QU Men's Lacrosse Announces 2016 Newcomers
12/12/2015 11:33:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
HAMDEN, Conn. – The Quinnipiac University men's lacrosse program will welcome 17 newcomers in the 2016 season, Head Coach Eric Fekete announced at the conclusion of fall practice. The list of new faces includes 15 incoming freshmen as members of the Class of 2019 and a pair of transfers in their junior seasons.
The 17 additions give the Bobcats a full roster of 44 players entering the 2016 season, as they will try to build on a season which saw they finish as the MAAC runner-up following a narrow 16-14 defeat to nationally ranked Marist in the conference title game.
Here is a complete list of the new players for Quinnipiac men's lacrosse, entering the 2016 campaign:
Patrick Battista
Class: Freshman
Position: Defense
Height: 6-0
Weight: 200
Hometown: Bridgeport, Conn.
High School: St, Joseph
Battista played four seasons of lacrosse at St. Joseph High School in nearby Trumbull, Connecticut, where he earned all-state honors. He helped St. Joseph to back-to-back Connecticut state championships as a junior and senior in 2014 and 2015, and also played wide receiver on the St. Joseph football team as well.
Coach Fekete on Battista: "Pat is a promising defenseman with a great work ethic."
Remington Borg
Class: Freshman
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200
Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif.
High School: Hill Academy
A California native from Simi Valley, Borg played his scholastic lacrosse in Canada at The Hill Academy in Ontario. He helped his squad to a 13-1 record as a senior, and led them to a ranking as high as No. 2 in the nation, while earning Dean's List accolades in the classroom. His father, Kurt, played football in college.
Coach Fekete on Borg: "Remi is an outstanding communicator and carries a lot of potential for the future."
Dylan Chand
Class: Freshman
Position: Long-Stick Midfield
Height: 6-0
Weight: 185
Hometown: Coquitlam, B.C.
High School: Calverton (Md.)
Chand comes to Quinnipiac all the way from British Columbia, Canada, although he played his high school lacrosse at The Calverton School in Maryland. While at Calverton, he was a two-time first-team all-conference selection, helped his club to two MILL Championships, and was chosen to the 2015 MSCLA Senior All-Star Game. He twice won championships at the U-16 Alumni Cup in Canada, and was the student body president his senior year at Calverton.
Coach Fekete on Chand: "Dylan has tremendous presence and IQ on the defensive end of the field."
Michael Crescimanni
Class: Freshman
Position: Attack
Height: 6-2
Weight: 185
Hometown: Syosset, N.Y.
High School: Syosset
Crescimanni joins the Quinnipiac men's lacrosse team after a scholastic career at Syosset High School on Long Island, one of the hotbeds of high school lacrosse. He was a member of both the lacrosse and ice hockey teams for Syosset, and helped the Braves reach the semifinals of the New York state lacrosse tournament in 2015.
Coach Fekete on Crescimanni: "Mike is a tremendous athlete who can fill a wide variety of roles on the field."
Foster Cuomo
Class: Freshman
Position: Attack
Height: 6-0
Weight: 180
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario
High School: IMG Academy
Cuomo is a Canadian native who traveled to Florida to play high school lacrosse at the IMG Academy. He was twice named to Team Ontario in Canada in 2012 and 2014, while helping his squad to a silver medal at the All-Canada games. At the Brogdan Cup, he helped Team Canada to a gold medal in 2014 and a silver medal in 2013, earning All-Star honors, while also earning All-Star honors at the Gait Cup, NSCLA and Blue Chip Elite games.
Coach Fekete on Cuomo: "Foster is a tremendous player. He will have an immediate impact on the field."
Drew D'Antonio
Class: Junior
Position: Attack
Height: 5-5
Weight: 150
Hometown: Norwalk, Conn.
High School: Brien McMahon
D'Antonio joins Quinnipiac after playing for two seasons at Bryant College in Smithfield, R.I. Prior to that he was a four-year starter for Brien McMahon High School, where he was a US Lacrosse High School All-America selection in 2012. He was a three-time all-area selection and earned first-team all-state honors as a junior and second-team honors as a senior. He was captain of both the football and lacrosse teams as a senior and was a high honors student.
Coach Fekete on D'Antonio: "Drew is a proven player with a great skill set. He will be a valued contributor moving ahead."
