Men's Lacrosse | 2/20/2014 3:41:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY – The 2014 RIT men's lacrosse team have their sights set on another run to National Championship after a historic season in 2013. The Tigers qualified for its first NCAA Division III National Championship Game, set a school records with 19 wins, 321 goals and 503 points.

"Our goal is the same this year as last year," said fifth year head coach Jake Coon, who is 68-13 in his first four seasons at  RIT. "Win the Liberty League conference and compete for a National Championship."

The 2014 squad returns a wealth of talent, including seven starters, top five scorers, starting goalie, seven All-Americans, the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year (Jack Krzyston (Bedford, NH/Bishop Guertin)) and the Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year (Pat Johntson) from last year's team that posted a 19-3 record and won the Liberty League title for the second straight season

"Every year is a new group," said Coon. "We just have to find the right spots for everyone, make sure everyone buys into the team concept and keep focused on our goals."

Captains Kyle Aquin (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean De Brebeuf), Joe Dupra (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon), Mac Keehfus (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt), and Taylor Wisman (Seattle, WA/Inglemoor) will lead the Tigers both on and off the field in 2014.

"They've all done a great job. They're a good group that helps keep everyone in check and keep them focused on the main goals," said Coon who was the Liberty League and Division III National Coach of the Year in 2013. "They all bring a little something different to the table. A couple are hard-working, some vocal, some lead by example."

Attack
RIT's attack unit returns mainly intact in 2014, led by 2013 first team All-Liberty League selection Jack Krzyston (Bedford, NH/Bishop Guertin). Krzyston, along with Kyle Sterzin (Fairport, NY/Fairport) and Brendan MacDonald, and newcomers Casey Jackson (Victoria, BC/Claremont), and Ryan Lee (Sharon, Ontario/The Hill Academy) will all see significant time at attack in 2014.

"We feel like we have good talent and balance at attack," said Coon. "We can mix and match and get the right combination and the hot hand on the field."

Krzyston led the team in scoring with a career-high 81 points on 52 goals and 29 assists, both career highs. His 52 goals last season were ninth most in a season at RIT, while his 81 points were tied for eighth all time at RIT.

"Jack's a hard worker and very steady," said Coon. "He is seeing the field more as he's gained experience and we look for another great year out of him."

Sterzin had a fine freshman season in 2013, tallying 20 points on 14 goals and six assists, while scooping up 39 ground balls.

MacDonald returns after a year off. In 2012, MacDonald was the Liberty League Rookie of the Year, tallying 50 points on 33 goals and 17 assists.

"Both Kyle Sterzin (Fairport, NY/Fairport) and Brendan have very good abilities," said Coon. "They will certainly see a lot of time at attack this season."

Jackson and Lee, who have both looked excellent this preseason, could see time at attack and at midfield in 2014.

Midfield
RIT has a wealth of talented midfielders, led by arguably one of the best lines in all of Division III in Kyle Aquin (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean De Brebeuf), Taylor Wisman (Seattle, WA/Inglemoor) and Allister Warren (Toronto, Ontario/Malvern Collegiate Institute). All three were All-American selections in 2013, accounting for 131 of RIT's 321 goals.

"In my opinion this is one of the best midfield units in the country," said Coon. "They've played together for a few years and they know what each other can do."

Aquin had a breakout season in 2013 tallying career highs in goals with 65 and points with 75. He tied a single-game record with seven goals in the National Championship game versus Stevenson, and scored 20 times in six post-season games.

Warren, an honorable mention All-American selection, finished fourth on the team in scoring with 61 points on 39 goals and 22 assists. He scored the game-winning goal in the National Semifinals in overtime at SUNY Cortland.

Wisman, also an honorable mention All-American selection, was fifth on the team in scoring with 58 points on 27 goals and 38 assists. He had assisted on Warren's overtime game winner versus SUNY Cortland in the National Semifinals.

Sophomores Alec Sulesky (Medina, OH/Medina) and Braden Wallace (Oakville, Ontario/Abbey Park) along with Eddie Kiesa (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt), who moves from attack to midfield in 2014, make up another potent midfield line for the Tigers.

Kiesa finished second on the team in scoring last season with a career-high 77 points on 43 goals and 34 assists. A USILA honorable mention All-American selection, Kiesa recorded 25 points in six post-season games, including six in the National Championship game.

Sulesky and Wallace had solid first seasons in a Tigers uniform.  Sulesky finished 2014 with 15 points on 13 goals and two assists, while Wallace was seventh on the team in scoring with 21 points on 15 goals and six assists.

"These guys pose real match-up problems for our opponents," said Coon. "The second midfield can all play and make us tough to stop."

Junior Pat McMullen, the 2013 NCAA Elite 89 Award winner for the highest GPA among the championships teams, returns after a solid sophomore campaign that saw him tally 13 points on nine goals and four assists.

Look for newcomers Ryan Lee (Sharon, Ontario/The Hill Academy) and Casey Jackson (Victoria, BC/Claremont) to see time at midfield and attack this season.

"Our midfield is the deepest unit on our team," said Coon. "It gives our offense a lot of options and makes it tough for our opponents to cover just one guy."

RIT's defensive midfield unit is equally as experienced and talented as the offensive midfielders. Senior co-captain and honorable mention All-American Mac Keehfus (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) leads an experienced unit that includes Brad Gillies (Oakville, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas), Cory Ashmore (Sutton, Ontario/Sutton District), Tyler Shaw (Tully, NY/Tully) and Jarett Schmauder.

