Earlier today, we told you about our third sophomore commitment from the nation’s No. 1 lacrosse hotbed, the Hudson Valley/Long Island/Connecticut region.
Jack Lambert, an athletic defenseman with good speed and stick skills, has decided on North Carolina after being pursued by most of the nation’s top programs, including Virginia and Syracuse.
The 6-foot, 170-pound Lambert, who had a breakout freshman season as a starter for the Indians last spring, went on to enjoy an outstanding summer for the Prime Time travel program.
He becomes the 12th current John Jay player to commit to a college program. (See the complete list below.)
Now, here’s a Q&A with Jack on his commitment.
What were the main factors in your decision to attend UNC?
UNC was my first visit but I had many more after that, and my gut feeling was that Chapel Hill was a very special place all around. Coach (Joe) Breschi and the entire coaching staff also made me feel like part of their family during my visits to Chapel Hill. My dad’s brother also lives very close by and having a support system nearby was also important.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
I visited UVa twice and also visited Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins, Yale, Princeton and Dartmouth. I was also considering Syracuse.
What adjustments do you think you will need to make to play at the next level?
During my visits, I saw right away that I need to get bigger, stronger and faster to excel at the next level. Leadership will also be important and having Alex Lanza to learn a lot from this year will help me in the years ahead.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I would say that my biggest strengths as a player are my speed, stick work and field vision. Playing middie a lot when I was younger really helped me appreciate what happens on both sides of the field.
What players have you looked up to as you have moved up through the varsity ranks?
John Jay has had so many great players over the years. I watched Ryder Bohlander and Matt Bocklet growing up and Ryder really pushed me later to play a more physical game. Chris Daniello and Nick Daniello have also been strong influences on me.
When did you first realize you had the potential to play at the college level?
Just making a Tim Schurr-coached team as a freshman was a great experience and I really learned so much from Day 1 and believed in myself after I got that chance.
Sunho Lee was my youth coach and always told me I had the potential to play at the highest level. He was the coach that actually moved me to defense and challenged me to do something different with the position. Finally, after last summer, Paul Carcaterra really provided some great advice that also boosted my confidence about pursuing D-I opportunities.
John Jay’s college commits
Trevor Caviola, defense, Endicott, sr.
Evan Chen, midfield, Bates, sr.
Mike Daniello, attack, Johns Hopkins, sr.
Alex Lanza, defense, Gettysburg, sr.
Jack Lambert, defense, North Carolina, so.
Mike Lupinacci, attack, Rollins, sr.
Thomas Mertens, LSM, Endicott, sr.
Brendan Morris, midfield, Gettysburg, sr.
Jimmy Morris, midfield, Gettysburg, sr.
Forrest Walter, midfield, Colgate, sr.
Jake Weil, midfield, Dartmouth, sr.
Malcolm Winter, defense, Goucher, sr.
Player’s perspective archive
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Posted In: Recruiting Rundown, Section 1
That goal vs Somers in the final after winning the FO was soooo sickkkkkkk
Congratulations Jack! Great program getting a great kid! Seen this kid since 3r grade and nice to see all that hard work pay off.
Congrats Jack
What will be the starting close defense for JJ?