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Staten Island, NY - The Wagner College men's lacrosse team continues to become more competitive each year under fourth-year head coach Jason Rife. The Seahawks will have a tall task on their hands in the season opener on Friday, Feb. 18 when Wagner makes the short trek to Piscataway, NJ to meet the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers.

The Seahawks have been consistently closing the gap on its competition during the Rife era. Last season, Wagner earned an 8-7 victory over VMI on April 24, 2010 during a stretch when the Seahawks played four consecutive one-goal games, any of which could have gone Wagner's way with a bounce here or some luck there.

On April 18, Wagner battled Canisius tooth and nail before being edged 8-7 in a game contested on Grymes Hill. The Seahawks then traveled to Manhattan (4/21) where they battled the Jaspers on even terms for 60 minutes before coming away with a 7-6 loss. Following the win over VMI, Wagner hosted Saint Joseph's (4/28) and ended up on the short end of a 9-8 decision.

“I think that stretch of close games serves as a source of confidence. I think the guys are realizing that the work is starting to pay off and are starting to understand what it means to prepare whether it be in the offseason, during the fall, or in the spring,” said Rife. “Our offense is going to be a lot better and I think it will be a strength this year. We're going to be a little more potent, we're going to be able to get more shots off as a result of our guys maturing and being a year older.

"We're pretty good at playing between the lines. We're starting to get tougher with the ball on the ground and picking up that loose ball that could result in something and obviously keeps it out of our opponent's hands," Rife continued. "We're certainly going to scrap and play hard, that's for sure.”

Rife has announced that junior attack Mike Hurley (Billerica, MA/ Billerica), senior attack Will Macumber(Manorville, NY/ Eastport South Manor) and junior midfielder John Rushton(West Islip, NY/ West Islip) will serve as tri-captains for the 2011 season.

“All three of these young men represent what our program is all about,” Rife said. “They are tough-minded and selfless student-athletes who always put the best interests of the team above all else. They are true leaders and talented lacrosse players and have earned the right to lead our team as captains for the upcoming season.”

The 2011 season marks the inaugural season of Northeast Conference (NEC) men's lacrosse as the Seahawks have been members of the MAAC since the program's inception in 2000. The newly-formed NEC men's lacrosse conference encompasses six schools, five of which are core members of the NEC who were competing in other Division I men's lacrosse leagues with the sixth school being new NEC member Bryant. Mount St. Mary's (MAAC), Quinnipiac (GWLL), Robert Morris (CAA), Sacred Heart (CAA), and Wagner (MAAC) have all ended their former conference affiliations to join Bryant University in the new NEC Men's Lacrosse League.

“We are excited to be a part of the Northeast Conference Men's Lacrosse League,” said Rife. “I think it's great for college lacrosse to have another Division I conference that provides student-athletes with an opportunity to experience the great game of lacrosse.”

Attack
On attack, Wagner will feature Macumber, who was the team's third-leading scorer with 23 points on 18 goals and five assists last season. Macumber has been slowed by a hamstring injury during the preseason and he is listed as doubtful for the Rutgers game. Sophomore Cody Isdaner (Gladwyne, PA/ Episcopal Academy) made a huge splash as a freshman, leading the team in scoring with 27 points. He was second on the team in goals with 17 and led the team with 10 assists. Following the season, he was named to the inaugural NEC All-Rookie Team. Hurley will play a prominent role again on the attack after finishing fourth on the team in scoring with 16 points on eight goals and eight assists. Providing important depth to the attack unit will be freshman Sam Morrissey (Long Branch, NJ/ West Morris Central). Morrissey earned Second Team All-Morris County honors by the Star-Ledger as a senior in 2010.


Midfield
In the midfield, Wagner returns an explosive athlete in sophomore Colin O'Rourke (Worcester, MA/ St. John's Shrewsbury) who burst onto the scene as a freshman with 23 points, which as second on the team behind classmate Isdaner. Like Isdaner, O'Rourke was named to the inaugural NEC All-Rookie Team following 2010 campaign that saw him knock home a team-high 18 goals along with five assists while leading the team in ground balls with 37. Sophomore Brian Faughnan (New Canaan, CT/ New Canaan tallied 14 points as a freshman and will certainly be in the mix. Others who will play important roles in the midfield this season include Rushton along with fellow juniors William Hedges (Shoreham, NY/ Longwood), who notched seven points last season, Krey Keller (Colorado Springs, Cheyenne Mountain) and Cory Perkins (Chatsworth, CA/ Chaminade College Prep). The Seahawk midfield will also be bolstered by sophomores John Hojnoski (West Springfield, PA/ Cathedral) and David Phillips (Somers Point, NJ/ St. Augustine Prep) as well as freshman Matthew Shute (Suffield, CT/ Suffield). The defensive midfield unit will be spearheaded by juniors John Andrejack (Jamesport, NY/ Riverhead) and James Cuzzupe (Radnor, PA/ Archbishop Carroll).

Defense
The Seahawk defense will be stabilized by rugged and durable senor long-stick midfielder Colin Shaw (Malvern, PA/ Archbishop Carroll), a physical presence who scooped up 27 ground balls last season. Junior Chris Riccio (Glenmont, NY/ Bethlehem Central) totaled 14 ground balls last season and brings a wealth of experience to the defensive unit. Promising freshman Zach Fox (Wyckoff, NJ/ Don Bosco Prep) has battled his way into a possible starting spot. Also in the mix, providing critical depth to the defense will be a quartet of sophomores in #R.J. Derosa# (Glastonbury, CT/ Clastonbury), Dustin Doty (Sherman Oaks, CA/ Crespi Carmelite) who is a long-stick middie by trade, newcomer Matt Martins (Manorville, NY/ Eastport South Manor) and David Szilezy (Apex, NC/ Cardinal Gibbons).

Goalie
Junior Peter Rubin (East Rockaway, NY/ East Rockaway) and freshman Nicholas Gibaldi (Rocky point, NY/ Rocky Point) are vying for the starting goalie position. In 2010, Rubin saw action in five games with three starts and posted a goals against average of 16.44 while coming up with 26 saves. Rubin was the winning goalie in Wagner's 8-7 victory over VMI. Gibaldi led Suffolk County in saves as a senior in 2010 while earning arned All-County honors. He came up with a career-high 19 saves during an 11-4 win over Harborfields.