Fox, Groves, Pavone garner IMLCA All-West Region accolades for 2019 campaign
By Blake Moore
ADA — Ohio Northern seniors Drew Fox (Solon), Mitch Groves (Fishers, Ind./Bishop Chatard), and Anthony Pavone (Bainbridge/Kenston) have been named to the Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association's All-West Region squads for the 2019 season, the national office announced.
Fox and Groves were each honored for the second consecutive season after both received Honorable Mention kudos during the 2018 campaign. The duo became the first players in program history named to the IMLCA All-Region squads last year.
Meanwhile, Pavone earned his first career All-Region award with the announcement.
Fox led the selections after being named Second-Team All-West Region on defense. Groves and Pavone each earned Honorable Mention status at the SSDM and midfield positions, respectively.
All three student-athletes were also named First-Team All-Ohio Athletic Conference in 2019.
With its three honorees, the Ohio Northern men's lacrosse program boasted the highest number of recipients at an OAC institution this season.
Fox led the Polar Bears with 28 caused turnovers and finished fifth on the team with 32 ground balls this season.
The defenseman has started 62 contests in 64 career appearances. He currently tops the Ohio Northern history books with 127 caused turnovers and ranks second with 138 career ground balls.
Fox is also a four-time All-OAC honoree, having garnered First-Team honors in 2018 and 2019 and Second-Team kudos during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
In 2019, Groves produced seven goals, four assists, 11 points, 34 ground balls, and 11 caused turnovers for the Ohio Northern efforts.
In 64 career games, Groves ranks seventh in program history with 37 goals and 56 points and also sits eighth all-time with 19 assists. Defensively, he stands fifth with 107 career ground balls and seventh overall with 12 caused turnovers.
Groves is a two-time First-Team All-OAC honoree from 2018 and 2019. He also appeared in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Senior All-Star Game this season at the U.S. Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Maryland.
This season, Pavone ended second on the team with 28 goals, 12 assists, and 40 points to help lead a high-powered ONU offense.
He finished his 63-game career ranked second in program history with 148 points and third all-time with 89 goals and 59 assists. He also stands second all-time with 20 career man-up goals and ninth overall with 85 career ground balls.
Pavone is a four-time All-OAC honoree, having been named a First-Team selection in 2019 and a Second-Team honoree in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Ohio Northern posted a 13-5 overall record and finished third in the OAC with a 6-3 league record during the 2019 campaign. With the No. 3 seed in the OAC Tournament, the Polar Bears reached the program's first OAC championship game under fourth-year head coach Nat St. Laurent.