Hempstead, NY - With just three weeks remaining before their 2010 regular season opener at Princeton University on Saturday, February 27, Hofstra Men's Lacrosse Coach Seth Tierney, entering his fourth year as head coach, will take his Pride squad on the road to the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York Sunday for scrimmages against Le Moyne College (12:30 p.m.) and the Orange of Syracuse at 2:30 p.m.

The Pride, who are coming off an 11-4 season in 2009 that saw them capture the CAA regular season title and earn their second straight NCAA Championship bid. After two weeks of practice with 21 returning players and just as many newcomers, Tierney will be looking for chemistry and standouts in practices and scrimmages over the next two weeks. "We are slowly getting to where we want to be," Tierney said. "We have linked a couple of good practices together and we look forward to seeing what will take place in the Carrier Dome on Sunday. We are young in some spots and need to jell in some others."

Sunday's scrimmages against Division II Le Moyne and defending national champions Syracuse are the first two of four that the Pride will play. On Saturday, February 13 Hofstra will travel to Piscataway, New Jersey for an 11 a.m. scrimmage against Rutgers University before hosting Yale University at James M. Shuart Stadium on Saturday, February 20 at 4:30 p.m.

2010 HOFSTRA PRIDE MEN'S LACROSSE OUTLOOK

If you asked, many coaches would be quite satisfied with the season the Hofstra Pride logged in 2009. After all, an 11-4 final record, a number 10 ranking in the final poll, a Colonial Athletic Association regular season title with a perfect 6-0 mark, and a second consecutive NCAA Championship bid are nothing to sneeze at.

But like many coaches, Pride Head Lacrosse Coach Seth Tierney, who enters his fourth season at the helm of the Hofstra Lacrosse ship, was pleased with some of his team's achievements but not totally satisfied. That hunger leads the Pride staff and team into the 2010 season with a renewed dedication and commitment to attain more this season. "I'm happy that we achieved some of our goals in having a successful regular season," Tierney said. "But as you achieve one goal other goals change or become more important. We had a letdown in the CAA semifinals last year, losing to Villanova just four days after we defeated them. Although we wanted to go in as CAA champions, making the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year - this time as an at-large team - was another goal that we achieved."

While getting into the national tournament is half the battle, the Pride's NCAA Tournament first round loss to Cornell, who would advance to the championship game, was both disappointing and encouraging. "In the NCAA Tournament at Cornell it was 5-5 at halftime," Tierney explains. "We just couldn't sustain it against a very good Big Red team. They went on to win the game and eventually almost won the national championship. It was kind of bittersweet knowing that we were right there with them and they went on and were only seconds from winning the national title."

While Tierney remembers the past but does not dwell on it, new goals, which include many from last season, are in place for 2010. Lacrosse conference realignments last summer saw Villanova, Sacred Heart and Robert Morris leave the CAA and Massachusetts and Penn State join the new six-team league. "Our first goal, like every season, is to win the CAA regular season title, which means getting into the conference tournament," Tierney says. "With the addition of Massachusetts and Penn State in the CAA, it certainly doesn't get any easier. The next set of goals are winning the CAA Championship and making it into the NCAA Championships for the third consecutive year. The goals adjust game-by-game from there."

A third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship would be a feat that hasn't been accomplished at Hofstra since the early days of the Tournament when the Pride teams of 1973, '74 and '75 went back-to-back-to-back. But with 21 returning players and just as many talented newcomers, Tierney and staff are confident about the ability and potential of the 2010 team.

Attack

Despite the loss of Tom Dooley, who tallied 107 goals and 24 assists during his four-year Hofstra career, the Pride attack figures to be as potent as ever and is led by the return of junior Jay Card (Caledon, Ontario, Canada). A 2009 USILA All-America honorable mention and the CAA Player of the Year, Card led the conference and ranked 16th in the nation with 35 goals and added nine assists last year. The Canadian big-goal machine, who recorded seven game-winning goals in 2009 to boost his career total to 10, was selected the CAA Preseason Player of the Year for 2010.

