield. Defensively, the “Dylan Duo” of Dylan Johnson (Englewood, Colorado) and Dylan Gaines (Baltimore, Maryland) will work alongside senior Christian Burgdorf (Westfield, New Jersey). Alex Ready (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) earned the start in goal last season, but David Winsor (Boulder, Colorado) will have his chance to battle for the position this year.
Denver’s incoming freshman class is full of talent, including lefty attackman Ethan Walker (Peterborough, Ontario) who was named the 2016 U.S.A Today All U.S.A-Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year and boasted an impressive performance at the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) U-19 World Lacrosse Championships with 14 points (8G – 6A) in six games.
The Pioneers are pre-ranked as the No. 1-team for the upcoming 2017 season.
Denver embarks on its 2017 campaign with a trip to Johns Hopkins University on Saturday, Jan. 28. Faceoff is scheduled for 8 a.m. MT.
