Virginia Lacrosse Signs Former Stanford Linebacker Ricky Miezan
Amidst the shuffle of the national early signing day for college football on Wednesday, the Virginia men's lacrosse program inked a big-time transfer from Stanford linebacker and former No. 1 lacrosse recruit Ricky Miezan. UVA men's lacrosse head coach Lars Tiffany announced the official signing of Miezan on Wednesday.
“After a standout football career as a Stanford linebacker, Ricky could not be more excited to pick up a stick again and be back playing lacrosse,” Tiffany said. “What we are gaining here is a caring man with a big heart; a man who also happens to bring to the field a howitzer of a shot and blazing speed."
A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Miezan was recruited as both a football player and a lacrosse player coming out of high school and was at one point the No. 1 overall recruit in his class. Miezan ultimately chose to play football in college and committed to Stanford, where he developed into an impactful linebacker over the last five years. After dealing with injury troubles early in his career, Miezan started in 11 games in each of the last two seasons and served as a team captain for the Cardinal in 2022. He finished his Stanford football career with 123 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and six sacks in 29 games played.
A 6'2", 237-pound super-athlete, Miezan should have no trouble finding a spot on the lacrosse field for the Cavaliers despite not having played lacrosse formally in five years. There was some speculation as to what position Miezan would play given his size and athleticism, but Lars Tiffany confirmed that Miezan will be used as an offensive midfielder for Virginia.
"And unlike most of the roster, Ricky will actually be intentionally reducing his weight and max lifts somewhat as he shapes his body into a downhill dodging, and feeding, offensive midfielder," Tiffany said.
Tiffany and the Cavaliers have been slow to adapt to the transfer portal that has taken over college lacrosse just as it has taken over the rest of collegiate athletics. Virginia signed only one player out of the transfer portal in each of the last two seasons, but now the Hoos have signed three transfer additions for the 2023 season, as Miezan joins two-time All-American and 2022 America East Offensive Player of the Year Thomas McConvey from Vermont and All-Southern Conference defender Griffin Kology from Richmond.
Miezan and McConvey join a stacked Virginia offensive unit that includes Connor Shellenberger, Payton Cormier, Griffin Schutz, Xander Dickson, Jeff Conner, Peter Garno, and Patrick McIntosh as well as a number of talented incoming freshmen.
Virginia will be a strong contender to not only repeat as ACC Champions, but to also return to Championship Weekend in 2023.
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