BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Men’s Lacrosse team is gearing up for another solid season, looking to make a run in The Commonwealth Coast Conference title and coming away with a championship.
The 2009 campaign saw the Hawks finish with a 12-5 record, going 7-2 in the conference, good for third place. RWU advanced to the TCCC Semifinals before falling to conference runner-up Endicott College, then ranked 16th in the nation. Nine team members were named to the All-TCCC Team, including a strong defensive group that ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing an average of just 6.29 goals per game.
The Hawks have their work cut out for them this season, after losing 15 seniors to graduation, in addition to playing in a conference with two top-20 nationally-ranked teams.
“The conference is getting more competitive,” said Head Coach Marty Kelly. “Plus we have a lot of new players to the program, so it’s going to take a little time to adjust.”
This year’s roster is composed of 18 underclassmen, 12 of which are freshmen. Yet Kelly feels that despite the loss of veterans to the team, there is still a great amount of talent within the team up and down the roster.
“I think we have the right mix of juniors and seniors to lead the underclassmen and show them the way.”
Leading the way for the team will be seniors Ryan Christensen (Granby, Conn.), Devin Hannan (Wiscasset, Maine), Phil Powers (Summit, N.J.), Rian Kearney (Duxbury, Mass.), and co-captain Glenn Pacitti (Mastic, N.Y.). Pacitti, a 2009 All-TCCC honoree, played in 16 games last season, totaling 41 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers, while Powers snatched 24 ground balls in 11 games. Kearney played in all 17 games as a long stick middie with 37 ground balls and two assists; Christensen scored three goals in five games last year, with Hannah grabbing three ground balls in four games.
The Hawks also bring 11 juniors to the roster, led by co-captains Drew Smith (Blue Point, N.Y.) and Jim Turenne (Bristol, R.I.). Smith was second on the team last season in scoring with 36 points (19 G, 17 A), while Turenne’s 25 points (12 G, 13 A) placed him fifth on the Hawks. Joining the two are classmates Connor McCabe (Stony Brook, N.Y.), Jim Tancredi (Bloomingburg, N.Y.), Logan Roebuck (Montgomery, N.Y.), Tyler Roebuck (Montgomery, N.Y.), John Sharrott (West Islip, N.Y.), Rob Andreozzi (Bristol, R.I.), Austin Fehringer (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), Tom Hardon (Devon, Pa.), and Richie Dart (Boston, Mass.). Among this group are several key contributors to last year’s team, including starting goalie Tyler Roebuck (10-5, 153 SV, .610 save percentage), faceoff specialist Fehringer (100-170), and midfielder Logan Roebuck (15 GP, 6 Pt, 9 GB).
Justin Leddy (Sea Girt, N.J.), Mitri Najjar (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Shawn Cleary (Homer, N.Y.), Dmitri Strakhov (Northport, N.Y.), Collin Schmitt (Longmeadow, Mass.), and Adam Vorwald (South Setauket, N.Y.) make up the sophomore class, with Leddy, Cleary, Strakhov, and Schmitt returning for their second season. Najjar and Vorwald each join RWU for their first season, with Vorwald transferring from Manhattan College.
The Hawks bring in a class of 12 freshmen, who Coach Kelly expects to contribute in a variety of ways, including becoming strong all-around players. Kevin Frank (Niantic, Conn.), Ian Powers (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Dave Cremmen (Acton, Mass.), Jaron Davie (Camillus, N.Y.), Jordan Dickau (South Glastonbury, Conn.), Tom Custance (Commack, N.Y.), Drew Beck (Cross River, N.Y.), Jackson Siefert (Duxbury, Mass.), Kirby Sundquist (Concord, Mass.), Tom Cook (East Lyme, Conn.), Ben Wyskiel (Dover, N.H.), and Jon Bordonaro (Georgetown, Mass.).
After spending a month practicing and playing a pair of scrimmages against strong teams in the New England area, the Hawks are excited to get out on the field and begin the journey towards a TCCC Championship.
“I think we have a chance to do just as well as we did last year and potentially win the conference tournament and make it to the NCAAs.”
Roger Williams begins its season Thursday, March 11 with a Commonwealth Coast Conference matchup on the road at Nichols College. The Hawks then take on Lasell College, Elizabethtown College, and Trinity College during Spring Break before their home opener March 25 against New England College.