Mike Fletcher
Class: Freshman
Position: Attack
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190
Hometown: Syracuse, N.Y.
High School: West Genesee
Fletcher is an attackman from Syracuse, where he helped West Genesee High School to a section 3 championship and a runner-up finish in the New York State championship. He was a second-team All-League selection and was chosen to the Central New York All-Senior game. His brother, Joe, has played professionally for the New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse after a collegiate career at Loyola (Md.).
Coach Fekete on Fletcher: "Mike is a solid player. His versatility makes our lineup even stronger."
Matt Frost
Class: Freshman
Position: Attack
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190
Hometown: Spring Lake, N.J.
High School: St. Rose
Frost played lacrosse, baseball and soccer at St. Rose High School, where he receive US Lacrosse All-American honors and Academic All-American honors as a senior. He was a First-Team All-Shore selection and earned first-team all-division honors from the Asbury Park Press. He was named the Coast Star Offensive Player of the Year and was runner-up for the Player of the Year Award in the Shore Conference.
Coach Fekete on Frost: "Matt has great potential to make an immediate impact on the field."
Jack Hill
Class: Freshman
Position: Long-Stick Midfield
Height: 6-1
Weight: 180
Hometown: Wilmette, Ill.
High School: New Trier
Hill comes to Quinnipiac from the Midwest after a standout career at New Trier High School in Illinois. He helped his squads win back-to-back state championships as a junior and senior after a runner-up finish as a sophomore, while his team his senior year went undefeated (16-0) in the state on its way to an 18-4 final record. He earned US Lacrosse All-America honors and played club lacrosse for Team ONE.
Coach Fekete on Hill: "Jack has tremendous field sense and superb athletic ability."
Luke Hoffman
Class: Freshman
Position: Midfield
Height: 5-11
Weight: 170
Hometown: Gilbertville, Pa.
High School: Malvern Prep
Hoffman played at Malvern Prep in Pennsylvania, which he helped to a 24-0 record as a junior. He was a 2013 Brine All-America selection and a Top 205 All-Star selection for Malvern, helping his team to two Inter-Ac League Championships and two Inter-Ac Invitational titles. He also played for Old School Lacrosse Club and was an honors student in the classroom.
Coach Fekete on Hoffman: "Luke is a great midfielder on both the offensive and defensive sides of the field."
Bryce Nalls
Class: Freshman
Position: Defense
Height: 6-2
Weight: 215
Hometown: Fairfax Station, Va.
High School: South County
Nalls joins the Bobcats from Virginia, and will provide a physical presence to the defensive unit at 6-2, 215. He played scholastically at South County High School, where he was a First-Team All-Northern Region selection and earned the conference's Defensive Player of the Year Award. He helped South County to four conference titles in four years and was also a first-team all-state linebacker in football.
Coach Fekete on Nalls: "Bryce has unlimited potential and will have an immediate role."
C.J. Paniccia
Class: Junior
Position: Attack
Height: 5-7
Weight: 145
Hometown: Locust Valley, N.Y.
High School: Locust Valley
Paniccia joins the Quinnipiac roster after playing at Manhattanville College. As a freshman in 2014, he started 14 games, and had a three-goal, two-assist game against Western Connecticut while finishing the year with seven goals and seven assists. Prior to his college career, Paniccia played both football and lacrosse at Locust Valley High School on Long Island.
Coach Fekete on Paniccia: "C.J. is a great and unexpected addition to the team."
Cole Renninger
Class: Freshman
Position: Long-Stick Midfield
Height: 6-4
Weight: 165
Hometown: Glen Mills, Pa.
High School: The Salesianum School
Renninger had a key role in leading The Salesianum School to a pair of Delaware state championships in 2013 and 2015. He was an all-state selection as a senior, and also won a national championship while playing for Dukes LC. He was a UNC Team Camp Most Valuable Player and was an honor roll student in the classroom, while also having a successful scholastic career as an ice hockey player.
Coach Fekete on Renninger: "Cole comes from a winning pedigree and has the potential to have an immediate impact for us this year."
A.J. Schmitz
Class: Freshman
Position: Midfield
Height: 6-0
Weight: 200
Hometown: Madison, N.J.
