For the first time in four years the men’s lacrosse team will be without the services of attackers Tom and Ben Terzulli, who combined for 631 points over four seasons. Both were first-team All-Conference selections for all four years; Tom was the UCAA Player of the Year for three seasons straight and an All-American his junior year.
They are just two of the 16 seniors—over half the roster—that RPI has lost to graduation. Only four starters return for the 2002 season. Nevertheless, the Red Hawks are seen as a force to contend with, ranking 15th in Lacrosse Magazine’s annual preseason poll.
Head Coach Jim Townsend said that his goal is to win the UCAA for a third year in a row, but that it would be significantly tougher this season because of the large number of holes to fill.
Co-captain Luke Ruglis was the team’s third leading scorer in 2001 as an attacker, but Townsend has moved him to midfield, relying on him to not only put the ball in the net but also to help direct the offense.
Ruglis is the first sophomore ever chosen as a captain, an indication of the youth of the team. On a roster of 27 players, there are only two seniors and five juniors; of those, only two are expected to start on a regular basis.
Up front, sophomore Jeff Hobbs is the leading returner. He will be joined by high school All-American Nick Culotti, who is expected to have an immediate impact. The third starting spot currently belongs to Steve Snyder, but Andrew Teichman and Andrew Burns will definitely see playing time and will press Snyder for the starting role.
At midfield, the Red Hawks have a starting line marked by youth and aggressiveness, backed by a second line that will provide experience and leadership. Ryan Frisch, another high school All-American, and face-off specialist James Gallucci will join Ruglis as starters—Frisch is expected to provide a large contribution to the attack, while Gallucci is recognized as a solid defender.
The B-line will consist of seniors Jeff Long and Chris Larsen and junior John Boxberger. Larsen, a co-captain, and Boxberger are both converted attackmen who will bolster the offense, and Townsend called Long one of the hardest workers on the team.
Co-captain Mickey Parris, a junior, returns to lead an otherwise extremely young defense. Sophomore Corey Ingram frequently started for the Red Hawks last year, but the other two starting spots are held by freshmen Joe Panniello and Rob Messner.
Rensselaer’s strong position is goaltender: Juniors Matthew Moog and Joe Garvey are both solid players capable of taking the Red Hawks far—look for Moog to once again get the starting nod.
RPI has had the advantage of practicing outside since January—the school has plowed the turf when necessary to allow the team to work outdoors. The extra time, combined with a busy non-conference schedule this month, means that the Red Hawks’ youth may not work against them—by the time conference play begins, the team will likely have solved most of its problems.
“We’re using the month of March to work all of the kinks out,” Townsend said.
The UCAA, however, is tougher than ever, with St. Lawrence and Skidmore shaping up to be RPI’s top challengers for the title, according to Townsend. Rensselaer also has several tough non-conference opponents: Nazareth, Springfield, and Hartwick are all ranked among the top teams in the nation. The Red Hawks, Townsend says, will have their work cut out for them and will need to focus on each and every game.
“Any game this year that we don’t come out and play, we’ll lose.”
