Sparkill, N.Y. – On Wednesday, the East Coast Conference announced the results of its Men's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll, with St. Thomas Aquinas College picked to finish fifth in the league's standings.
The Spartans posted a 5-11 record (2-4 ECC) in 2024 and will return 10 players from last year's squad, including; Craig Peavy (GK), Chris Caldara (D), James Guild (DM), Devin Sierra (M), Frank Schaefer (D), Jeremy Poggi (M), John Pena (A/M), Austin Palen (FO), Jeremy Schucker (M) and Nicholas Carravone (D/LSM).
First year head coach Jack Spallone has added a mix of upperclassmen and freshman for the upcoming campaign. Nathan Smith (Fr.|M|Delta, B.C.), Lucas Mullen (Fr.|A|Burnaby B.C.), Vinny Rosario (Fr.|FO|Ridge, N.Y.), Christian Rodriguez (Fr.|DM|Miami, Fla.), Wilson Ingals (So.|M|Okotoks, Alb.), Ben Eckert (Fr.|M|Delta, B.C.), Lou Takacs (Fr.|M|Sparta, N.J.), Cam Wallace (So.|A|Okotoks, Alb.), Kaleb Burnsed (Fr.|M|Airdrie, Alb.), Stone McGregor (Fr.|M/LSM|Kahnawake, Que.), Max Benoit (Fr.|A/M|Cambridge, Ont.), Holden Johnston (Fr.|LSM|Delta, B.C.), Austin Griffiths (So.|M|Ponoka, Alb.), Nathan Thomas (Fr.|M|Nanaimo, B.C.), Abe Wallace (So.|A|Okotoks, Alb.), Ethan Urbanski (So.|LSM|Huntsville, Ont.), Hayden Gaudette (Bennington, Vt.), Steven Ojeda (Sr.|D|Pleasantville, N.Y.), Timothy Fisher (So.|D|Trevose, Pa.), Tre Turner (So.|D|Salamanca, N.Y.), Favour Ekwedike (Fr.|M|New York, N.Y.), Nicola Greer (Fr.|M|Lorraine, Que.), Ethan Singh (Jr.|DM|Kingston, N.Y.), Tyler Shertzer (Sr.|D|Palmyra, Pa.), Austin Maybee (Fr.|M|Salamanca, N.Y.), Cooper Gyug (Fr.|D|Okotoks, Alb.) and Jaiden Bennett (Fr.|D/DM|Clearwater, Fla.) make up the new faces who will bring their skills and talents to Sparkill for the new season.
The biggest change to the STAC Men's Lacrosse program will be on the sideline with the hiring of Jack Spallone. Spallone comes in with a wealth of experience in collegiate lacrosse. Most recently, he served as the head coach at American International College (Springfield, Massachusetts) from 2022-2024, where he guided the Yellow Jackets to a new single-season wins mark in 2024 and his players set new program records in goals, assists, points, goals per game, goals against per game, caused turnovers, man down goals and goals in a game during that span. He also recruited the largest, most diverse roster in program history, bringing in student-athletes from 10 different states and four different Canadian provinces.
St. Thomas Aquinas will battle five-time defending ECC Champs Mercy University, along with Frostburg State University, Roberts Wesleyan University, Molloy University, D'Youville University and the University of the District of Columbia for the right to be called ECC Men's Lacrosse Champion. The teams will only play each other once in the regular season.
The action gets underway for the Spartans on Wednesday, February 19 (4:00p.m.) against non-conference opponent University of Bridgeport in Connecticut
2025 ECC Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
1. Mercy - 46 points (5 first-place votes)
2. Frostburg State - 39 points (1 first-place vote)
3. Roberts Wesleyan - 35 points
4. Molloy - 33 points (1 first-place vote)
5. St. Thomas Aquinas - 19 points
6. D'Youville - 15 points
7. District of Columbia - 9 points
2025 ECC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Gunner MacMillan, Sr., A, Roberts Wesleyan
2025 ECC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Seamus Kearney, Sr., LSM, Frostburg State