TOWSON, Md. – A deep connection between the Towson University men's lacrosse team and the Armed Forces will get a little deeper Wednesday night.
 
Several members of the program will be participating in the annual Shootout for Soldiers event in Greater Baltimore, including head coach Shawn Nadelen, who will guide one of the two teams comprised of veterans. The Veterans Game kicks off the event on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. as Nadelen and Maryland head coach John Tillman lead their sides at the St. Paul's School.
 
Joining Nadelen at the 24-hour event will be rising seniors Ryan Drenner, Tyler Konen, Matt Wylly and rising redshirt senior Brian Bolewicki. Will Huff, the Athletic Department's deputy director of athletics for operations, will also suit up and play in the veterans' game. Huff played lacrosse at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York for legendary Hall of Fame coach Jack Emmer.
 
Not only will there be Towson representation from student-athletes and staff, but one goalie will suit up in Tiger gear. Ben Harrow, a former captain in the United States Army, will step between the pipes for one of the veterans' teams, hopefully on the same sideline as Nadelen.
 
But it's not just that the former Army West Point midfielder will make the transition to goal, it's that he will be doing so on a pair of prosthetic legs.
 
Harrow tripped an IED (improvised explosive device) in May 2012, losing his legs and two fingers on his right hand to the explosion. Suiting up on Wednesday night will mark Harrow's first return to the game since he played club lacrosse in Florida before he deployed in 2011.
 
"After I got injured, the brotherhood that is Army Lacrosse, and the lacrosse community, is so big and tight-knit, when I came back to the States, and was in and out of it, one of my teammates was there with his wife to help out my wife, and help me out," said Harrow. "(Teammate) Erik (Mineo) was one of the first guys to come visit me in the hospital. It just seemed like a natural progression to strap the equipment back on and go out and play in a veteran game together."
 
Wednesday will be the second time Nadelen coaches during the Veterans Game at the Baltimore edition of Shootout For Soldiers. Last season he opened the event coaching as well, while also suiting back up and playing in the wee hours of the morning in the pouring rain. After wrapping up his fifth season at the helm of Towson, Nadelen will look to play once again at the Shootout.
 
"Personally, if I can provide any kind of support, in any kind of way, for military personnel that have served our country and provided freedom, I'm going to do it and do it to the best of my ability," said Nadelen of the honor to coach one of the veteran teams. "Fortunately, we have a lot of good resources at Towson, and me personally with connections in lacrosse, we can do that and be able to provide that support."
 
Earlier this season, the Tigers worked with several partners for the team's Military Appreciation Day game against Delaware. Towson sold and raffled custom Cascade R helmets with decals donated by Zima Gear, eventually donating $4,400, split between to military support organizations, USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore and The Baltimore Station.
 
The Tigers will bookend the event as Nadelen coaches the Veterans Game at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at Field #1, while the student-athletes take the field at 5 p.m. on Thursday as part of the College/Pro Men's Game to cap the event.
 
"Working with Ben and Shootout for Soldiers is a big inspiration for us as a coaching staff and program," said Nadelen of the event. "We are always humbled by the selfless sacrifices our veterans have made for our country. As a program, we want to continue to recognize that drive and serve our nation's veterans anyway we can."
 
- TowsonTigers.com –