Fighting Tiger Mens Lacrosse Ranked 7th in NEAC Pre-Season Poll

As head coach Ryan Gunzinger enters his 11th season directing the program will have 14 returning letter men and 15 newcomers on the roster this year as the teams looks to return NEAC post-season play.

“I think we are much more athletic and deeper offensively and that we’ve improved our face-offs which should make us more efficient and allow us to score more this season,” said Gunzinger. “Defensively we are bigger, stronger and deeper which should help us keep some pressure off our goalies this year.”

Among the key returners Cobleskill will be counting on this year junior midfielder Kyle Magdziuk, Syracuse, N.Y., Westhill High School, a 2016 All-NEAC Second Team selection to lead the way after a season that saw him score 10 goals, pass out three assists to go with 104 ground balls picked up and a 58.3% face-off winning percentage on the year.

Also returning on the frontline will be: sophomore attackman Hunter Pruner, Glens Falls, N.Y., Christian Brothers Academy, who scored 14 points and four assists, sophomore attackman Garrett Vigrass, Wallkill, N.Y., Wallkill High School, who scored 11 goals and passed out four assists, and sophomore midfielder Anthony Yevoli, Amsterdam, N.Y., Amsterdam High School, who returns to the line-up after missing all of 2016 overcoming leukemia after a 2015 season which saw him score seven goals pass out two assists and pick-up 34 ground balls.

The offense will also be bolstered by the addition of ju

nior college transfer junior attackman Jeremy Mowrey, Johnstown, N.Y., Johnstown High School/Herkimer Community College, and freshman attackman Robert Gioielli, Staten Island, N.Y., Monsignor Farrell High School, who will each be counted on to bring added firepower to the roster.

The defense will benefit from the return of sophomore midfielder Sean Degnan, Monroe, N.Y., Monroe-Woodbury High School, who picked-up 27 ground balls and caused four turnovers while scoring nine goals and passing out five assists and junior Sean Rodee, Canton, N.Y., Canton High School, who picked-up 24 ground balls.

Among the new recruits freshman long stick midfielder Kiran Spigner, Greenwich, N.Y., Greenwich High School, and freshman midfielder Kieran Tierney, Marcellus, N.Y., Marcellus High School, will bring much needed size and athleticism to the back line.

In the net senior John Montaniz, Lindenhurst, N.Y., Lindenhurst High School/Suffolk Community College, returns after a season that saw him allow 182 goals in 14 games for a 13.81 goals against average. Montaniz made 173 saves while posting a .487 save percentage to go with 43 ground balls pick-up. 

With the new season on the horizon coach Gunzinger sees improvement but understands the many challenges that the Fighting Tigers as a team will face this season.

“We’ve got a lot of fresh faces this year which will provide us with better depth and athleticism that should lead to a better season. But our conference continues to get better each year and we are going to have to find a way to break into the top four teams if we want to make a play-off run this season.”

Cobleskill will open the 2017 season on Sunday February 26th when they host the Hornets of Lyndon State College in a game to be hosted by the Fighting Tigers at Union College’s Frank Bailey Field in Schenectady, N.Y. beginning at 2:00 p.m.

TEAM RANKINGS: