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It didn’t take Brody Firestein long to show he can excel at a higher level of lacrosse.

The midfielder made an immediate impact this past spring as an eighth-grader on the junior varsity team at Section 1 (NY) power Mamaroneck High School.

That performance, coupled with a strong summer, has allowed Firestein to make some history. He committed earlier this week to Penn State University, the earliest ever by a Hudson Valley player.

The previous earliest had been Bronxville (NY) rising senior Ara Atayan, who committed to North Carolina in September 2013. At the time, Atayan’s decision was the earliest ever in D-I men’s lacrosse history.

Both verbals by Firestein and Atayan were first reported by Joe Lombardi on LaxLessons.com’s Lacrosse Insider premium coverage section.

Firestein  plans on attending prep power Brunswick in nearby Greenwich (CT) this fall.

The 6-foot, 160-pound Firestein, who plays travel for Prime Time, is extremely athletic and an effective shooter on the run and equally strong with both hands. You can watch his highlights by clicking here.

Firestein is the sixth Class of 2020 from NY/NJ/CT to give a verbal. The other five came from standouts on Long Island.

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

What were the main factors in your decision?
Education was the main factor. Penn State has an amazing academic reputation.  I loved the campus and the people that I met.

I really liked the fact that the school has a great history of students and alumni that have such strong, positive feelings for Penn State.

Also, the coach was a big factor.  I was looking for a Coach that could make me better, and cares about me as a person and a student as well as a lacrosse player.

(Penn State Head) Coach (Jeff) Tambroni has all of those qualities and has an incredible reputation. I am excited to play for him in the future.

What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
North Carolina, Denver (where my parents went), Duke, Maryland, and Lehigh.

Have you decided what academic major you plan to pursue?
Not yet, but the Business school at Penn State is highly regarded. I have a lot of time to make that decision.

What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I try to always put the team first, play within the system and make the players around me better.

I love playing lacrosse and enjoy every moment that I am on the field. I am a natural righty but picked up a stick when I was younger and played lefty, so I am strong with both hands.

I would describe myself as a good teammate whose goal is to help my team win.

What area of your game do you need to work on?
I need to work on every area of my game. I know that I have to practice and work incredibly hard over the next four years if I want to be able to make an impact at both Brunswick and Penn State.

How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
I have played football and basketball as well as lacrosse, and I still play basketball.  I got introduced to the game by my mom who was the founder of the women’s club lacrosse program at the University of Denver.

What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
I play for the Prime Time lacrosse program run by Nick Daniello. I have great friends on our 2020 team and the group is very close.

I have been with the program for three years and I am really happy with the program and the coaches. I have three amazing Coaches in Kenny Nims, Chris Coppolecchia and (Mamaroneck alum) Reed Malas.

The program is tremendous because they make every player better and help them achieve their goals.

I played in Maverik Showtime Showcase, Adrenaline Blackard Showcase, FLG Showcase and the Lehigh Valley Showcase.

Any final thoughts and people you want to thank for helping you reach this point?
I am really happy to be part of the Penn State family.  We looked at a lot of schools and met a lot of people and I feel like the school and their lacrosse program is a perfect fit for me.  The new academic center and the educational support they give athletes are first class

Coach Tambroni and his staff were amazing throughout the whole process.  I have to thank my Mom and Dad the most as they have helped me every step of the way.  One of them is always at my tournaments and they have gone out of their way to keep lacrosse fun.   I should also thank Nick Daniello and PrimeTime, the program does an incredible job of coaching their players to prepare them for the next level, and then showcases their players in the best tournaments and showcases.

They have a long history of placing kids at great colleges.  Nick does a great job.    I should also thank all of the great coaches that I have had over the last few years, Pete Bennett, Mike Mollin. Bill Lovejoy, Jeff Ledvick, Seth Heaton, Dan Menzel as well as Kenny, Chris and Reed.   Finally, I cannot wait to play for Brunswick over the next four years.   I know I will learn and grow under Coach David Bruce and am looking forward to meeting and playing with my future Brunswick teammates.

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