Bratton Brothers are Stars at Virginia
It’s a little hard to believe that three years have passed since dynamic twin brother athletes Shamel and Rhamel Bratton disappeared from the Huntington High School scene. What’s not surprising is that both have become key players on the University of Virginia’s lacrosse team.
Shamel has especially shined, earning first team All-Americans honors last spring. He was one of only 21 players in the country, and the youngest midfielder, to be nominated for the Tewaaraton Trophy, which is presented to the nation’s top collegiate lacrosse player.
The 6’1, 195 lb. star started all 17 games this past season, scoring 31 goals and adding 11 assists. He took 136 shots, including 66 on goal, picked up 23 ground balls, caused three turnovers and notched three game-winning goals. He scored in Virginia’s 15-6 NCAA tournament semi-final loss to Cornell in a game played before a crowd of 36,594 in Foxborough, MA.
Shamel’s fabulous sophomore season included eight multi-goal games, including a memorable five-goal performance against Johns Hopkins and four goals against Syracuse.
As a freshman Shamel garnered All-Atlantic Coast Conference recognition after starting 14-of-18 games and tallying 14 goals and four assists. With two seasons of eligibility remaining, he is already one of the greatest midfielders in Virginia lax history.
As a Blue Devil, Shamel excelled in lacrosse, basketball and football. In lacrosse, he especially sparkled, earning All-American honors as a junior and senior and scoring 153 goals with 53 assists. He was Newsday’s Player of the Year.
Rhamel has also been solid in Virginia’s midfield. He played in 15 games last spring, scoring nine goals and adding four assists. He took 49 shots, including 20 on goal, picked up nine ground balls and caused opponents to turn the ball over five times.
As a freshman, the 6’1, 184 lb. Rhamel had 10 goals and six assists in 18 games. He, too, was a three-sport star and two-time lacrosse All-American at Huntington. Over the course of his Blue Devil career, he was an offensive powerhouse with 123 goals and 61 assists.
Last summer Rhamel scored nine goals on the U.S. under-19 national team that won the world championship in Canada. Along with his brother, he is a member of a small, select group of Virginia midfielders to score at least 10 goals in a season.
The two Brattons helped produce a pair of state titles and three-county crowns for the Blue Devil lacrosse program. Now they hope to take Virginia to an NCAA championship.
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