Army West Point Athletics
Black Knights Primed For 100th Season
February 08, 2017 | Men's Lacrosse
The 100th season of Army lacrosse kicks off on Saturday at UMass and the Black Knights are looking to make a return trip the Patriot League championship game for the third consecutive year and another double-digit win season.
Head coach Joe Alberici returns for his 12th season at the helm of the Black Knights and is coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in his career. Alberici's hopes are the same each year and the team knows the goal every year.
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"Our expectations remain the same here year in and year out," Alberici said. "We want to fight for championships in May. That is pretty well stated early on with our team back in August. We don't spend a lot of time talking about it after that point. We feel it's pointless and it's about the next thing with us."
Army returns an assortment of offensive weapons, including preseason All-American Cole Johnson, but the Black Knights also will have some young contributors on the defensive side of the field.
"I like what we have seen offensively from the group," Alberici added. "We have more veterans there and defensively we are a bit of a work in progress, but we are making strides."
The Black Knights are leaning on captains Gunnar Miller, Reaves Klipstein and Dan Grabher to provide leadership this season.
Alberici likes what has been going on in the preseason and is looking forward to the season starting.
"The mood around the program is optimistic," Alberici said. "The guys have been doing the right things and working their tails off, and I do believe we have the talent to do great things."
The attack unit is led by Johnson, who is coming off the second best season in Army history with 73 points on 35 goals and 38 assists. Nate Jones is back for his sophomore season after earning second team All-Patriot League honors in 2016 and brings a team-high 36 goals. There is a battle going on for the third attackman, so the Black Knights with have some depth at the position.
"Cole will be a focal point of our offense," Alberici added. "However, I don't know how that will evolve this early in the season. Last year he was much more of a goal scorer going into the year and really improved his feeding game. He possesses tremendous quickness and ability to get the goal and has shown improvement with his off hand."
Jones was a bit of a surprise last season as the Black Knights knew they were getting a goal scorer, but not to the amount of leading the team with the 36 tallies. He is a confident player that has improved other areas of his game during the fall and preseason and can become a threat off the dodge that Army can take advantage of this year.
The Black Knights have experienced players at the midfield with contributors like seniors Miller, Avery Littlejohn and Matt Donovan. They will also be looking to get significant time from cows Ted Glesener, Nick Santorelli, Austin Colvin and David Symmes, while also giving a chance for rookie Matt Manown.
Alberici has guys that have been on the squad for a couple of years or more, but have not consistently have had a ton of playing time.
"There are three new old guys near the top of the midfield lineup," Alberici said. "Gunnar had the injury situation last year, while Donovan missed time and Santorelli was an attackman. We have people there with experience, but a few with limited time at their current position."
Miller is the best defender out of the offensive middie group and a crafty player with the ball in his stick, and the most intelligent player on the field of the offensive players. Symmes has the ability to make a difference for the team this year and has a great shot and isn't afraid to unleash it. Colvin is another intelligent guy that the coaching staff is high on and then Manown provides toughness.
Glesener heads into his third season, and the staff believes he is playing his best lacrosse of his career and it is a big year for him. Littlejohn has regained his form from two years ago this preseason after dealing with injuries in 2016, and Santorelli moves back to midfield with a good shot. Donovan rounds out the group as probably the most gifted dodger and can make some incredible plays with the ball.
The long-stick midfielders are led by Danny DeSanti and Jon LaMonica. DeSanti was a contributor at the get-go last year, while LaMonica ramped up his playing time at the end of the year. Both players played at St. Anthony's High School, but were two years apart.
"Jon has great quickness and is one of the strongest guys on the team," Alberici added. "He also has the best ground-ball skills on the team. Danny is relentless on the field, a never quit kind of guy, who has a set of offensive skills, so he is more of a threat in transition."
The defensive midfield was one of the hardest positions hit by graduation with the departure of A.J. Canara and Luke Poulos, but John Ragno and Matt Bowman return as the top two short-stick defenders for the Black Knights.
"John is coming off a really good year last season," Alberici said. "We are hoping he continues to evolve as an excellent on-ball player. Bowman is our fastest player on the team and can be a threat in transition."
Rookie Anthony George is primed to see some action as well, and he is very good communicator. George, like Bowman, will be a threat in the transition game.
There is no surprise at the faceoff position as Grabher returns as the top guy for the Black Knights. He was one of the nation's best a season ago, but will have to be the guy since the graduation of Alex Daly. Ragno backs him up and second-year player Robby Woodings will be vying for playing time.
"Our success as a team will heavily mirror his success," Alberici said while talking about Grabher. "He is an impact guy, not only from a possession standpoint but in terms of creating offense. I am certain there is not another faceoff guy that had 10 goals last season."
The defense, like the defensive midfield, was hit hard by graduation as two-time All-Patriot League performer Austin Schultz has moved on as did Sam Finney, who was a dependable player. Reaves Klipstein is the lone returning starter at the position, while Johnny Surdick moves back from a long-stick midfield spot and Dom Ricca slides into a starting role for the first time. Griffin Schultz has improved a lot and will be slotted in from some playing time and also Jordan Cole and Andrew Nadjari will be in the mix.
Alberici had high praise for his returning starter Klipstein.
"He is probably the smartest lacrosse player I have ever been around," Alberici said. "He is a great communicator and is kind of the glue for us back there and he has worked tremendously hard on his footwork and lateral movement and teams will see him out on the perimeter a lot more."
In goal, AJ Barretto had an impressive rookie campaign and a solid preseason. He was a second team All-Patriot League selection a season ago with a 7.96 goals against average and nine victories. Paul Newbold and Matt Isnardi have also seen action in their careers, but Barretto is the guy in net for the Black Knights.
