UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's lacrosse team will open its season on the road on Wednesday, February 22 against Morrisville State College at 4 p.m. 
 
Follow Along: Those who cannot attend the season opener can follow along with live video and/or stats at https://boxcast.tv/view/morrisville-mens-lacrosse-vs-utica-bzievtbuyzxtcpf3t2np.
 
Last Season: The Pioneers finished the 2022 season with a 6-9 (2-4 Empire 8) overall record. In the six games the team won, they scored at least eight goals. They dropped their last five games coming close to beating Empire 8 rival, Hartwick which would've solidified their spot in the conference tournament. Five players received All-Conference honors, two of them will be returning for the 2023 season. 
 
Season Outloook: The 2023 men's lacrosse season features 17 games, seven of them being Empire 8 matchups. The Pioneer's open up regular season play at Morrisville State College on February 22. The last time these teams met was in 2015, Utica edged out the Mustangs 5-4. For non-conference opponents, the team will face SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Poly, SUNY Canton, Hamilton College, Castleton University, SUNY Brockport, Oswego State and Wilkes University. The team will kick off conference play on April 1 against Nazareth College. The Pioneers will host home games against SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Canton, Castleton, Brockport, Oswego, Wilkes, Nazareth College, Russell Sage College, Hartwick College and Medaille University. The meeting against Medaille on April 15 will be Senior day along with the Mike Parnell game. 
 
At the Helm: Lelan Rogers enters his first year with Utica and more than 30 years of coaching experience. Most notably, he spent 14 years as the defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Division I Syracuse University from 2007-2021. While at Syracuse, the Orange won back-to-back national championships in 2008 and 2009. Rogers led the SU defense to a top-five national ranking in goals against in three straight years, including the Nation's top defense allowing just 7.4 goals against in 2010. In all, 79 players were named USILA All-Americans during Rogers' time at Syracuse and the Orange made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances. Prior to Syracuse, Rogers was the head coach at SUNY Cortland where he guided the Red Dragons to five straight NCAA Tournament berths including a national semifinal appearance in 2003. Cortland won five straight SUNYAC regular season and four SUNYAC Tournament championships under the tutelage of Rogers. He led the Red Dragons to a program-record 17 wins in both 2003 and 2005 and 23 of his players were named All-Americans during his tenure. Rogers coached professionally for one season as he was the bench boss of the Chicago Machine of the MLL from 2006-2007. Rogers also had stints at Ohio Wesleyan and Le Moyne College. 
 
Key Losses: The Pioneers will be without key point contributor and All Empire 8-Conference player John Avery (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford-Mendon), who scored 32 goals and dished out nine assists in 2022. Kevin Parisi's (Glenwood, NJ/Vernon Township) presence will be missed on the defensive side of the ball after leading the team with 32 caused turnovers and scooping up 51 ground balls while receiving second team All-Conference. James Daniele (Pleasantville, NY/Pleasantville) led the team with 19 assists to go along with eight goals last season. Gage Fiacco's (Massena, NY/Massena) 15 goals and three assists will be a big loss for the team after coming off the best season of his career. 
 
Wearing The "C": Graduate student Josh Bennet, senior Zach Shaler (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) and juniors Ethan Brown (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks) and Chase Rorick (Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima) will serve as co-captains this season. Bennet has played in 37 games during his four-year Pioneer career, totaling a .491 faceoff percentage and 106 ground balls. Shaler has played in 22 games scooping up 30 ground balls and a .462 faceoff percentage. He will be wearing number 44 after receiving the Ben Winkler Memorial Award, which is presented to a senior that exemplifies hard work and dedication. Brown had himself a dominant 2022 season and looks to take the torch as the top cover-man. He has tallied 53 ground balls and 25 caused turnovers in two seasons. Rorick will be getting more reps this season after only playing in nine games while collecting five ground balls and causing five turnovers. 
 
New Faces: The Pioneers will feature 14 new faces. Attackmen Evan Grobsmith (Elbridge, NY/Wilbraham & Monson Academy), Nolan Shea (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union), Alec Valenti (Haverhill, MA/Haverhill) and Noah Erickson (Auburn, NY/Auburn) will look to add depth to a position that lost the team's top point contributor John Avery (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford-Mendon). Defensemen Vincent Bernardo (Ossining, NY/Ossining), Gianpaul Cooper (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) and John Sheridan (Syracuse, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) look to help anchor a defense after the absence of Kevin Parisi (Glenwood, NJ/Vernon Township) and Jack O'Shaughnessy (Knoxville, TN/Utica Notre Dame) who combined for 70 ground balls. Midfielders Colin Zouck (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union), Lucas Sheprow (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook), Landen Frey (Accord, NY/Rondout Valley), Michael Milankovic (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park), Charlie Rose (Watervliet, NY/Shaker) and Michael Mecca (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) will run out of the box in place of James Daniele (Pleasantville, NY/Pleasantville) and Gage Fiacco (Massena, NY/Massena) who combined for 45 points in 2022. Jake Bowen (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union) will join the goalkeepers as the lone newcomer. 
 
Hello Vet Club: Ethan Brown (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks), Sam Serrano (Stone Ridge, NY/Roundout Valley), Zach Shaler (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) and Connor Constanza look to lead the way as the top contributors. Brown and Shaler lead the way for a defense that caused 168 turnovers, with a .815 clear percentage. Serrano and Constanza will look to keep putting goals in the net as they combined for 44 last season. They both look to take charge of an offense with the absence of Avery, Daniele and Fiacco. Brown was tabbed as an Empire 8 player to watch, earning third team All- Conference last season, scooping 43 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers. 
 
Between The Pipes: Utica returns two goalies from last season in Patrick Oswald (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) and Owen Mix (Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta). Oswald saw time in seven games allowing 18 goals and posing a .514 save percentage. In three conference games he had 15 saves and a .484 save percentage. Mix grabbed time in four games allowing seven goals and posing a .417 save percentage. 

Looking Ahead: The team will host SUNY Oneonta in its home opener on Sunday, February 26 at 1 p.m.