High School: Madison
Schmitz joins the Quinnipiac midfield in 2016 after an impressive high school career at Madison High School in New Jersey, where he scored over 100 career goals. He was a New Jersey Coaches Association First-Team All-State selection and a 2015 Star Ledger All-Group 1 First-Team New Jersey pick. He was a lacrosse team captain and MVP and also had 1,126 rushing yards and 685 passing yards for the Madison football team as a senior, while earning his conference's Scholar-Athlete Award.
Coach Fekete on Schmitz: "AJ is a physical midfielder with unlimited abilities."
Grant Skophammer
Class: Freshman
Position: Midfield
Height: 5-11
Weight: 170
Hometown: Bloomington, Minn.
High School: John F. Kennedy
Skophammer joins the Quinnipiac squad this year all the way from Bloomington, Minnesota, where he played on the lacrosse team at John F. Kennedy High School. He earned All-Metro honors as a member of JFK, and was also selected to compete in the Brine National Lacrosse Classic in Maryland. In addition to playing for JFK, Skophammer also competed for the Minnesota Loons Select club team.
Coach Fekete on Skophammer: "Grant is one of the fastest athletes we have had in the program."
Maximillian Smith
Class: Freshman
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-2
Weight: 180
Hometown: Sarasota, Fla.
High School: IMG Academy
Smith played his high school lacrosse at the IMG Academy in Florida, and also played club lacrosse for Crossefire, Finger Lakes Lacrosse Club and Team United. He was a Jake Reed's Nike Blue Chip selection and was chosen to the Brine All-American All-Star game, the Lake Erie All-Star Game and the Capital Challenge All-Star Game. He was an honor roll student in the classroom as well for three years in a row.
Coach Fekete on Smith: "Max is a tremendous goalie with exceptional skills."
Ryan Trzcinski
Class: Freshman
Position: Defense
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190
Hometown: Glastonbury, Conn.
High School: Glastonbury
A local product from nearby Glastonbury, Trzcinski joins the Bobcats after a successful scholastic career in Connecticut. As a senior at Glastonbury, he was chosen Second-Team All-Connecticut in the large school (Class L) division. In addition to his success in lacrosse, Trzcinski was also a linebacker for the Glastonbury football team.
Coach Fekete on Trzcinski: "Ryan is a super athlete and extremely smart player on the defensive side of the ball."
The 17 additions give the Bobcats a full roster of 44 players entering the 2016 season, as they will try to build on a season which saw they finish as the MAAC runner-up following a narrow 16-14 defeat to nationally ranked Marist in the conference title game.
Here is a complete list of the new players for Quinnipiac men's lacrosse, entering the 2016 campaign:
Patrick Battista
Class: Freshman
Position: Defense
Height: 6-0
Weight: 200
Hometown: Bridgeport, Conn.
High School: St, Joseph
Battista played four seasons of lacrosse at St. Joseph High School in nearby Trumbull, Connecticut, where he earned all-state honors. He helped St. Joseph to back-to-back Connecticut state championships as a junior and senior in 2014 and 2015, and also played wide receiver on the St. Joseph football team as well.
Coach Fekete on Battista: "Pat is a promising defenseman with a great work ethic."
Remington Borg
Class: Freshman
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200
Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif.
High School: Hill Academy
A California native from Simi Valley, Borg played his scholastic lacrosse in Canada at The Hill Academy in Ontario. He helped his squad to a 13-1 record as a senior, and led them to a ranking as high as No. 2 in the nation, while earning Dean's List accolades in the classroom. His father, Kurt, played football in college.
Coach Fekete on Borg: "Remi is an outstanding communicator and carries a lot of potential for the future."
Dylan Chand
Class: Freshman
Position: Long-Stick Midfield
Height: 6-0
Weight: 185
Hometown: Coquitlam, B.C.
High School: Calverton (Md.)
Chand comes to Quinnipiac all the way from British Columbia, Canada, although he played his high school lacrosse at The Calverton School in Maryland. While at Calverton, he was a two-time first-team all-conference selection, helped his club to two MILL Championships, and was chosen to the 2015 MSCLA Senior All-Star Game. He twice won championships at the U-16 Alumni Cup in Canada, and was the student body president his senior year at Calverton.
Coach Fekete on Chand: "Dylan has tremendous presence and IQ on the defensive end of the field."
Michael Crescimanni
Class: Freshman
Position: Attack
Height: 6-2
Weight: 185
Hometown: Syosset, N.Y.