Last season, Keehfus was tied for third on the team with 53 ground balls, while tallying six points on four goals and two assists.

Gillies played in all 22 games, scooping up 48 ground balls to go along with 23 points on eight goals and 15 assists. Ashmore played in 20 games and had four points on a goal and three assists to go along with 18 ground balls.

Tyler Brooks-Lambert (Seneca Castle, NY/Midlakes), a 2013 second team All-Liberty League selection, won 205-of-324 (.633) face-offs, while leading RIT with 122 ground balls. He won 14 face-offs in the National Championship game and was 80-for-125 (.640) in six post-season games last season.

"Tyler is 'The Guy' at the face-off "X"," said Coon. "We hope he can take the majority of the draws, but we have guys like Shaw and Warren who could back him up if we need them to."

Shaw won 20-of-26 (.769) of the face-offs he took, grabbed 18 ground balls and had a goal and an assist. He brings three years of experience to the Tigers defensive midfield unit and will play a prominent role in 2014.

"They are all really good players." Said Coon. "All are a threat in transition, scoring goals or feeding the ball. We feel good coming out of the defensive end and getting us into our offensive."

Defense
Senior co-captain Joe Dupra (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon), junior Baird Wilbur and sophomore Jay Krzyston (Bedford, NH/Bishop Guertin), will lead RIT's defensive unit in 2014.

"Those three are slotted into the starting lineup so far this preseason," said Coon. "Joe and Baird have a ton of experience at close defense."

Last season, Dupra played in 20 games. He finished the season with 18 ground balls, scooping up a season-high four ground balls in a win over Tufts in the National Quarterfinals, while causing 11 turnovers.

Wilber stepped into the lineup last season, playing in 20 games, grabbing 11 ground balls and causing three turnovers. Krzytson saw action in nine games and grabbed four ground balls his freshman season. 

Sophomores Denning Crenshaw (San Diego, CA/Helix), Matt Harris, Anthony Contento (Homer, NY/Homer) and Patrick Hannigan (Hanover, MA/Hanover) along with freshman Derek Searle (Dundas, Ontario/Highland Secondary) will see time as well.

"These guys are getting more and more comfortable in our system," said Coon. "They all bring something different to the table. They all can play and we hope to get them some reps on the field this season."

Sophomore long stick midfielder Matt Hossack (Port Perry, Ontario/Port Perry) returns after an outstanding freshman campaign.  He played in all 22 games grabbing 53 ground balls, causing 11 turnovers, and tallying five points on four goals and an assist.

"Hossack is a threat in transition," said Coon. "He's improved from last year and when he's on, look out."

Look for newcomers Alex Sovocool and JD Hall (Centennial, CO/Arapahoe) along with sophomore Brad Conn to also see time at long-stick midfield this season.

Goaltending
Coach Coon has a good problem in choosing his starting goalie in 2014. Junior Pat Johnston (Long Beach, CA/Norwell (MA)), senior Anthony DeLeo (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) and sophomore Jarryd Lee (Melbourne, Australia/St. Leonards) are all talented goalies capable of backstopping RIT on a long run into the postseason.

"We have three really good goalies," said Coon. "Tony and Pat are All-American caliber goalies and when Jarryd steps in, he does a great job."

Junior Pat Johnston (Long Beach, CA/Norwell (MA)) returns after a great 2013 season that saw him earn USILA second-team All-American honors, Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year and first All-Liberty League accolades.

Senior Anthony DeLeo (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) enjoyed a breakout season in 2012, playing in all 19 games. Before suffering an injury in 2013, posting a 7.65 GAA and .650 save percentage in six games played.

Sophomore Jarryd Lee (Melbourne, Australia/St. Leonards) will vie for playing time after a solid freshman season that saw him make five saves in five games played in 2013.

Schedule
RIT will face another daunting schedule in 2014, with five games against teams ranked in the preseason top 20.

The Tigers start the season playing at No. 1 Stevenson University on Feb. 22 at The Carrier Dome on the campus of Syracuse University, and then play No. 3 SUNY Cortland on March 12 at The Dome.

RIT's home opener comes March 1 when the Tigers host No. 17 Ithaca College on RIT's Turf Field. The Tigers will play three teams from their former conference, the Empire 8, including St. John Fisher and Nazareth College.  The Tigers will face its archrival Nazareth on April 9.

RIT begins Liberty League play on March 22 when the Tigers host Clarkson University. The Tigers will face Rensselaer in Troy, N.Y. on April 5, and close out the season with four-straight Liberty League games, including at Vassar on April 12 and at St. Lawrence on April 26 to close out the regular season.  RIT will sandwich two home games versus Union (April 16) and Skidmore (April 19) between the Vassar and St. Lawrence games.

This season, RIT will play No. 12 Western New England in New Rochelle, N.Y. on March 12, and a pair of games versus Colby College (March 26) and Williams College (March 28) at legendary Homewood Field on the campus of Johns Hopkins University, during Spring Break.

"I wanted to get our team exposure to these 'Big Time' environments," said Coon. "We have to get used to playing in these environments against tough teams. Plus, they're pretty neat places to play."

"We're excited to get the season started," said Coon. "The players are excited to get going and get the season started."