Card won't be the only sniper on the team this year with the addition of fellow Canadian and junior, Jamie Lincoln (St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada). A transfer from the University of Denver, Lincoln tallied 53 goals and six assists in two seasons with the Pioneers. He posted a 48-goal freshman year that landed him a LaxPower All-America honorable mention as well as being named the Great Western Lacrosse League Newcomer of the Year and to the All-GWLL first team.

"The attack this year will be different," Tierney says. "We are looking for bigger and better things from Jay Card, and Jamie Lincoln had some success out at Denver and has some good chemistry with him. Lincoln is a finisher. He knows how to score and puts himself in the position to score. If we can get Jamie the ball near the goal, he has a knack for making the net move."

Sophomore Kevin Ford (Floral Park, NY) bounced back from an early season-ending injury in 2008 to post 19 goals and nine assists last season. Ford is equally adept at being the scorer or the playmaker and will give opponents another guy to keep an eye on. While great things are expected from Ford this year, the start of his 2010 season will be delayed due to a foot injury sustained during the offseason.

Ford's injury will open the door for junior Stephen Bentz (Massapequa, NY) or sophomore Mike DeNapoli (Lynbrook, NY) to fill in on attack and gain some experience there. Bentz played in 14 games as a sophomore and recorded six goals, including five man-up tallies. DeNapoli, who saw limited action last season, was a high school All-American who dented the twine 90 times in his final two scholastic seasons at Lynbrook High School.

"When Kevin Ford returns to the lineup, he will bring a presence to the attack," Tierney said. "But Steve Bentz and Michael DeNapoli are two guys who have been in the program for two years and understand how we run things."

Midfield

While the midfield position is long on quantity, it is the area that was hardest hit by graduation and, thus, is short on experience. The loss of USILA honorable mention All-Americans Michael Colleluori (14 goals, 22 assists) and Anthony Muscarella (19 goals and 9 assists), as well as Ryan Carter (10 goals, 8 assists), leaves a void. Colleluori, who was also a USILA Scholar-Athlete in 2009, was the team playmaker and was one of the vital links between defense and offense. "We will have some youngsters at midfield this season and they will have to grow up quickly," Tierney said. "But we have players who have played in some well known programs under pressure situations so I am hoping they will come around quickly."

The inexperience at midfield has caused the Pride staff to move senior Dan Stein (Merrick, NY), who saw some time at midfield and tallied six goals and five assists in 2009, from attack to midfield. "We think by moving Dan, our only senior offensive player, to midfield, he will help stabilize a young group," Tierney explained.

Stein won't be the only player with experience at midfield as sophomore Brad Loizeaux (Mullica Hill, NJ) returns after playing 13 games and scoring five goals in 2009, and red-shirt freshman Michael Hamilton (Brighton, MI) also is back. "We are expecting some good things from Brad Loizeaux this year," Tierney said. "He got off to a slow start last year following a shoulder injury in the first scrimmage and that affected his preseason and set him back a bit. But we think he can come back and play with a large amount of poise and confidence. Michael Hamilton has come back in very good shape and appears to be the front-runner for the final spot on the first midfield."

At least eight more underclassmen, led by sophomore Dan Pezzolla (Endicott, NY), a former U.S. Lacrosse Scholastic All-American, will utilize the preseason to see what midfield line their team chemistry lands them on. Freshmen Adrian Sorichetti (Whitby, Ontario, Canada), a silver medal-winning Team Canada member at the Under 19 World Championships, former U.S. Lacrosse All-Americans Drew Coholan (Rochester, NY) and Patrick Leary (Troy, MI), and Austin Wright (Columbus, OH), a three-time All-Midwest selection will also be looking for playing time.

Graduation also hit the long-stick middie spot where starting captain Steve Prifte (44 ground balls) has departed. But junior Adam Mojica (Springfield, PA), who has seen action in 17 games the past two seasons, returns and is the heir apparent at the pole. "We lost Steve Prifte, who had a presence there for the past several years and did a great job," Tierney says. "Adam Mojica, who struggled with an injury last season, has come back in great shape. He's very athletic, can cover people and has great feet. We're looking for him to step it up."

