Joe Fletcher
Position: Defense
College: Loyola
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 lbs
Team USA is working hard to get down to 23 guys to take to the FIL Games in Denver, CO in July of 2014. There is only one remaining Loyola Greyhound on the roster in Joe Fletcher and he just happens to be the only candidate left that is still in college.
Via his profile on Loyola’s website, Joe stands at 6’2″ and 185 pounds. The senior Greyhound out of West Genesee has been stellar for Coach Charley Toomey. As a freshman in 2011, Fletcher was on the man-down unit all season, picking up six ground balls and caused two turnovers. He got his first start against Hobart on April 23 and didn’t turn back, picking up Academic All-ECAC Honors.
In 2012, Joe started in all 19 games earning USILA All-America Honorable Mention and Second Team ECAC honors, sharing defensive player of the year with teammate Scott Ratliff. He was selected to NCAA and ECAC All-Tournament teams while helping Loyola to a National Championship. He ended the season with 41 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers.
This past season, Joe was awarded with USILA All-America First Team honors, the first since Gavin Prout in 2001. Earned ECAC Defensive POY and All-Academic honors. Was the top ground ball close defender in the ECAC with 64 and caused 17 turnovers. Helped set a national record with the Greyhounds in clearing at 95.5 percent.
He does a lot of small things right during off-ball with getting in to help in the hole, opening up his hips to his man and the ball and has his head on a swivel at all times. His one on one defense is good, he plays his angles well and stays in the hands when possible, including locking down his opponents top attackman, i.e. Hopkins’ Wells Stanwick who was averaging four points a game and Fletcher held him to one assist. One thing I noticed while watching film on him is that he, somehow, always seems to be in the right spot to pick up the rebound. Joe will have to work on leg strength to compete at the world level, especially going up against those pesky Canadians and the way they like to back down their defenders. His youth may play a factor in the staff’s decision, but at the same time, it doesn’t hurt to have some young legs on the sidelines.
