SELINSGROVE, PA (February 18, 2022) – The Susquehanna University men's lacrosse team returns to the field Saturday afternoon for its 2022 season opener against Lycoming College on Sassafras Field, but this year comes with even more excitement due to the circumstances of the last two seasons with CoVID-19.

The team has been working hard starting with workouts back in the fall, and the upperclassmen have been great leaders and role models for a team that is chock full of talented newcomers. The work ethic has translated into the preseason, as head coach Stewart Moan has been excited about what he's seen thus far.

"Practice has been terrific, maybe because we haven't played a full season in two years," said Moan. "Morale is sky high and they're so energetic and positive. I couldn't be more pleased with the attitude, drive, and energy at practice every day. I think they had it taken away from them, so they appreciate it more. It's everything, everything out of practice, I really enjoy getting out to practice with these guys. Couldn't be happier to start this season."

Some of that excitement for Moan comes with the fact that he feels this year's version of River Hawk men's lacrosse is a deep, well-rounded squad that's capable of surprising a lot of people. Moan has captured two Landmark Conference titles in his tenure and will be looking to get back to the Landmark Conference title game for the third time since 2018. Moan thinks the balance of this year's squad will be what sets it apart from past squads, especially on the offensive end.

"Our team has traditionally been a very strong defensive team, but I think this year through hard work and some recruiting that our offensive unit will be a strength," said Moan. "We have more scorers this year, some more depth at the positions which allows some talented players to step up. We've also been a strong defensive unit, but I think with experience and games under their belt I feel that our offense will be really dangerous."

The one thing though coming into this year is that when you look at the roster, the inexperience for the roster is evident. Due to all the shortened seasons over the last few years, along with some high school players missing campaigns completely, much of the squad will be playing a full season for the first time in three years. Moan was quick to mention how important the non-conference slate will be for the newcomers and even some of the returning players that are moving into new roles as leaders, starters, or contributors in 2022.

"I think the non-conference games are crucial for us, since we have so many young but talented players," said Moan. "Especially at the college level, you must get that experience and we're lucky enough to have some great out-of-conference games. We're going to grow up quickly, I think we will be a very different team at the end of the year than we are at the beginning. Our goal is to be very dangerous at the end."

Despite that inexperience, the goals remain the same as they have over the past few seasons. The expectation at Susquehanna is to make the Landmark Conference Tournament, and once there compete for a conference title. But before the River Hawks can get to that point, the word of "process" has been important this spring. Getting better, each rep, has been a mantra for SU.

"Short term goals are to keep things simple and get better every day," said Moan. "The way that we practice, they've bought into that. It's all about the reps, get better in practice reps and that confidence from practice translates to the scrimmages and games. When we play in our first game of the season, we want to be better in the second quarter than in the first quarter, and then better in the second half than in the first half. We want to develop and grow and see the success of that happening."

The hope is that if Susquehanna can improve with each rep, practice, and game that by the time the conference schedule approaches the inexperience from early in the season will change into valuable lessons that can be learned from and applied to the big Landmark Conference contests late in March and into April. But again, the goal remains the same.

"Our team wants to be in the championship game, and we think why not us," said Moan. "We want to play for and win conference championships, that's our goal. Just because we are putting some younger players out there, that doesn't compromise our goals. That drive comes from them. It's no so much of a me thing as a head coach, but that's the expectation they have of themselves. As a coach, you love that your team are the ones setting expectations.

A position-by-position breakdown is below.

ATTACK
The River Hawk attack is going to have a young look to it this season, but the coaching staff is hopeful that an infusion of youth will help in both the attack as well as at midfield. The River Hawks do have a returning starter up front, as Logan Frank will help anchor the unit. Frank scored 10 goals and assisted on six others, as he was second on the team in man-up goals with three.

Frank will play mentor to a talented group of newcomers that should look to make an immediate impact. First-year Brennan Lorence from Forest Hill, MD has impressed in the preseason, and was an All-County player at C. Milton Wright High School, while classmate Jack Gaillard from New York scored nearly 300 career points as a prep. These two first-year players look to have an early edge to get immediate playing time for SU in 2022.

Another first-year player will also look to get reps on attack for Susquehanna this year, as JP Jones comes to Selinsgrove after earning All-League at Lancaster Catholic High School. "Three of our top four attackmen are first-years, that's a little scary, but again they're talented kids and have a ton of potential and will grow game-by-game and week by week," said Moan.

ATTACKING MIDFIELD
The River Hawk midfield lineup will be as deep and talented as it ever has been in 2022, thanks to a great mix of returning talent and contributors, some players returning to their natural positions and some incoming first-years that could make an impact immediately.

Juniors Victor Simone, Rob Swenson, and Jake Turner each were important offensive players last year for the River Hawks and will be leaned on once again to be a score presence. Turner was second on the team in points in 2021 with 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points, adding three man-up goals.

