Churchville-Chili High School senior Ryan TerHaar has signed his letter of intent to play for the Division 2 Mercyhurst University Lakers lacrosse team in Erie, Pennsylvania. The signing ceremony was held on May 16 and was attended by family, friends and Churchville-Chili coaches. TerHaar is excited to begin studies at Mercyhurst’s Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences, where he will major in intelligence analysis.
TerHaar said, “Mercyhurst has a really good lacrosse team and it will be challenging to play with them. It’s also the No.1 school in the country for my career path, which is exciting for me. I like the small campus, the atmosphere and the people I’ve met, and it’s still close to home.”
Churchville-Chili HS lacrosse coach Donald Benedict, who is a 2011 Mercyhurst graduate and past Laker himself, said, “Ryan’s role on our team is vital, but often goes unsung. As a defensive player, he doesn’t get the glorified statistics like goals and assists. He covers the offensive threats and takes most of the face-offs. His stats are pure will and grit.”
“Ryan is a really exciting player to watch. He has great stick skills and is exceptionally fast in what is arguably the fastest game out there. He is so committed to the mental aspect of the game, he watches film on opponent play and on himself. The coaching staff jokes that he knows more than we do, and sometimes, he does.”
Benedict said that TerHaar has been “an absolute pleasure to coach for the last four years.” He is especially proud that the student has chosen Mercyhurst and will be playing for the same coach he played for during his time in college.
Churchville Athletic Director Michael Murray was also on hand to congratulate TerHaar and his family. “We couldn’t be prouder of Ryan,” he said. “He’s a great kid, a hard worker and has been an asset to our lacrosse team for his entire high school career. He has a great future ahead of him.”
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