Pair of Amherst defenders to play in college
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Amherst Central seniors Meagan Hurley, first row left, and Tim Monahan signed National Letter of Intents last Friday morning in the high school faculty cafeteria. Hurley is going to play lacrosse at Canisius College; Monahan is headed to play lacrosse at the University at Albany. Also pictured is back row, Amherst girls lacrosse coach Janet Battaglia, Mary Ellen Hurley (Meagan's mother), Mary Monahan (Tim's mother), and Amherst boys lacrosse coach Stefan Henn. Photo by Amy Krakowiak Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Two of the Amherst Central lacrosse program's top defenders are taking their game to the next level.

Senior Tim Monahan of the boys lacrosse team and Meagan Hurley of the girls lacrosse team signed National Letters of Intent to play lacrosse at the University at Albany and Canisius College, respectively, last Friday morning in the Amherst High School faculty cafeteria.

Each felt they made the right decision.

"I pretty much wanted to go there," said Monahan of the University at Albany. "It was my top choice. I liked the coaching staff, academics. I got a good vibe."

"A lot of my family went to Canisius and ever since I was little, my family kept saying I would end up there," said Hurley. "When my high school team went there for tournaments, I liked what I saw and the coach (Scott Teeter) is real good."

Hurley also likes how women's lacrosse is turning around at Canisius. In the first seven seasons of the program, the Golden Griffins went 10-84. In the last three years, they have been 26-25.

"It's a great time to join the program," said Hurley. "They're getting closer to being one of the top teams. They're looking to go to the NCAAs."

Hurley's defensive coach at Amherst, Kristy Grossman, also played for Canisius.

Hurley, who Amherst coach Janet Battaglia called "a speedy, physical and vocal defender who does a good job of interrupting the other team's offense," is a four-year starter on defense for the Lady Tigers.

Last year, she had a goal, assist, 40 ground balls and caused 27 turnovers en route to earning All-WNY First Team and ECIC First Team honors. She also helped the Lady Tigers win Section VI Class C and advance to the Far West Regional where they fell 9-8 to East Rochester, the closest a Western New York team has come to winning a regional game.

Hurley was also a New York State Public High School Athletic Association Scholar Athlete in her freshman and junior years. In 2006, she was an ECIC Division III Second Team selection. Her record as a member with Amherst girls lacrosse is 33-1 in league matches, 51-8 overall.

The University at Albany finished a school-record best 15-3 last year and lost, 12-11, in overtime to top-ranked Cornell in the NCAA quarterfinals. They have won four of the last five America East championships.

The Great Dane coaching staff has told Monahan he will make a great fit to the program.

"They will be graduating a senior so they want me to come in and take his spot," said Monahan, who was also looking at Sacred Heart University and Stony Brook University.

Monahan, who Amherst coach Stefan Henn called "a tenacious, relentless competitor with phenomenal stick skills and terrific in transition," had five goals, six assists and 218 ground balls in his career so far with the Tigers, a section finalist last year.

Monahan's efforts on the field as a junior earned him a selection to the All-Western New York Second Team, All-ECIC First Team and was the team's most valuable defenseman.

Monahan and Hurley are each honor roll students at Amherst and undecided on what major they will be pursuing in college. Each will be attending on partial athletic scholarships; Hurley said she also has a partial academic scholarship.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com