Simone also added five goals in six games of action, while Swenson started eight of 11 games while adding eight goals and setting up nine more. His nine assists in 2021 were the second most on the team, finished third on the roster in points with 17.

The River Hawks also have three sophomores that will be returning to the midfield after playing more attack as newcomers last season. Cameron McKee, Kobi Buffa and Dominic Contella each had a large role as first-years, and each looks to increase their scoring output as sophomores.

Contella was tied for second on the squad as a first-year in goals with 11, as he was second in shots taken with 47. Contella has a strong shot and can create shots for himself. Buffa started 10 of 11 games a season ago, tallying nine goals while setting up seven more for 16 points. His 16 points were the fourth-most on the squad, while tallying a team-high four man-up goals. McKee also played in all 11 contests, as he was a strong facilitator with seven assists in addition to netting five goals himself.

Susquehanna has some newcomers as well that should step in from day one, as Kieran Thomas, Steven Musser, Matthew Faggioli and Chris Ciccarello each have had strong camps for the River Hawks. Thomas comes from lacrosse hotbed Long Island, and is a big, strong midfielder that can get downhill off the dodge.

Musser comes to Susquehanna from Laurel, MD, and was a four-year letter winner while earning Howard County honors as a senior. Ciccarello is another player that is physically ready to contribute, and Faggioli was named as an All-Delco County and All-Central League player as a prep.

DEFENSIVE SHORT STICK MIDFIELDERS
The River Hawks were a little short-handed at defensive short-stick midfield last year, but they have the luxury of moving captain Charles Braught IV back to defensive middie after spending a year in the offensive midfield role.

Braught led the team in goals in 2021 with 13, but also tallied 18 ground balls and caused a very solid eight caused turnovers. The coaches are excited to get Braught back to his natural position where his athleticism, physicality and footwork could make him one of the best defensive midfielders in the conference.

Susquehanna will also look to get big contributions from Jason Carey this season at SSM, as he returns after scoring nine goals as a first-year in 2021. Charlie Hayes also played in all 11 games last season, tallying six ground balls on the campaign. The staff is also excited about talented first-year Jack Galloway, a multi-sport standout at Pine Bush High School who was All-Section as a senior.

FACEOFF
The face-off position in the collegiate game is one where experience is vital, and the River Hawks are excited that they return their two full-time face-off specialists in Ryan Prum and Jared Tavernite. Prum won 46.9 percent of his draws in 2021, leading the team in ground balls with 52, while Tavernite added 31 face-off wins over 72 attempts. The duo took all but 24 of the face-offs last season and should be the go-to specialists again in 2022.

LSMs
The long-stick midfield position has a big-time contributor back in the form of Ted Zaborowski, who has been very strong in the preseason. Zaborowski was second on the team in caused turnovers last season with 15, picking up 24 ground balls which was also second-most on the squad in 2021. Zaborowski can also chip in offensively from time-to-time, tallying a pair of goals on three shots.

Sophomore Jack Murray looks to increase his role in 2022, as he played six games as a first-year, while senior Ben Shaffer had a strong year as a junior as he played in all 11 contests with four ground balls and three caused turnovers. The trio should form a very intimidating group of long-stick midfielders.

CLOSE DEFENSE
The defensive group for the River Hawks has historically been a stout unit, and SU counts on that continuing going into 2022. Seniors Gavin Rossman and Mike Nevins are the returning stalwarts that will anchor the unit, as both have been great leaders this season.

Rossman started nine of 11 games last season, causing 10 turnovers while adding 14 ground balls. Nevins also earned nine starts as a junior, finishing with 10 caused turnovers and 21 ground balls. The pair will be looked upon to mentor some new faces looking to carve out a starting role next to them.

First-year Aidan Kennedy has had a strong camp and will look to get some immediate playing time in opening campaign, while first-year Sean Yamada has continued to improve every day this spring after competing in the fall with the Susquehanna football team. Kennedy was All-League at Glen Rock High School in New Jersey, while Yamada is a physical defender with great length and size.

Sophomore Lucas Kaelin also a name to look out for this spring on defense, as the played in three games back in 2021.

GOALKEEPERS
The River Hawks come into the season with five goalkeepers, but only one of them earned playing action in 2021, as Corbin Brumfield earned five minutes of action while making three saves. Susquehanna did get some transfer help this year though, as junior Jozef Korpics comes to Selinsgrove after playing 11 games over two seasons at Utica College. Korpics went 5-1 last year in net for the Pioneers, while stopping 63.1 percent of the shots on net.

The back-up position is still up in the air going into the season, but the competition for play behind Korpics will be fierce in practice as the group of first-years and sophomores try to carve make each other better.

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The River Hawks open their 2022 season against Lycoming College Saturday, February 19 at 1 p.m. on Sassafras Field. Make sure to follow SU Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for full coverage of Susquehanna men's lacrosse in 2022.