Plant High and Tampa Bay Fire senior lacrosse player Peter Banta has committed to Providence University.

Banta was named the West Florida Lacrosse League long-stick middie of the year in addition to being named to the league’s All-Star First team as a member of the Panthers’ WFLL championship squad.

The Friars are slated to join the newly-formed Big East Lacrosse league when it begins play in 2010. Providence has previously played in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Already on the Friars’ roster is former Jesuit standout, and Banta’s former teammate with the Fire, Evan Olson. Olson scored seven goals in eight starts for Providence as a freshman last season.

Banta is the first Fire player to commit to play college lacrosse for 2010, and the 25th overall in the Fire’s history. The Fire sent seven players on to play in college in 2009.