With the start of the week, we are counting down until National Letter of Intent Signing Week wraps up this Wednesday.
As you all know by now, this is the seven-day stretch (which started Nov. 10 and ends Nov. 17) in which seniors make their verbal commitments to Division I or II programs that award athletic-based scholarships official.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of non-seniors deciding on their post-high school fates.
The latest is Sachem North senior Jack Lang. If you check our “Updated recruiting review and commitment rundown” each day, you learned early last week that the midfielder has verbally committed to UMBC.
“Jack has been with us for two years on the varsity and has made an impact each year,” Sachem North coach Jay Mauro said. “He’s a great kid who will continue to work hard and continue to get better and improve the team.”
Mauro’s Arrows now have nine — count ’em, nine — committed players, including seven seniors. (See the complete rundown below.)
Gannon will join Sachem senior Tim Lang at UMBC.
Now, here’s a Q&A with Jack on his commitment:
What were the main factors in your decision to attend UMBC?
I felt more comfortable with a mid-sized school. UMBC was perfect for me academically and has a solid lacrosse program with an excellent coaching staff. I had a tremendous amount of respect for Coach (Pete) Zimmerman after meeting him for the first time. You can see his strong passion for the game and his pride in the school. He’s a coach I can see myself playing for. I felt comfortable with the coaches and the players immediately. It was a nice campus and I felt like I fit right in.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
St. John’s, Delaware and Colgate.
What adjustments do you think you will need to make to play at the next level?
I will need to continue to get stronger & faster to adjust at the college level. I will also need to strengthen my weak hand.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I think I have a good vision on the field and I’m good under pressure. I maintain my composure in situations where the game is intense and the pressure is on. I’m a team player and my coaches and teammates can count on me.
What players have you looked up to as you have moved up through the varsity ranks?
I have looked up to many players here at Sachem, and some I even had the opportunity to play with my freshman and sophomore years. I’ve looked at the composure and intensity that my teammates had played with, and they inspired me to play hard and never give up.
A fellow teammate and most recent graduate of Sachem, Phil Schaefer, is one of those players that has stood out as a leader both on the field as well as off. Other teammates I look up to are Alex Harris and Tim Lang, who I will once again have the opportunity to play with at UMBC.
When did you first realize you had the potential to play at the college level?
Coach (Jay) Mauro and Coach (Rich) Petillo always believed in me and saw potential in me that I didn’t see in myself at first. They invited me to play varsity my freshman year and I had a successful season as a starting midfielder. Their confidence in me and my ability helped me to realize that my chances to play a D-I lacrosse team was not out of reach for me. I had to keep working hard and putting it all out on the field.
I have a lot of respect for my coaches for helping me to reach my potential and for believing in my abilities. It helped me to become more confident in myself, continue to strive to be better and helped get me where I am today.
Sachem North’s college commits
(click on each name for the LaxLessons.com commitment story or recruit profile, if available)
Class of 2011
Michael Andreassi, UMass, attack/midfield
Angelo Armine, Molloy, midfield
Jake Cabble, Robert Morris, midfield
Fred Golini, Hartwick, midfield
Alex Harris, Stony Brook, defense
Class of 2012
Cody Petillo, Rutgers, midfield
* Be sure to e-mail any recruiting commitment news to us at info@laxlessons.com.
Recruiting coverage
* Updated recruiting review and commitment rundown (for classes of 2011 and 2012)
* Class of 2010 commitment rundown
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* For a list of committed players with their profiles up, click here.
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Posted In: Recruiting Rundown
Yeh Jack. Congrats big guy.
WOW. This program is churning out D-I recruits. No wonder they beat WI last year.