Drew Adams might well be the best player in Penn State lacrosse history.  Of course, I’m not the one to say, because I never watched a pre-Drew Adams Nittany Lion team play, but suffice it to say we’re not, historically, a lacrosse powerhouse.  So when you have a goalie who’s been a three-time honorable mention All American, a USILA All-Star, the 3-time ECAC goalie of the year, and a player who was named to the preseason Tewaarton (most outstanding player) Watch List, it’s safe to say you’ve developed a bona fide superstar.

Now, coming into his senior season, Adams hadn’t experienced the most success during his time at Penn State, taking part in only one winning season, a 10-5-1 freshman campaign that saw him win his first ECAC goalie of the year award, and one in which he was named conference Rookie of the Year.  In losing their last game, Penn State would blow their chance to make the NCAA tournament.

When Penn State struggled out of the gate in 2009, it seemed like more of the same for Adams and the Nittany Lions.  Early season losses to such perennial also-rans as Robert Morris and Fairfield put the Nittany Lions in an 0-3, and then a 3-5 hole.  But in his senior campaign, and on a team whose offense was led by underclassmen, Adams put the Nittany Lions on his back, guiding them to 6 consecutive wins to close out the season, and placing Penn State on the bubble for the NCAA tournament.  Unfortunately for Adams, his last season was much like his first in regards to the NCAA tournament: close, but no cigar.  This year, they had a clear gripe: a ranking in the top 16, and the kind of close out to a season that indicated a team that could make a run in the tournament.

Through it all, Adams succeeded despite a dearth of talent around him.  He improved his save percentage every year of his career, culminating with a phenomenal .652 mark.  For those who aren’t familiar with lacrosse, that’s just ridiculous.  Syracuse won the NCAA Lacrosse Tournament, and their goalie ended the season with a .567 save percentage.

If Adams was to be compared to any player of a “mainstream” Penn State sport, it would have to be Jamelle Cornley: a player who never made it to the sport’s greatest stage, but was a consistent bright spot in a dark era, and was there to see the hand-off to the next generation of players, a group that will only bring success by standing on the shoulders of their predecessors.

Earlier tonight, Drew Adams was drafted with the 19th selection in the Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft, by my Long Island Lizards in the third round.  It was surprising to see Adams, who was considered a fringe first-round prospect, taken so much later in the draft, but that wasn’t really his fault.  InsideLacrosse was bullish on Adams’ pro potential, noting:

Tall, lanky, instinctive, Adams may be better suited than Brown’s Jordan Burke to play a 50-shot MLL game.

That said,

The knock on Adams was kind of harsh — “not used to winning”

Ouch.  Either way, we here at quebecpenspinning want to wish Drew Adams nothing but the best as he continues his lacrosse career in what we all know is the lacrosse hotbed of the world, Long Island.  We also want to congratulate him, not just on being drafted, but on capping off a phenomenal Penn State career with a gutsy performance that we only wish was noticed by the right people.