Bobcats Open Season at UMass Lowell - Quinnipiac University Athletics

Saturday, February 12

Lowell, MA | Cushing Field

11:00 AM

Quinnipiac University

UMass Lowell

Photo by: Rob Rasmussen / P8Photos.com

2/11/2022 2:05:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Veteran Group Hits the Road to Begin 2022

By: QU Athletic Communications

Quinnipiac (0-0) at UMass Lowell (0-0)
Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022 | 11:00 AM
Cushing Field | Lowell, Mass.

WATCH: americaeast.com
LIVE STATS: goriverhawks.com

LOWELL, MASS. – Quinnipiac men's lacrosse kicks off the 2022 season on Saturday morning, traveling to UMass Lowell for an 11:00 AM matchup.

BOBCATS ARE BACK

Quinnipiac returns for the spring 2022 season with high aspirations. The Bobcats were tabbed No. 4 in the Preseason MAAC Coaches' Poll, and QU received one first place vote.
Both senior Demitri George and junior Jake Tellers earned spots on the Preseason All-MAAC Team for the Bobcats.
QU released its 2022 schedule back in December. The Bobcats' 2022 spring includes three home games (3/26 vs. Monmouth, 4/2 vs. Marist, and 4/23 vs. St. Bonaventure) and a trip to defending national champion Virginia (4/16).

RUN IT BACK

QU returns 9 of its top 10 scorers from a year ago.
MAAC Rookie of the Year Dylan Donnery (15 points) is back for QU, as is fellow All-MAAC Rookie Team selections Steven Germain (11 points) and Evan Perry (7 points).
Senior Will Abbott (14 points) and sophomores Jake Tellers (10 points) and John DeLucia (9 points) are also back to help lead the offensive charge.
Demitri George is back in the faceoff dot for the Bobcats, as well. George went 115-for-155 (.742%) last season and ended the year second in DI in faceoff percentage.
The reigning MAAC Faceoff Specialist of the Year also scored three goals during 2021.
Three-year starter Nick DiMuccio is back for his senior year in between the pipes. He made 62 saves with a 57.5% save percentage last year – good for 8^th nationally.
Out in front of the cage, senior Devin Naidoo (7GB/4CT) and junior Zack Siegel (5GB/4CT) are both returning. Senior LSM CJ Gallagher also return. Gallagher led the team in caused turnovers (8) while also being second on the team in ground balls (top pole) with 21.

THE MATCHUP: vs. UMASS LOWELL

UMass Lowell went 1-8 (1-7 AE) last year.
The River Hawks have taken each of the last three matchups between the two teams since 2018.
UMass Lowell won the most recent meeting on 2/8/20. John DeLucia had three goals in the road game.

NATIONAL TELEVISION

The Bobcats' home game scheduled for Saturday, April 2 vs. Marist will be televised nationally on ESPNU, as announced by the MAAC on Thursday, Feb. 3.
The Bobcats and Red Foxes will square off at 10:00 AM from the QU Lacrosse Stadium in Hamden. It marks the first time ever that a game at the QU Lacrosse/Soccer Stadium in Hamden will be broadcasted live on national television.
Marist was selected No. 2 in the Preseason MAAC Coaches' Poll, while the Bobcats were tabbed No. 4.

LAST SEASON (2021)

Following a four-win spring in league play, Quinnipiac men's lacrosse earned the title of MAAC Regular Season Co-Champions in 2021.
The Bobcats finished the spring campaign with a 4-2 league record, winning three straight home games at the QU Lacrosse Stadium in Hamden from April 7-17.
QU defeated St. Bonaventure on the road on March 27, then downed Siena, Manhattan and Canisius in MAAC play in Hamden during the month of April.

HEAD COACH MASON POLI

Mason Poli, a former standout lacrosse player at Bryant University, just completed his seventh season with the Quinnipiac coaching staff in 2021 – and his third at the helm of the program.
After serving as an assistant for the Bobcats' program for four seasons (2015-18), Poli was elevated to Interim Head Coach for the 2019 season. He was then named Men's Lacrosse Head Coach on May 10, 2019, becoming the Bobcats' sixth head coach in program history and third at the Division I level.
Most recently, the Bobcats went 4-3 (4-2 MAAC) in 2021 under Poli to earn the title of MAAC Co-Regular Season Champions. Quinnipiac finished the spring campaign with a 4-2 league record, winning three straight home games at the QU Lacrosse Stadium in Hamden from April 7-17.
Under the guidance of Poli last year, Quinnipiac finished the year ranked No. 12 nationally in scoring defense – allowing just 10.0 goals per game. QU also won 72.3 percent of all face-off attempts during the 2021 season, finishing No. 2 nationally.
Poli has led the Bobcats to a MAAC Tournament title appearance – which came in 2019 as Interim Head Coach. Quinnipiac went 9-7, (5-2 MAAC), advancing to the program's third-ever appearance in the MAAC Tournament championship. Poli led all first-year Division I head coaches in total wins (9) and winning percentage (.562) in 2019.