Senior captain Adam Swarsen (Denver, CO), red-shirt freshman Mark Mullen (Harleysville, PA) and newcomers Corey Caputo (Darien, CT), a two-time All-Connecticut selection, and Jerry Nobile (Bay Shore, NY) will push Mojica. "We think they can all step it up as well," Tierney commented.

At the short-stick defensive middie position, unlike the offensive midfield, the Pride is deep and experienced. Heading the group is junior Steven DeNapoli (Hewlett, NY). An All-CAA second team and All-CAA Tournament selection last year, DeNapoli led the Pride and was 33rd in the country in ground ball average with a 4.2 mark (63 in 15 games). "We think we are pretty fortunate at the short-stick, if we stay healthy," Tierney says. "I've had a chance to coach several d-middies around the country over the years who have been pretty talented and Steven DeNapoli ranks up there with the best of them. He has a great feel, great energy and has covered the best of the best and he is only a junior."

Senior Tom Interlicchio (Yorktown, NY), who is strong and a veteran having played in 45 games during his Hofstra career, gets moved to the defensive side of midfield this season and should be the second starter on the line. The third short-stick spot will be decided in the preseason between senior Sean Lucas (Rockville Centre, NY), who played in 12 games last season, junior Tim Holman (Garden City, NY) and sophomore Cole Koesterer (Manhattan Beach, CA). "We are moving Tom Interlicchio because he gives us much needed game-day experience," Tierney says. "We also expect Sean, Tim and Cole to fight it out for the third short-stick middie spot."

The Pride has struggled at the face-off X in recent years, winning just 47% of the face-offs last season. Hofstra will have a new primary face-off man this season with senior Mike Vaccaro (Plano, TX) as the leading candidate heading into the season. Vaccaro had the best winning percentage (.500) on face-offs last season, winning 15 of 30. Freshmen John Antoniades (Hauppauge, NY), who was the CHSAA Face-Off Midfielder of the Year as a senior at St. Anthony's High School in 2008, James Pezza (Warrenton, VA), an All-Virginia selection out of the Highland School, and Cullen Cassidy (Potomac, MD) will push Vaccaro.

Defense
All three of the Pride's defensive starters return after stellar seasons last year. Swarsen, who may also see time at longstick midfield, played all 15 games last year after missing the 2008 season due to injury and picked up 35 ground balls. Senior Christian Scuderi (West Islip, NY), who played in 14 games and picked 33 ground balls, was named a USILA honorable mention All-American and voted to the All-CAA first team after earning two Division II All-America honors at New York Tech. Junior Mike Skudin (Long Beach, NY), who played in 11 games last season and picked up 18 ground balls, completes the expected starters at close defense.  "We are experienced and talented on defense," Tierney says. "Adam Swarsen brings a lot of poise in the clearing game, is a great cover-player and certainly is a guy who has played in a lot of big games for Hofstra. Christian Scuderi had a great first year for us last season after transferring from New York Tech. We are expecting him to defend our opponents' top attackman or midfielder and do a great job. Michael Skudin brings a great deal of stability to the defense. He is an even-keel type player, very smart with a good lacrosse IQ"

Senior Isaac Neal (Aurora, CO), a fourth-year member of the Pride team who is also expected to play on the special teams units, and freshman Cody Solaja (Dallas, TX), a two-time All-American and a three-time All-Texas selection, are also expected to see time on the defense.

Goal

When freshman Andrew Gvozden (Millersville, MD) was called upon to become the starting goalie three games into last season, many wondered if the newcomer was up to the task. The now-sophomore rose to the challenge and rallied his teammates around him on the way to nine victories, an 8.38 goals against average and a .557 save percentage. "Andrew was thrust into the starting role in goal early last year and stepped up," Tierney says. "He went on a pretty good run for a freshman and the defense played well in front of him. We are hoping that he brings back that confidence this season."

Freshman Rob Bellairs (North Massapequa, NY), who was an All-American as a senior and a four-time All-Nassau County selection at Plainedge High School on Long Island, and classmate Kyle Dillon (North Las Vegas, NV), who posted 350 saves and a .565 save percentage over his last two seasons at Legacy High School, will push Gvozden.

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