UPDATED: Feb. 2, 1:20 a.m.

Syracuse men’s lacrosse player Kevin Drew told a City Court judge on Wednesday he is making significant progress responding to a drinking problem that led to his arrest in October.

The senior defensive midfielder told presiding Judge Vanessa Bogan he hasn’t had an alcoholic drink in 100 days and has since completed a 28-day inpatient treatment program, said Gary Sommer, Drew’s defense lawyer.

Drew’s last drink was on Oct. 24, Sommer said. This was the day Drew was charged with driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest, leaving the scene of a property damage accident and numerous other traffic violations.

Drew was driving the car of SU men’s lacrosse head coach John Desko without the coach’s knowledge when he was pulled over. When police forced Drew out of the vehicle, he took an aggressive stance and officers took him to the ground, according to police records.

Drew, 21, was suspended from the team the day after the incident and then withdrew from SU. Drew returned to the university and the lacrosse team for the start of spring practice on Jan. 12. Desko said on men’s lacrosse media day Jan. 12 that he made a difficult decision and allowed Drew to rejoin the team.

Drew’s lawyer, Sommer, said in court that Drew has dealt with his drinking problem more aggressively than many of the other students he has represented.

At Sommer’s request, Judge Bogan adjourned the case to March 20. Sommer said outside the courtroom that he made the request so he would have time to try and negotiate a resolution to the case with the district attorney’s office with the evidence that Drew is voluntarily addressing his drinking problem.

Drew played in all 17 games for SU last season and was named to the All-Big East Second Team. He registered six goals, an assist, 33 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers.

egsawyer@syr.edu

Published on January 31, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Liz: egsawyer@syr.edu | @3sawyer