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With the official announcement expected to come Tuesday that former Mets and Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine will become its athletic director, Sacred Heart University is very much in the news.

The Pioneers also made their mark on the lacrosse recruiting scene this past week, landing a verbal commitments from one of the top juniors in Central New York.

He’s Dan Wyman, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound midfielder from Fayetteville-Manlius High School.

An athletic right-hander with good quickness who excels in transition, Wyman, who enjoyed a strong summer with Team United’s travel team, is equally effective on offense and defense, as evidenced by his highlight reel.

Also a varsity football standout, Wyman did not start playing lax seriously until the eighth grade.

“I was always a baseball kid,” Wyman said, “but I realized I didn’t have a future with baseball and decided to pick up lacrosse since all of my friends played and loved it.”

Now, here’s a Q&A with Dan on his commitment.

What were the main factors in your decision?
The quality of academics, school population size and the location of the school.  All three of these factors were positive aspects of Sacred Heart and helped me conclude that Sacred Heart was the place for me.

What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
Besides Sacred Heart, I also considered Lafayette College, RPI and Tufts.

What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I like to play an up-tempo game. It’s the reason that I fell in love with lacrosse.  I’m a quick, fast and athletic player that uses my speed to help create my own shot and clear the ball upfield.

Unlike most people, I like playing midfield defense because it gives me the chance to cause turnovers, pick up groundballs, and play in unsettled situations.

How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
Besides lacrosse, I also play football and I started for my school’s varsity team this past fall at cornerback.  I was introduced to lacrosse back when I was in second grade, but I never played it fulltime until eighth grade.

I was always a baseball kid, but I realized I didn’t have a future with baseball and decided to pick up lacrosse since all of my friends played and loved it.

Who have been some of the biggest influences on you during your development as a player?
Undoubtedly the biggest influence that I have had in my lacrosse career is Ric Beardsley (the former Syracuse University star who now coaches both Christian Brothers Academy’s varsity team and Team United’s travel team).

I can confidently say that I would not be where I am today without the guidance, knowledge and help of Ric. Ric devotes his time to his players and takes it upon himself to ensure that he will do everything he can to get you to where you want to go.  He had faith and confidence in me when I didn’t, and I cannot thank him enough for what he has done for me.

What travel team did you play on and what were some of the big showcase events you participated in last summer?
I played and continue to play for United Lacrosse coached by Ric Beardsley and Steve Carcaterra.

Besides the tournaments I played in with the Team United Knights, like Summer Slam and MVP, I also attended Maverik Showtime, Warrior Diamond Showcase, National 175, and the Lake Placid Tournament with Liberty Lacrosse.

* For more info on Dan, including his highlight reel, check out his player profile by clicking here.