It was an uncharacteristic season for Johns Hopkins.
After ending the regular season at 7-7, the Blue Jays’ NCAA tournament hopes were in serious jeopardy.
Hopkins did receive an at-large bid, but wound up losing 18-5 to eventual national champion Duke, ending a string of 19 straight quarterfinal-round appearances.
Since then, the Blue Jays’ coaching staff of Dave Pietramala, Bill Dwan, Bobby Benson and Jamison Koesterer has been hitting the recruiting trail hard.
Much of their attention has centered on the nation’s No. 1 hotbed for lacrosse, the Hudson Valley/Long Island/Connecticut region.
If you’ve been checking out our “Updated recruiting review and commitment rundown” each day, you know this.
Among the talented varsity players who have committed to join the Blue Jays is Michael Pellegrino, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound defenseman/long-stick midfielder from Connetquot.
Six of those players, including Pellegrino, are seniors, so they will be making their commitments official later this week as the Division I fall signing week gets under way on Wednesday and lasts until Nov. 17.
And there could be one or more ready to commit in the next few weeks. So stay tuned for news on that.
The athletic Pellegrino is not only a lacrosse standout, but also plays football and wrestles for the Thunderbirds. In fact, the five-year varsity starter in lax just completed his third year as a starter in football.
Here’s a Q&A with Michael on his commitment:
What were the main factors in your decision to attend Hopkins?
The three main factors that influenced my decision to attend Johns Hopkins were its academic reputation, its storied lacrosse tradition and an opportunity to play for a defensive coach in Dave Pietramala. Johns Hopkins has always been my top choice and where I wanted to go, so it’s a dream come true for me.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
The other schools that I was honored to be considered by were Harvard, Navy, North Carolina, Maryland and Ohio State.
What adjustments do you think you will need to make to play at the next level?
The speed of the game and pace of play are going to be something that think I will have to adjust too. The college game is very situational, I will have to get used to that too.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
Playing one-on-one defense is something that I enjoy and I can play both the LSM position as well as close defense. I like to play a physical game and force the action.
What players have you looked up to as you have moved up through the varsity ranks?
As an eighth-grader on the Varsity I had Vinny Pellizzi, Angelo DeLiso, Stan Hartnett and Doug Smoroldo take me under their wing and teach me what it would take to be a Varsity player. I will always be thankful of that group.
When did you first realize you had the potential to play at the college level?
I played for the Long Island Express and they had some great coaches. Joe DeSimone, Mike Chanenchuk and George Powers all believed that I could play at the highest level and they instilled that in me at a young age. My High School coaches Pat Collins, Frank Rossi and Bob Moltisanti Jr. also had a lot of confidence in me and that helped me reach my potential.
* For background info on Michael Pellegrino, check out his recruit profile by clicking here.
* Be sure to let us know about any recruiting commitments by e-mailing us at info@laxlessons.com.
Hopkins’ Hudson Valley/Long Island/Connecticut regional recruits
Class of 2011
Mike Daniello, John Jay, attack
Rob Enright, Massapequa, defense
Tom Gordon, Garden City, midfield
Bronson Kelly, Avon Old Farms, midfield
Michael Pellegrino, Connetquot, defense
Class of 2012
Ryan Matthews, Manhasset, midfield
Class of 2013
Ryan Feit, Syosset, goaltender
* Be sure to report any commitments to us at info@laxlessons.com.
Recruiting coverage
* Updated recruiting review and commitment rundown (for classes of 2011 and 2012 and * New * 2013)
* Class of 2010 commitment rundown
* To get your profile up, click here.
* For a list of committed players with their profiles up, click here.
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Posted In: November 2010 Signing Week, Recruiting Rundown
Good job by Hop picking up lot of promising recruits from this region.
Good luck at Hop MC!
Welcome to the Hopkins family Mike. We are glad to have you coming aboard.
Tough kid. Great athlete. Good catch for Hop.
Good stuff kid
Yeh Mikeyyy