2010 Men's Lacrosse Outlook
Trine ushers in a new era of high speed, high intensity lacrosse under the leadership of head coach Vinnie Lang. The Thunder also begin play in the brand-new Midwest Lacrosse Conference this spring.

Lang comes to Trine after two successful seasons at the University of Dayton. His 2006 Flyer team just missed a national championship berth. He also was the 2006 CCLA Coach of the Year. Joining Lang is Scott Morrison, who was the head coach at the University of Arizona and a top assistant for the two-time defending national champion University of Michigan.

Lang and Morrison say if the Thunder can execute and stay healthy, they can challenge for a MLC title. For the Thunder to make a run at the crown, they must rely heavily on a four-man rotation at attack, an explosive midfield unit and a defense that enters the season with a point to prove.

The Thunder will employ an up-tempo make-it-happen offense with pre-season all-MLC player of the year Cory Childs (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake ), Andy Lauer  (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) and Sean Hitz (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita), who combined for 83 goals and 36 assists.

Childs scored 44 goals and tallied 23 assists in 2009 and was eighth nationally in points scored per game. Lauer burst on the scene a year ago, and scored 14 goals and dished out seven assists. Hitz spent his freshman year as a middie, but he made his mark a year ago as he established himself as a reliable finisher at attack, totaling 10 goals and three assists. He has found a role as crease threat.

Lang is also expecting a solid season from newcomer Andrew Laycock (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron). Laycock has already established himself as a college player, and will provide plenty of scoring punch for the Thunder.

In the midfield, the Thunder will look to Eric Thompson (Cumberland, Maine/Greely). Thompson was second on the team in minutes played (587), was the Thunder’s top face-off man (122-247/49 percent), and top groundball man (59) while chipping in five goals and four assists. He will get plenty of help from pre-season all-conference selection junior co-captain Dan Giorgis (Avon, Ohio/St. Edwards). Giorgis finished last season with 20 goals and one assist. Speedster Blaine Stahley (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids) finished third in scoring last year with 16 goals and six assists.

Thompson and Giorgis will anchor Trine’s efforts on face-offs.

Ben Montalvo (Tecumseh, Mich./Tecumseh) will be relied upon to pick up some of the scoring slack at midfield, after an impressive fall. Junior Dan LaFond (Keenah, Wis./Neenah) and freshmen Brendon Kestler (Liberty Township, Ohio/Lakota West), Sean Robb (St. Louis, Mo./Lindbergh), and Ryan Chait (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill) could provide the nucleus of the second midfield, although all four could also see time with the first unit.

The Thunder never found their comfort zone on defense last season, and struggled against several of the top offenses they faced. All that will change as Coach Morrison takes the reins of the defense. Like Lang, Morrison has a high-intensity, in-your-face style defensive philosophy.

Junior Tom Shermetaro (Auburn Hills, Mich./Orchard Lake St.Mary's) and sophomore Chris Olney  (Columbus, Ohio/Pickering) will lead the way on defense. Shermetaro’s strength and athleticism allow him to match up with just about any opponent. Freshman Elliot King (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster) made his presence felt almost immediately in the fall. Junior Tom Hopkins (Chicago, Ill./St.Rita) will also see time on the interior and in man-down situations. A trio of young players - Jake Staines (Long Island, N.Y./ Sewanhaka), Paul Jankowski (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame) and Zach Bigger (Cedar Park, Texas/Leander) also figures into the rotation behind Shermataro, Olney, Hopkins and King.

Sophomores Sam Swerdlow (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) and Nathan Deinlein (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville ) are the leading candidates to hold down the starting long stick middie. Freshmen Kestler and Robb could also see time here.

Lang  is pleased with its depth and skill at goaltender. Junior co-captain Alex Gregg (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville), sophomore Jeff Dombek (St. Louis, Mo./CBC )and freshman John Shue (Pittsburgh, Pa.) are all capable and have earned the trust of the coaching staff.