High School: Syosset
Crescimanni joins the Quinnipiac men's lacrosse team after a scholastic career at Syosset High School on Long Island, one of the hotbeds of high school lacrosse. He was a member of both the lacrosse and ice hockey teams for Syosset, and helped the Braves reach the semifinals of the New York state lacrosse tournament in 2015.
Coach Fekete on Crescimanni: "Mike is a tremendous athlete who can fill a wide variety of roles on the field."
Foster Cuomo
Class: Freshman
Position: Attack
Height: 6-0
Weight: 180
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario
High School: IMG Academy
Cuomo is a Canadian native who traveled to Florida to play high school lacrosse at the IMG Academy. He was twice named to Team Ontario in Canada in 2012 and 2014, while helping his squad to a silver medal at the All-Canada games. At the Brogdan Cup, he helped Team Canada to a gold medal in 2014 and a silver medal in 2013, earning All-Star honors, while also earning All-Star honors at the Gait Cup, NSCLA and Blue Chip Elite games.
Coach Fekete on Cuomo: "Foster is a tremendous player. He will have an immediate impact on the field."
Drew D'Antonio
Class: Junior
Position: Attack
Height: 5-5
Weight: 150
Hometown: Norwalk, Conn.
High School: Brien McMahon
D'Antonio joins Quinnipiac after playing for two seasons at Bryant College in Smithfield, R.I. Prior to that he was a four-year starter for Brien McMahon High School, where he was a US Lacrosse High School All-America selection in 2012. He was a three-time all-area selection and earned first-team all-state honors as a junior and second-team honors as a senior. He was captain of both the football and lacrosse teams as a senior and was a high honors student.
Coach Fekete on D'Antonio: "Drew is a proven player with a great skill set. He will be a valued contributor moving ahead."
Mike Fletcher
Class: Freshman
Position: Attack
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190
Hometown: Syracuse, N.Y.
High School: West Genesee
Fletcher is an attackman from Syracuse, where he helped West Genesee High School to a section 3 championship and a runner-up finish in the New York State championship. He was a second-team All-League selection and was chosen to the Central New York All-Senior game. His brother, Joe, has played professionally for the New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse after a collegiate career at Loyola (Md.).
Coach Fekete on Fletcher: "Mike is a solid player. His versatility makes our lineup even stronger."
Matt Frost
Class: Freshman
Position: Attack
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190
Hometown: Spring Lake, N.J.
High School: St. Rose
Frost played lacrosse, baseball and soccer at St. Rose High School, where he receive US Lacrosse All-American honors and Academic All-American honors as a senior. He was a First-Team All-Shore selection and earned first-team all-division honors from the Asbury Park Press. He was named the Coast Star Offensive Player of the Year and was runner-up for the Player of the Year Award in the Shore Conference.
Coach Fekete on Frost: "Matt has great potential to make an immediate impact on the field."
Jack Hill
Class: Freshman
Position: Long-Stick Midfield
Height: 6-1
Weight: 180
Hometown: Wilmette, Ill.
High School: New Trier
Hill comes to Quinnipiac from the Midwest after a standout career at New Trier High School in Illinois. He helped his squads win back-to-back state championships as a junior and senior after a runner-up finish as a sophomore, while his team his senior year went undefeated (16-0) in the state on its way to an 18-4 final record. He earned US Lacrosse All-America honors and played club lacrosse for Team ONE.
Coach Fekete on Hill: "Jack has tremendous field sense and superb athletic ability."
Luke Hoffman
Class: Freshman
Position: Midfield
Height: 5-11
Weight: 170
Hometown: Gilbertville, Pa.
High School: Malvern Prep
Hoffman played at Malvern Prep in Pennsylvania, which he helped to a 24-0 record as a junior. He was a 2013 Brine All-America selection and a Top 205 All-Star selection for Malvern, helping his team to two Inter-Ac League Championships and two Inter-Ac Invitational titles. He also played for Old School Lacrosse Club and was an honors student in the classroom.
Coach Fekete on Hoffman: "Luke is a great midfielder on both the offensive and defensive sides of the field."
Bryce Nalls
Class: Freshman
Position: Defense
Height: 6-2
Weight: 215
Hometown: Fairfax Station, Va.
