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Staten Island, NY – The 2013 Wagner College men's lacrosse team will kick off its 2013 season this by hosting Providence College in a 1:00 pm faceoff at Hameline Field.
 
In Matt Poskay's initial season as Seahawk head coach last season, the Seahawks made major strides in virtually every measureable area statistically. While the Green & White notched just one win, a plethora of the contests were close, competitive affairs. The win Wagner did manage was a memorable one as the Seahawks stormed from behind to register an 11-8 win over Northeast Conference rival Sacred Heart.
 
The 2013 Seahawks are an extremely young team as 22 of the 31 players on the roster are either freshmen sophomores and 12 freshmen.
 
 “We're excited no question about that. We're in the process of changing a culture and changing the brand here. I think if we continue to grow on our recruiting base and can continue recruiting at the level that we've reached, we can only get better, said Poskay, a former All-American, National Champion at Virginia and current Major League Lacrosse All-Star professional with the Boston Cannons.  

The most prolific player in New Jersey high school history was became the youngest inductee ever in the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame at the age of 29. 
 
“We have to continue to push each other in practice, that's where it all starts,” the Clark, NJ native added. The NEC is a very competitive league, every team's good. Towards the end of the year, when everyone's in conference play and those conference games hold a little bigger weight
on you, it's very exciting.”
 
For the first time, the NEC champion in 2013 will receive a bid to the NCAA Championships.
 
“Obviously, this year with the NEC automatic bid at stake and a berth in the NCAA's, that only adds to the tool for each team,” he said.  “I think the biggest thing with a young team like ours is  is when the quote unquote “light bulb” comes on for the younger guys. Once that happens, we're going to take a big leap forward," he added. "When they turn that corner a little bit, we're going to be a much-improved team….Right now, the younger guys are following the older guys, our workhorses as we say. But when they really get on board with those guys and everyone trusts each other, I think that's when we'll become a particularly dangerous team.”
 
The class breakdown consists of: six seniors, three juniors, 10 sophomores and a whopping 12 freshmen.  Wagner will be led by four captains this season.

The senior midfield tandem of Nick DePhillips (Glen Ridge, NJ/ Glen Ridge/ Ohio St.) and #ColinO'Rourke# (Worecester, MA/ St. John's Shrewsbury) might be the best midfield combo in the NEC. The other two captains are junior goalie Nicholas Gibaldi (Rocky Point, NY/ Rocky Point), a savvy veteran, along with senior defender #R.J. Derosa# (Glastonbury, CT/ Glastonbury).
 
En route to garnering Second-Team All-NEC honors last season, DePhillips led the Green & White in scoring with 27 points on 24 goals and three assists. Right on his heels was O'Rourke, who checking in with 25 points on the strength of 21 goals and four assists.
 
“ Nick DePhillips and Colin O'Rourke are as good as it gets. They work well together and we're going to try to give them some more support this year,” Poskay said. “I think we have some depth on the attack and in the midfield. Nick's a First-Team All-NEC Preseason Inside Lacrosse selection and was Second-Team All-Conference last year. Those are obviously two of our guys we count on a little bit more than others.
 
“R.J. Derosa has made great strides in all areas,” Poskay added. “I think he realized, along with a lot of our older guys, that this is his last go here. He became a senior leader and once he showed he had the ability to do that, guys started following him.

"Nick Gibaldi is now starting his third year and he's only going to keep gett ing better. He's becoming more of a vocal leader on the field, the anchor down there at the defensive end, and that's what we need.”