The Black Knights open the season on Saturday at UMass and kick off the home slate on Feb. 20 against VMI.
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Head coach Joe Alberici returns for his 12th season at the helm of the Black Knights and is coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in his career. Alberici's hopes are the same each year and the team knows the goal every year.
Â
"Our expectations remain the same here year in and year out," Alberici said. "We want to fight for championships in May. That is pretty well stated early on with our team back in August. We don't spend a lot of time talking about it after that point. We feel it's pointless and it's about the next thing with us."
Army returns an assortment of offensive weapons, including preseason All-American Cole Johnson, but the Black Knights also will have some young contributors on the defensive side of the field.
"I like what we have seen offensively from the group," Alberici added. "We have more veterans there and defensively we are a bit of a work in progress, but we are making strides."
The Black Knights are leaning on captains Gunnar Miller, Reaves Klipstein and Dan Grabher to provide leadership this season.
Alberici likes what has been going on in the preseason and is looking forward to the season starting.
"The mood around the program is optimistic," Alberici said. "The guys have been doing the right things and working their tails off, and I do believe we have the talent to do great things."
The attack unit is led by Johnson, who is coming off the second best season in Army history with 73 points on 35 goals and 38 assists. Nate Jones is back for his sophomore season after earning second team All-Patriot League honors in 2016 and brings a team-high 36 goals. There is a battle going on for the third attackman, so the Black Knights with have some depth at the position.
"Cole will be a focal point of our offense," Alberici added. "However, I don't know how that will evolve this early in the season. Last year he was much more of a goal scorer going into the year and really improved his feeding game. He possesses tremendous quickness and ability to get the goal and has shown improvement with his off hand."
Jones was a bit of a surprise last season as the Black Knights knew they were getting a goal scorer, but not to the amount of leading the team with the 36 tallies. He is a confident player that has improved other areas of his game during the fall and preseason and can become a threat off the dodge that Army can take advantage of this year.
The Black Knights have experienced players at the midfield with contributors like seniors Miller, Avery Littlejohn and Matt Donovan. They will also be looking to get significant time from cows Ted Glesener, Nick Santorelli, Austin Colvin and David Symmes, while also giving a chance for rookie Matt Manown.
Alberici has guys that have been on the squad for a couple of years or more, but have not consistently have had a ton of playing time.
"There are three new old guys near the top of the midfield lineup," Alberici said. "Gunnar had the injury situation last year, while Donovan missed time and Santorelli was an attackman. We have people there with experience, but a few with limited time at their current position."
Miller is the best defender out of the offensive middie group and a crafty player with the ball in his stick, and the most intelligent player on the field of the offensive players. Symmes has the ability to make a difference for the team this year and has a great shot and isn't afraid to unleash it. Colvin is another intelligent guy that the coaching staff is high on and then Manown provides toughness.
Glesener heads into his third season, and the staff believes he is playing his best lacrosse of his career and it is a big year for him. Littlejohn has regained his form from two years ago this preseason after dealing with injuries in 2016, and Santorelli moves back to midfield with a good shot. Donovan rounds out the group as probably the most gifted dodger and can make some incredible plays with the ball.
The long-stick midfielders are led by Danny DeSanti and Jon LaMonica. DeSanti was a contributor at the get-go last year, while LaMonica ramped up his playing time at the end of the year. Both players played at St. Anthony's High School, but were two years apart.
"Jon has great quickness and is one of the strongest guys on the team," Alberici added. "He also has the best ground-ball skills on the team. Danny is relentless on the field, a never quit kind of guy, who has a set of offensive skills, so he is more of a threat in transition."
The defensive midfield was one of the hardest positions hit by graduation with the departure of A.J. Canara and Luke Poulos, but John Ragno and Matt Bowman return as the top two short-stick defenders for the Black Knights.
"John is coming off a really good year last season," Alberici said. "We are hoping he continues to evolve as an excellent on-ball player. Bowman is our fastest player on the team and can be a threat in transition."
Rookie Anthony George is primed to see some action as well, and he is very good communicator. George, like Bowman, will be a threat in the transition game.
There is no surprise at the faceoff position as Grabher returns as the top guy for the Black Knights. He was one of the nation's best a season ago, but will have to be the guy since the graduation of Alex Daly. Ragno backs him up and second-year player Robby Woodings will be vying for playing time.
"Our success as a team will heavily mirror his success," Alberici said while talking about Grabher. "He is an impact guy, not only from a possession standpoint but in terms of creating offense. I am certain there is not another faceoff guy that had 10 goals last season."
The defense, like the defensive midfield, was hit hard by graduation as two-time All-Patriot League performer Austin Schultz has moved on as did Sam Finney, who was a dependable player. Reaves Klipstein is the lone returning starter at the position, while Johnny Surdick moves back from a long-stick midfield spot and Dom Ricca slides into a starting role for the first time. Griffin Schultz has improved a lot and will be slotted in from some playing time and also Jordan Cole and Andrew Nadjari will be in the mix.
Alberici had high praise for his returning starter Klipstein.
"He is probably the smartest lacrosse player I have ever been around," Alberici said. "He is a great communicator and is kind of the glue for us back there and he has worked tremendously hard on his footwork and lateral movement and teams will see him out on the perimeter a lot more."
In goal, AJ Barretto had an impressive rookie campaign and a solid preseason. He was a second team All-Patriot League selection a season ago with a 7.96 goals against average and nine victories. Paul Newbold and Matt Isnardi have also seen action in their careers, but Barretto is the guy in net for the Black Knights.
The Black Knights open the season on Saturday at UMass and kick off the home slate on Feb. 20 against VMI.
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/ Men's LacrosseRugby x2 - Women @ 12P, Men @ 2P
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