High School: South County
Nalls joins the Bobcats from Virginia, and will provide a physical presence to the defensive unit at 6-2, 215. He played scholastically at South County High School, where he was a First-Team All-Northern Region selection and earned the conference's Defensive Player of the Year Award. He helped South County to four conference titles in four years and was also a first-team all-state linebacker in football.
Coach Fekete on Nalls: "Bryce has unlimited potential and will have an immediate role."
C.J. Paniccia
Class: Junior
Position: Attack
Height: 5-7
Weight: 145
Hometown: Locust Valley, N.Y.
High School: Locust Valley
Paniccia joins the Quinnipiac roster after playing at Manhattanville College. As a freshman in 2014, he started 14 games, and had a three-goal, two-assist game against Western Connecticut while finishing the year with seven goals and seven assists. Prior to his college career, Paniccia played both football and lacrosse at Locust Valley High School on Long Island.
Coach Fekete on Paniccia: "C.J. is a great and unexpected addition to the team."
Cole Renninger
Class: Freshman
Position: Long-Stick Midfield
Height: 6-4
Weight: 165
Hometown: Glen Mills, Pa.
High School: The Salesianum School
Renninger had a key role in leading The Salesianum School to a pair of Delaware state championships in 2013 and 2015. He was an all-state selection as a senior, and also won a national championship while playing for Dukes LC. He was a UNC Team Camp Most Valuable Player and was an honor roll student in the classroom, while also having a successful scholastic career as an ice hockey player.
Coach Fekete on Renninger: "Cole comes from a winning pedigree and has the potential to have an immediate impact for us this year."
A.J. Schmitz
Class: Freshman
Position: Midfield
Height: 6-0
Weight: 200
Hometown: Madison, N.J.
High School: Madison
Schmitz joins the Quinnipiac midfield in 2016 after an impressive high school career at Madison High School in New Jersey, where he scored over 100 career goals. He was a New Jersey Coaches Association First-Team All-State selection and a 2015 Star Ledger All-Group 1 First-Team New Jersey pick. He was a lacrosse team captain and MVP and also had 1,126 rushing yards and 685 passing yards for the Madison football team as a senior, while earning his conference's Scholar-Athlete Award.
Coach Fekete on Schmitz: "AJ is a physical midfielder with unlimited abilities."
Grant Skophammer
Class: Freshman
Position: Midfield
Height: 5-11
Weight: 170
Hometown: Bloomington, Minn.
High School: John F. Kennedy
Skophammer joins the Quinnipiac squad this year all the way from Bloomington, Minnesota, where he played on the lacrosse team at John F. Kennedy High School. He earned All-Metro honors as a member of JFK, and was also selected to compete in the Brine National Lacrosse Classic in Maryland. In addition to playing for JFK, Skophammer also competed for the Minnesota Loons Select club team.
Coach Fekete on Skophammer: "Grant is one of the fastest athletes we have had in the program."
Maximillian Smith
Class: Freshman
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-2
Weight: 180
Hometown: Sarasota, Fla.
High School: IMG Academy
Smith played his high school lacrosse at the IMG Academy in Florida, and also played club lacrosse for Crossefire, Finger Lakes Lacrosse Club and Team United. He was a Jake Reed's Nike Blue Chip selection and was chosen to the Brine All-American All-Star game, the Lake Erie All-Star Game and the Capital Challenge All-Star Game. He was an honor roll student in the classroom as well for three years in a row.
Coach Fekete on Smith: "Max is a tremendous goalie with exceptional skills."
Ryan Trzcinski
Class: Freshman
Position: Defense
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190
Hometown: Glastonbury, Conn.
High School: Glastonbury
A local product from nearby Glastonbury, Trzcinski joins the Bobcats after a successful scholastic career in Connecticut. As a senior at Glastonbury, he was chosen Second-Team All-Connecticut in the large school (Class L) division. In addition to his success in lacrosse, Trzcinski was also a linebacker for the Glastonbury football team.
Coach Fekete on Trzcinski: "Ryan is a super athlete and extremely smart player on the defensive side of the ball."
MLAX vs. Marist (3/28/26)
Saturday, March 28
MLAX vs. Siena (3/7)
Saturday, March 07
MLAX vs. St. John's (2/17)
Tuesday, February 17
MLAX vs. UMass (2/13)
Friday, February 13
