By Michael Moroney ’13
THE ROUNDUP
Pierce Bassett ’09 was a four-year varsity starting goalie for the Brophy lacrosse team and helped lead the team to two state championships in four appearances from 2006-2009.
After his four-year tenure as the Broncos’ goalie, Bassett accepted a scholarship to play lacrosse at Johns Hopkins University. He would join his former Brophy teammate Hunter Rodgers ’08.
The 2011 NCAA Men’s Division I Tournament begins on Saturday May 14 for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, as the John’s Hopkins Lacrosse website shows. They have garnered a No. 3 seed and are set to play Hofstra. This game will air on ESPN2.
Bassett started the final seven games for the Blue Jays in 2010 that included one game in the NCAA Tournament. He replaced the senior goalkeeper Michael Gvozden.
He has started every game this season with a 0.586 save percentage as the team posted a 12-2 regular season record.
In his third season at Johns Hopkins, Rodgers is a reserve midfielder and has tallied one goal and one assist.
The game against Hofstra will mark their 40th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, more than any other Division I team. If the Blue Jays win their first round game, they will go on to play the winner of Denver vs. Villanova on May 21.
Both Bassett and Rodgers became immersed in a historical lacrosse program when they joined the Johns Hopkins team.
The Blue Jays have won nine NCAA Division I championships (second only to Syracuse) since the NCAA era of college lacrosse began in 1971.
While a member of the Bronco lacrosse team, Bassett was a four-time Arizona all-state selection (three-time first team) and was twice named the Most Valuable Defensive Player in the state by the Arizona Youth Lacrosse League.
He was also named a U.S. Lacrosse All-American in his senior season.
Rodgers was a three-time all-state selection from 2006-2008 while at Brophy and in his senior year he was named an Under Armor All-American. That same year, Rodgers recorded a Brophy record 87 points.
In his four years as a Bronco attackman, Rodgers tallied 150 points, second only to Adam Fishman ’10.
