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Andrew Pugliese had a stellar 2015 season and his success in the faceoff X may have been as important as any other factor in the Darien High School’s unbeaten, Connecticut Class M state-title run.
Pugliese’s big wins on draws were critical in wins over New Canaan in both the FCIAC semifinals and state final.
Boston University coach Ryan Polley is hoping the midfielder will have a similar-type impact with his Boston University Terriers.
Pugliese’s commitment, first reported when it was made early last month by Joe Lombardi on LaxLessons.com’s Lacrosse Insider premium coverage section, is a major coup for Polley and perhaps the Terriers’ biggest commit in its young history as a D-I program.
The 6-foot, 175-pound Pugliese, a natural righty who is also strong with his left hand, excels well beyond the faceoff X. He’s a versatile and fundamentally sound midfielder who excels on both offense and defense.
Now, here’s a Q&A with Andrew on his commitment.
What were the main factors in your decision?
Ideally, I wanted to be at a big southern school with lots of school spirit that was strong academically. Most of those schools have club lacrosse, so it was really a matter of finding a school that met some of that criteria but also had a great lacrosse program and a coach that I connected with.
(Boston University Head) Coach (Ryan) Polley spent a lot of time with me when I visited BU, showing me the campus and giving me great information about their program. He made me feel very welcome and I found it exciting to be part of building a program where I may be able to contribute right away.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
Once I visited BU, I knew it could be a great fit for me and I really liked Coach Polley and the lacrosse program. I also knew I wanted to be at a larger school, so I narrowed down the schools I was considering pretty quickly and didn’t take visits at schools that I just didn’t think were a good fit.
I considered Duke for a PG year, Michigan, Holy Cross, Villanova and Tufts and I visited Richmond, Army and Tufts.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I am dominant both left and right hand and I am able to keep a clear head under pressure. I played middie up through my freshman year in high school so I also am comfortable with the ball after the faceoff.
What area of your game do you need to work on?
I am always working on my speed and agility at the X, but I also want to take advantage of scoring opportunities and work on my shot percentage.
How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
My sister is an equestrian and when I was in the fourth and fifth grade, we moved to Florida in the winter so she could compete. I was introduced to lacrosse in fifth grade at Gulfstream School in Florida.
I have played football and basketball in addition to lacrosse. I also do martial arts training which helps with my speed, strength and agility and am rowing crew this fall.
What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
I play for CT Chargers 2015. In the past year I attended the Legacy Showcase, NXT Philly Showcase and was a part of the New England Under Armour team.
Any final thoughts?
I want to thank my high school coach, Jeff Brameier. He has given me so many opportunities since my freshman year and has really pushed me to use my skills beyond facing off to be an impact player on the field. He was really instrumental in creating a “team first” environment where we ended with a perfect season. I want to thank Jackson Kiniry, my club coach, for really making an investment in our team and always encouraging us to be the best we can be.
I also have to thank Todd Esposito and Matt Schomberg for opening so many doors for me and for all of their efforts on my behalf. They have both been great mentors to me and really helped me navigate the recruiting process. And of course I want to thank my parents, for their dedication to me and to the sport of lacrosse. My parents always stressed that the most important thing to was to have fun playing lacrosse and the rest would take care of itself.
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Posted In: Connecticut, fciac, Recruiting Rundown
