A new era in Hofstra University Men's Lacrosse began on August 7, 2006 when Seth Tierney, former Johns Hopkins University associate head coach and a Pride assistant from 1995 through 2000, was named the fifth coach in the program's 58-year history. For the first time since 1986 a new man is at the helm of the program following John Danowski's departure to Duke University.
Tierney inherits a program that is coming off one of the most successful seasons in Hofstra history that included eight victories over Top 20 opponents, a NCAA record-tying 17 consecutive victories, the first conference championship since 2000 and the first NCAA Championship berth since 2003. The excitement of an outstanding season, that saw the Pride advance to the NCAA Championship Quarterfinals before suffering a heartbreaking loss in overtime, is now replaced with the anticipation of a new season and the rebuilding process that goes with it.
The Pride's 2006 success was the product, in large part, of a senior-laden lineup and great team chemistry. Hofstra had six players earn All-America honors, including two first team selections, last year. All six have graduated, as have the seven All-Colonial Athletic Association selections from 2006.
Although the Pride lost 70% of their scoring and 75% of their playmaking to graduation, the cupboard is far from bare. Twenty-two players who return from last year's team, a former standout from two seasons ago and a group of talented newcomers, that includes several scholastic All-Americans, will battle for the numerous vacant starting positions. While a number of players saw a good amount of playing time in 2006, only one, sophomore Tommy Dooley, was a first team regular. The intense Tierney will be charged with finding the right combination of veterans and newcomers to start the rebuilding process in 2007.
ATTACK
The Pride averaged 12.5 goals per game last year with the attack trio of first team All-American Chris Unterstein, second team All-American Athan Iannucci and CAA Rookie of the Year Tommy Dooley accounting for 145 of the 239 goals and 67 of the 147 assists. Unterstein, the CAA Player of the Year, finished second in the country in points with 45 goals and 36 assists, while Iannucci, the CAA Championship Most Valuable Player, led the nation in goals with 62, and was third in scoring with 80 points. Both have graduated leaving Dooley, who tallied a Hofstra freshman point record of 51 on 38 goals and 13 assists, with new line mates in 2007.
Senior Ryan Miller, who tallied 17 goals and 14 assists in two seasons (2003 & 2004) before taking the last two seasons off, returns in 2007 to add some punch to the attack. Miller, who has one of the hardest shots on the team, impressed the staff so much with his maturity and dedication during the fall that he was named one of the quad-captains this season.
There should be a good battle for the third spot on attack as four freshmen, a sophomore and a junior will battle it out. Freshman Dan Stein is the early front-runner for the starting role. The 6'0 high school All-American at Calhoun High School on Long Island tallied 58 goals and 52 assists as a senior, and 52 goals and 61 assists in 2005. Junior Max Cohen, who saw action in nine games last year, and sophomore John Tenet, who played in eight contests, round out the experienced players on attack. Freshman Tyler Brant, a 6'4 all-conference selection from St. John's College High School in Washington, DC, Jason Rieg, an all-area and all-county pick out of West Morris Central High School in Chester, New Jersey, and Kyle Sminkey, a second team All-Vermont selection from Hartford High School in White River Junction, Vermont, will all be vying for playing time.
MIDFIELD
The depth at midfield allows the Pride some options of moving players to attack, if necessary. Junior Mike Unterstein, who is the leading returning scorer at midfield after posting 13 goals and 11 assists in 2006, will be called upon to anchor the group. Unterstein, who tallied three goals in the CAA Championship game last year, has the ability to go forward on attack as well. But he is expected to be joined at midfield by sophomore Michael Colleluori, who recorded four goals and four assists in 17 games last year and was an All-CAA Rookie Team selection, and freshman Thomas Interlicchio, a high school All-American after recording 72 points as a senior at Yorktown (NY) High School.
The projected second midfield also has a trio of players with game experience at Hofstra. Senior Bill Peters, who played in 17 games last year and notched five goals and two assists, is a three-year letterman and anchors the group. Senior Zachary Heyl, who tallied four goals and two assists in 16 games for the Pride last year after transferring from Herkimer County Community College, and sophomore Anthony Muscarella, who posted one goal and two assists in 12 games in 2006, will join Peters on the second midfield.
The battle for spots on the third midfield will be between two sophomores and two freshman. Second-year players Ryan Carter, who played in 13 games and scored two goals last year, and Fairfield University transfer Keith Prifte, a scholastic All-American at Shawnee High School in Medford, New Jersey, two years ago, will battle newcomers Sean Lucas, a high school All-American at Oceanside (NY) High School after scoring 38 goals and 55 assists last year, and Jordan Rosen, a 6'2 two-time all-league selection from St. Ignatius Prep in San Francisco, who tallied 48 goals and 33 assists as a senior.
The defensive middies are all athletic with a great deal of experience. Senior Julian Watts, one of four captains on the squad, has played in 46 games during his Pride career and can play with both the short-stick and the pole. Junior Kevin Unterstein, another quad-captain who has played in 35 games over his previous two seasons, is one of the most athletic players on the team and picked up a team-high 85 ground balls last year. Junior Collin Stabler, who played in eight games last year, and sophomores Tom Shuey, who saw action in 10 games, and Steve Prifte, who played in 11 as a freshman, will battle it out for the long-stick middie job.
The Pride has struggled in the face-off department in recent seasons although they did win 54 percent of the draws last year. But Joe Mascaretti, last year's face-off specialist who won 57 percent of his face-offs, has graduated leaving this key spot wide open. Peters, who has been a face-off back-up the past two seasons, Kevin and Michael Unterstein, and sophomore Vinny D'Angelo, who is hoping to bounce back from injuries his first two seasons, will battle for the starting role.
DEFENSE
The entire starting defense from a year ago, that allowed an average of 6.54 goals per game, has graduated leaving a fairly large rebuilding job. Gone are first team All-American and two-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year Brett Moyer, honorable mention All-American Sean McCarthy and Ryan Kelaher. Senior quad-captain John Gorman, who played in 16 games at midfield last year, is expected to make the move to close defense and is a projected starter. Junior Connor Hagans, who played in 14 games last season, is big and strong and is expected to get a starting nod. Sophomore Adam Swarsen, who saw limited action in seven games as a freshman, is also a front-runner for a starting spot.
Pushing them will be juniors Jack Vivonetto, who is returning from injury, and Ryan McPherson, who saw action in eight games, sophomore Pat Watson, a transfer from Denison University, and several big newcomers led by 6'4 Isaac Neal, a second team All-Colorado selection from Overland High School, and 6'3 Chris O'Donnell, an All-Nassau County pick from Long Island's Baldwin High School.
GOAL
Although two of the four goalies from 2006 return this season, they accounted for only 43 of the 1,146 minutes played last year. Matt Southard, a first team All-CAA selection last year, has graduated and taken his 6.38 goals against average with him. Freshman Danny Orlando, a scholastic All-America selection while leading his South Side High School team to the Nassau County (NY) finals last year, looks to be the man in the cage in 2007. Sophomores Brian Schneider, who played 12 minutes in four games last year, and Pat DeBolt, who saw 30 minutes of action in nine games as a freshman, will challenge the newcomer for the starting job.
