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Brendon Lao  is an athletic player with a combination of good speed and stick skills.

Those attributes have served him well at one of the top Catholic school programs in downstate New York, defending CHSAA city champion Iona Prep.

The senior midfielder hopes that will continue to be the case at the college level. He made a verbal commitment to attend Ithaca College last month, a decision first reported when it was made by Joe Lombardi on LaxLessons.com’s Lacrosse Insider premium coverage section.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Lao is a righty who’s also strong with his off-hand.

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

What were the main factors in your decision?
I was looking for a great academic environment paired with a competitive D-III lacrosse program. Ithaca is a mid-sized school in a great location that provides both of these.

The connections with the coaching staff were also a big factor.

What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
Skidmore, Scranton and Muhlenberg.

What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
My greatest strengths as a player are my speed and endurance. My speed helps me get big downhill dodges, clear the ball, create doubles, and create space to shoot.

What area of your game do you need to work on?
The most important thing I need to work on now is my shot and accuracy.

How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
I started playing with the White Plains Lacrosse Association when I was 9. A couple of my friends played, so I decided to give it a try and it took off from there. At Iona Prep, I ran Cross Country and Winter Track freshman and sophomore years.

What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
I play for Red Water Lacrosse. I have also participated in NE Top 150, Amherst Good to Great, National Invite 175, Prep School Lacrosse Showcase, and the D3 Lacrosse Showcase.

Any final thoughts?
I would especially like to thank my mother and father for supporting me and helping me throughout this whole process.

I would also like to thank my Iona Prep coaches – Rick Trizano, Brian Fee, Ryan O’Hagan, Pete Jackson, Mike Ciavolino, Fred Cambria and James Tricario – my Iona Prep teammates, my friends, family and everyone else who helped me out along the way.

Finally, I would like to thank (Ithaca Head) Coach (Jeff) Long, (Ithaca Assistant) Coach (Mike) Silipo and the rest of the IC Bombers lacrosse family.