Nov. 27, 2002

FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason University women' s lacrosse has inked five recruits during the early signing period, head coach Amy Umbach announced Wednesday.

The Patriots have signed commitments from three out-of-state players and two from the Commonwealth. New Jersey athletes Melissa Venturi (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) and Deona Donahue (Shamong, NJ/Shawnee) will join Maryland product Melissa Curry (Edgewater, MD/South River) and Virginia athletes Alex Velesz (Woodbridge, VA/Paul VI) and Becky Lee (Fairfax, VA/Fairfax) as freshman for the 2004 season.

Venturi, a 5-9 senior who is expected to play at attack or midfield for the Patriots, was a 2002 first-team all-conference selection as junior after breaking the school record for goals in a season. She was named first-team all-conference in 2001 and 2002 as a member of her high school soccer team, and has also lettered in basketball.

A member of seven state lacrosse championships and three runner-up titles, Donahue, who is 5-4, is projected to play in the Patriots' midfield or on defense. She made the all-conference team in 2002 and was a member of the US Lacrosse National Tournament Upper Atlantic team last season.

Venturi and Donahue, who hail from South Jersey, will join current Patriot standout Lisa Hagan who is also from that area.

A 5-8 defender and midfielder in lacrosse, Curry was selected first-team all-county and all-conference from the Annapolis Capital in soccer as a senior. She was also named first-team all-county from the Baltimore Sun in 2002 for soccer and made the Maryland all-state team.

Velesz attends the same high school as current Patriots Michele Brady, Alex Voegele and Erika Webster. She is projected to play the midfield position at Mason.

Lee, 5-6, received first-team all-district and second-team all-region honors from the Journal as a junior at Fairfax HS - the same school as former Mason graduate Alison Cobb. Lee was a member of the US Lacrosse National Tournament Mid-Atlantic team, and plays on the Future Elite Club lacrosse team. She is projected to play at midfield or attack for Mason.

"We're very excited to have this class sign with us for 2004," stated Umbach. "This is the largest group of early signees I've had at Mason, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they fit into our system. They are all very athletic, two-sport stars in high school and have the ability to compete at the Division I level of lacrosse."