DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 10, 2020) – The Mercy College men's lacrosse team enters the 2020 season looking to defend their ECC Regular Season and Tournament Championships and qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. Mercy looks to make the ECC Tournament for the sixth straight year and are ranked No. 10 in the USILA Coaches Poll entering their first game of the season on Tuesday against American International.
Eighth-year Head Coach Jordan Levine and the Mavericks return three student-athletes who finished with 50 or more points and three Mavericks who finished with 15 or more caused turnovers a year ago. Mercy was picked first in the ECC Preseason Poll for the first time in program history and senior Tommy McPartland and sophomore Jack Kipnes were named ECC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. In total Levine returns four All-ECC selections from a year ago, including sophomore Jack Gibbons who was named Preseason Second Team All-American by Inside Lacrosse and the USILA.
"I am very pleased with the way the fall and preseason have gone. We have brought in a talented group of newcomers who have meshed well with our returners. With the graduation of a strong senior class which included six All-ECC selections and four All-Americans the continued development of chemistry is paramount to our success," stated Levine.
Mercy once again will face a challenging schedule taking on No. 2 Le Moyne, No. 3 Adelphi, No. 4 Mercyhurst, No. 9 Pace, No. 18 Bentley and No. 19 New York Tech. Mercy opens up their 2020 season on Tuesday, February 11th when they play at American International at 3 p.m.
Defense
The Mavericks will look to Kipnes to lead a Mercy defense that led Division II in goals-against average last season. Kipnes was a Second Team All-ECC selection last season after recording 27 caused turnovers and 31 ground balls a year ago.
Also looking to contribute on defense are seniors Bobby Norton and Kyle Gardner. Norton appeared and started in all 20 games with 17 caused turnovers and 16 ground balls last season. Gardner also appeared in and started in all 20 games and produced 27 caused turnovers and 50 ground balls. Also returning on defense are sophomore Jake Fitzgerald and junior Vincent Campbell. Fitzgerald had 18 ground balls and six caused turnovers and Campbell appeared in eight games making three caused turnovers.
The newcomers on defense that will contribute immediately are junior Sean Rigley, freshmen Justin Gerdvil and James Bringman and freshman James Distefano will look to compete for time. Rigley is a transfer from Onondaga Community College and recorded 44 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers last season. The Mavericks will look to these returners and newcomers to help replace the loss of All-American Max Littleton.
Levine also returns two goalies from last season in sophomores Joe Tortorella and Thomas Umano. Both have been excellent in the preseason and will look to help replace All-American Ryan Gibbons who is now an assistant coach for the Mavericks. Tortorella appeared in eight games last season and made 12 saves, while Umano played in seven games and made nine stops.
Midfield
Leading the returners on the midfield are McPartland and Gibbons. McPartland was named First Team All-ECC last season after recording 31 goals, 21 assists and 52 points. Gibbons was a Second Team All-ECC selection after posting 22 goals, 31 assists and 53 points as a freshman. Both McPartland and Gibbons will look to help replace the production of All-American Ryan MacSpadyen who is now an assistant coach for the Mavericks.
Also returning in the midfield are seniors Joe Cortese, Anthony DeVito and Ricky Marchelos, juniors Robert LoRicco, John Collins and Christian Hernandez and sophomore Joseph Guglielmo. Cortese appeared in all 20 games last season and produced seven points and 19 ground balls. DeVito played in 18 games making 17 starts with 12 points and 43 ground balls. Marchelos, LoRicco, Collins, Hernandez and Guglielmo combined for 12 points a year ago.
Looking to contribute for the Mavericks in the midfield as freshmen are Robert Guglielmo, Jhovanny Olivares, Eddie Montemurro, Matt Gaughan and Michael Gresser.
At the faceoff position, senior Antonio Rey returns after posting a 56.2 (203-361) faceoff percentage with a team-high 72 ground balls last season. Looking to compete for time in the faceoff circle will be Collins, Olivares and freshman Mustapha Daffeh.
Attack
Leading the returners at attack is junior Dominic Scorcia who was named Second Team All-ECC last season after placing third on the team with 60 points on 28 goals and 32 assists. The junior also had 11 caused turnovers and 46 ground balls and will look to improve upon these numbers with the graduation of All-American Bobby Chillianis.
The newcomers at attack are led by Newberry College transfer sophomore Brady Kearnan who was named the South Atlantic Conference Rookie of the Year last season and led the SAC in points (68) as a freshman. Junior Marty Shargel joins the Mavericks from Onondaga Community College and had 22 goals and seven assists a year ago for the Lazers.
Also looking to contribute at the attack position are freshmen TJ Heyder and Rob Guglielmo.
