Hofstra University Athletics

Like many kids growing up on Long Island I was introduced to the game of lacrosse at an early age. There were many people in my hometown of Bethpage who influenced my decision to work hard toward the goal of playing lacrosse at the college level. My high school coach, the late Fran McCall, took special interest in me and for that I am forever grateful. With his direction throughout middle school and high school he encouraged me to work hard, study the game and attend as many college games as possible. Many of the games I attended were at Hofstra. He helped me recognize that I had the athletic ability to play at the Division I level. By my senior year in high school I wanted nothing more than to play college lacrosse. Coach McCall coordinated the recruitment process, introduced me to Hofstra Coach Harry Royle and before I knew it I was on my way. Thirty-plus years later, I still enjoy the game as much as ever and I am proud to have worn the Hofstra blue and gold.
 
Although the years playing college lacrosse went by too fast, the friends and relationships I’ve made and the experiences I’ve shared will last a lifetime. My coaches, teammates and alumni friends have influenced my life in so many ways. There is a unique and special bond within the Hofstra lacrosse family. In the years since my playing days I have remained close to Hofstra lacrosse and active within the Long Island lacrosse community. Attending Hofstra games and events over the years keeps me connected with former teammates and other alums. Socially and professionally these are the people I share my life with. I am able to hold onto the game I love and interact with the many friends I have made along the way.
 
There were many memorable times during my playing days as a Dutchmen. My senior year (1983) we were ranked 9th in the country at one point and finished the season with a respectable 9-5 record. Joe Fowler and I were selected as All American’s that year and I represented Hofstra in the North-South All Star game. One unforgettable game goes back to my freshman year (1980). That season I was fortunate to have played with great players like Vinny Sombrotto, Kevin Smith, Ed Wallace, Gary Arnold, and some guy named Jim Metzger. It was the last game of the season for both teams and Washington & Lee, highly ranked at the time, came up to Hempstead to play a hot Hofstra team who had just knocked off North Carolina State. W&L led most of the way but we somehow found a way to tie the game and force sudden death overtime. We won 7-6. I threw in 3 goals, including the winner in OT… all assisted by that guy Metzger. It’s funny how things happen in life. The game and the season end and then 28 years fly by. Then somehow you reconnect with a teammate who throws you another assist as I’ve been working with Jim Metzger for the last several years.  
 
Hofstra Lacrosse has been and will continue to be part of who I am. I attribute my success in my personal life and business life to all that I learned as an athlete in college.
 
I look forward to each new Hofstra Lacrosse season as if I were playing again. Each spring when I walk into that stadium for the first home opener I feel like I’m part of the team.
 
Thank you to all the former and current coaches and to the entire athletic department for bringing Hofstra Lacrosse to the level it is today. The best is yet to come. Good luck to this years team! Go Pride!   
 
Bob Quinlan
Class of 1983

It’s been nearly 14 years since I graduated from Hofstra University and it still feels so close to me. I will forever be identified as a Hofstra graduate and an alumni of, to me, the richest program in Division I lacrosse. Rich with character, dedication, devotion and an aura that carries with it a certain level of superiority.
 
Entering my senior year of high school as a small town Long Island player, I was not as fortunate as many others to have the exposure to an abundance of colleges. In fact, it was not until my last game of my senior year that Coach Danowski made it to a game of mine and decided to give me a chance to try out for THE FLYING DUTCHMEN! Playing for Hofstra was an easy decision for me, as I always had a strong desire to play in “my backyard”, being from the Island. Hofstra had the best of both worlds – a great education and an amazing lacrosse program. I was away, but close enough to get home for Sunday gravy.
 
For four years, Hofstra far exceeded my expectations. I achieved great success in the classroom and on the field, thanks to the University. I went on to graduate with an elementary education degree in four years, with academic honors. I have been teaching for 14 years. I credit my academic success to the discipline and values that were instilled in me from the lacrosse program regularly. Our academics came first, the coaches insisted on it. The University was dedicated to their student-athletes. We were both pushed to our limits and nurtured as young adults.
 
On the field, it was a transition. I wasn’t sure where I was going to fit in, but the coaches could see my work ethic, my determination and heart. All things the program is known for. I transitioned from the midfield to a long stick defender. They gave me that chance and I ran with it. With their guidance and vision for our team and the program, my collegiate experience was unforgettable. I experienced personal success and success as a team. We had some unbelievable wins and losses. But it wasn’t just the success on the field I remember best – it was the locker room, the camaraderie, the time we spent together off the field. There was a brotherhood, in which you would do anything but let your coaches and teammates down. We fought for each other not because we had to, but because we wanted to. When you feel that way about your team, it brings success because you’ll do whatever it takes for them. That was and still is, Hofstra Lacrosse. I was lucky to be a part of a program rich from the inside out.
 
Since my graduation in 2000 I have been fortunate enough to continue my career playing in the professional ranks. This has given me the opportunity to play with players from many other universities. I can tell you this, when people hear that you are a “HOFSTRA GUY” they tend to listen a little closer. I can confidently say that we know what it means to WORK. We know what it means to get in the trenches. We know what it means to put our backs against the wall and find a way out. They must know it too. Hofstra guys are a special breed.
 
So much of my on and off field success is a direct reflection of the time I spent at Hofstra – the work ethic, the PRIDE. In my time there I learned that there is no limit to the success you can achieve if you are willing to work for it.
 
I would like to personally wish Hofstra Men’s Lacrosse a successful year. TURNPIKE GUY mentality!
 
Proudly,
Brian Spallina
Class of 2000
 
 
As a high school lacrosse player growing up on Long Island, the goal was always to get to Hofstra. For years, Hofstra played host to county, Long Island and New York State Championships for lacrosse. To have the opportunity to play in those games at Shuart Stadium represent some of the most exciting moments of my high school athletic career.
 
When Coach Danowski recruited me to come to Hofstra University back in 2002, it was an easy decision. I grew up coming to games, watching athletes like Doug Shanahan, Mark Spruyt, Brian Spallina and Tom Kessler. Their schedule consisted of some of the top programs in college lacrosse.
 
I remember Hofstra playing the role of underdog and the “blue collar mentality” they brought to every game. It was motivational, and something that hit so close to home coming from a newly-developed program in Shoreham-Wading River. I felt it was the ideal place to continue my career.
 
Over the course of four years our teams had their ups and downs. I can remember most of those games, especially my senior year in which we were able to win 17 straight before losing in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. But as great as the wins were and as miserable as each loss could be, the most distinct memories that will always remain with me are those with my teammates.
 
I was fortunate to come to Hofstra with a tremendous class of individuals. For four years we shared the good and the bad of every event in close proximity to the team.  I remember the focus in the locker room prior to games, Coach Danowski’s inspirational pregame speeches and the celebrations that ensued after a big home win capped off with the song “Sweet Home Alabama” blasting from the locker room speakers.
 
I learned a lot over the course of my career as a Hofstra Lacrosse player, as much as or more than I did in any classroom. The experiences you will encounter and the friendships you will make are everlasting. I can say with certainty that they have shaped me to become the person I am today.
 
Chris Unterstein
Class of 2006