SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — To select captains, most teams rely simply on a pen or pencil or show of hands to cast their votes.

The Dominican University of California lacrosse team decided to choose its captains differently this year. At the suggestion of new assistant coach Brandon Freeman, who was co-captain for The Ohio State University lacrosse team in 2010, the Penguins asked their candidates for the 2012 squad to show up in Guzman Hall, stand up and give a presentation. To be considered a leader, they first had to prove themselves in front of a crowded classroom.

Essentially the Penguins captains had to audition for the part and the team wound up picking an odd couple to be their co-leaders.

One of Dominican's lacrosse captains is Matt Polizzi, a 5-foot-10 senior graphic art major from Los Gatos, Calif. who admits he's an introvert and quietly leads by example. You're liable to see him on campus hidden behind a camera or a computer.

The other is 6-2 sophomore Brock Beall, a communications major from Vancouver, Wash. who is anything but quiet and invisible off or on the field.

“I like to get fired up and get in people's faces,” Beall says.

They presented themselves well to their teammates and now they will lead the Penguins into the toughest schedule in team history, beginning with their season-opener at home on February 19 against four-time NCAA Division II national champion New York Institute of Technology.

Polizzi played the experience card to be a captain. He was a co-captain last year when Dominican ended its season with its first-ever victory over bitter rival Notre Dame de Namur Universiy in the “Battle For The Bay” at Kezar Stadium.

Beall played the emotion card. He was the pumped-up freshman from last year who threw his body around the field.

“I just kind of go crazy to get everyone going energy-wise,” Beall says. “Everybody knows what our potential is on this team and [as captain] I want to help the team reach that potential.”

Together, Beall and Polizzi are quite a combination. They are quite a team.

“We are compatible. We both want the same thing for the team and the program,” Polizzi . “We have the same goals, just different styles.”

The Penguins appear to have both style and substance this season. Five of their players were named to the preseason All-Western Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association team and the Penguins have been pegged as preseason favorites to win the WILA, according to InsideLacrosse.com.

Senior attack Reed Upson, who was a unanimous All-WILA first-team selection last season after topping Dominican in goals scored (29), leads the Penguins on InsideLacrosse.com's “2012 Face-Off Yearbook: Division II Conference Outlook.” The 6-foot Davis Senior High School product is joined on the preseason all-league team by senior defender Corey Whelan (Oak Park/Oak Park HS), and junior long stick midfielder Tai Sing Hee and sophomore midfielder Dalton Copeland, who were teammates at Novato High School. Copeland was second on the Penguins in goals scored last season with 25. Junior midfielder Jim Little (Sacramento/Jesuit HS) was also named to the All-WILA team but will redshirt the 2012 campaign after suffering a season-ending knee injury in practice.

Graduate student Emmett Faricy, who was second on the team in assists (10) and third on the team in goals scored (15) last season, has moved back to midfield and Austin Franks, who was the Penguins' “Newcomer of the Year” as a freshman last season, heads a list of steady defenders for Dominican.

If the Penguins' three-way battle for goalie sorts itself out and a strong freshmen class plays up to its billing, Dominican possesses the individual pieces to produce a memorable season.
It's the job of Beall and Polizzi to bring them all together.

“On paper they're certainly an odd couple: one old, one young; one quiet, one loud. But they complement one another very well and so far I'm pleased with the way they've led this team,” says Head Coach Ned Webster. “Brock lights the fire each day and Matty helps sustain it through his work ethic. Matty might not say much, but when he talks you know his words are well-thought out, which is why people listen.”

Beall agrees.

“Everybody knows Matt's the man,” he says. “You want him out on the field and he's always working hard.”

Says Polizzi of Beall:  “I like the way he can command the field. He's got your back.”

That seems to a universal trait among Dominican lacrosse teammates. They look out for each other. And the best thing now is there are more of them to look out for. The team's roster has grown the past two years as have expectations.

“We always had guys dropping or people would get injured and things would get a little frantic in the past,” Polizzi says. “This year we have the depth. We have the numbers. Everybody is motivated. We all want the same thing.”

Polizzi and fellow seniors are members of Webster's first legitimate full-fledged recruiting class. They have taken their share of lumps and losses with the program but now Penguin lacrosse appears on the verge of a breakthrough. Everyone on the team senses as do the team's captains, young and old.

“It's our time. We just want to win,” Beall says. “We're tired of being looked down upon.”

As captains of the Dominican lacrosse team who stood in front of a classroom of teammates to announce their candidacy, they're now being looked up to.