This past month the UConn Men's Lacrosse program held their annual alumni game and it was one of
the best turnouts in recent memory, with four decades of alumni
participating. After the game alumni, parents, and players gathered for
a post game tailgate with an impressive spread thanks to the teams
parents association. Check out the below link for a helmet cam video from the game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL-KeblRBHo&feature=youtu.be
Marine and Afghanistan War Veteran Greg Caron Speaks with UConn Men's Lacrosse Team
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
On November
11th, 2011, while our country was celebrating Veterans Day, USMC
Corporal Greg Caron was on his second tour of duty searching for
known Taliban compounds in the Southern Marjah area of Afghanistan.
Caron's vehicle made contact with an improvised
explosive device, and as a result he lost both of his legs
below the knee as well as a tip of his finger, received shrapnel to the
right side of his body, received a critical wound to the bronchial
artery of his right arm and a broken collar bone.
Corporal Caron was evacuated to Camp Dwyer in the Garmsir District of Afghanistan where his situation turned for the worse. He underwent emergency surgery and doctors made attempts to save his right arm. Throughout the night, Caron received multiple units of blood and military doctors stabilized him enough to enable him to be transported to a higher echelon of care at Bagram Airfield Hospital in Afghanistan. Thankfully, the medical team was able to do enough to save his right arm, but Caron still does not have full function of the arm and he cannot grasp anything with his right hand. He spent many months recovering and rehabilitating at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Corporal Caron was evacuated to Camp Dwyer in the Garmsir District of Afghanistan where his situation turned for the worse. He underwent emergency surgery and doctors made attempts to save his right arm. Throughout the night, Caron received multiple units of blood and military doctors stabilized him enough to enable him to be transported to a higher echelon of care at Bagram Airfield Hospital in Afghanistan. Thankfully, the medical team was able to do enough to save his right arm, but Caron still does not have full function of the arm and he cannot grasp anything with his right hand. He spent many months recovering and rehabilitating at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Corporal Caron was kind of enough to spend some time with the team this past Monday."I want to run again some day and told each player to take every day as it comes and be thankful for what you have" he stated. "I remember Greg playing soccer at Ellington High School with my son Ryan" Coach Scordato added. "He was a 2 time all state performer and still holds many scoring records"
Since returning from overseas the Ellington, CT
native participated in the Boston Marathon's Men's Handcycle Race and
finished in 1:58.49, 10th overall. He was one of fourteen
wounded servicemen from the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans
who competed in the race.
“I wasn’t trying to be top dog. I
was just trying to finish, period,” Caron told the team. “My main
focus has been on walking. I haven't had that much time to ride a
bike.” Today Caron continues his
rehabilitation in Connecticut and recently Building Homes for Heroes
announced the Caron family as a home recipient. The home will be
built in Ellington, Connecticut his home town.
"I personally feel Greg's talk
motivated the team and took many of the players by surprise in a good
way" Scordato added. "Hopefully they will take all of his
messages to heart and assimilate it in their own lives".
Second-year men's lacrosse coach Paul Scordato has rounded out the Huskies coaching staff with the addition of Daniel Hand standout Marc Paolini. “Marc really impressed the coaching staff throughout the interview process” said Scordato. “He is very enthusiastic and is ready to step in and take control of our defensive unit. I think he will be an asset to our staff and program”
Paolini was a defensive standout at Daniel Hand High School located in Madison, Connecticut as well as a team captain and three year starter. After high school Coach Paolini went on to coach at his alma mater where he would be named Associate Head Coach. During Paolini's tenure at Daniel Hand the Tigers enjoyed several standout seasons including a 2006 team that went 20-2 and was ranked number two in the state.
“I have always loved the game of Lacrosse and I have always wanted to coach at the college level” said Paolini. Coach Paolini will work primarily with the Huskies defensive unit and will also assist in scouting and practice planning.
The UConn Men’s Lacrosse program is proud to announce that Henry Peterson has joined the Husky coaching staff as an assistant coach. Peterson, a 2012 UConn graduate, has been an important member of the Men’s Lacrosse program for the last three years.
“Henry did a great job for us last year as a senior midfielder. I think he will be an asset to our coaching staff and program” said second year Head Coach Paul Scordato. “Because he was part of last years successful season and is familiar with our systems and players he can help us continue to grow as a program” Scordato added.
A three year starter at Hall High School in West Hartford, CT Coach Peterson was Team Captain, Team MVP and an All-Conference member. He also participated in the Connecticut Senior All-Star game. “Lacrosse has been a big part of my life since I was in 4th grade” said Peterson. Coach Peterson matriculated at Eastern Connecticut State University where he played lacrosse for a Warriors program that won the Little East Conference and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Peterson transferred to UConn his Sophomore year and instantly "took on a leadership role" according to Scordato. Peterson's primary responsibilities will include assisting in offensive game planning as well as practice preparation and travel coordination.
Peterson transferred to UConn his Sophomore year and instantly "took on a leadership role" according to Scordato. Peterson's primary responsibilities will include assisting in offensive game planning as well as practice preparation and travel coordination.
UConn Men's Lacrosse is proud to
announce the team captains for the 2012-2013 season. Midfielder
Mike Malara (South Salem, NY), Attackmen Mike Horne (Norwalk, CT),
Midfielder Kevin Canavan (Newtown, CT) and Goalie Jon Sherman
(Wilton, CT) will lead the Huskies next year and will represent four of the
most decorated captains in UConn Lacrosse history. Next year UConn will look to
build upon a 2012 season where the Huskies reached as high as #13
in the nation.
Canavan is a two time PCLL
All-Conference member, PCLL Freshman of the year, PCLL Offensive
player of the year, MCLA All-American, 2012 Team Offensive MVP and is
currently the all time leader in Goals and Points Per Game in team
history. Horne, a 2012 PCLL All-Conference member, was second on the
team in 2012 with 29 goals and is second in career goals all time in
UConn Lacrosse history. Sherman is a 2012 PCLL All-Conference member, 2012 Team Defensive MVP, this past year was third in the PCLL in Goals Against Average
with a 5.4 GAA, and allowed double digit goals only once during the
Huskies 2012 campaign. Malara will look to build upon a standout
junior season in 2012 where he had 25 points and an assists per game
average of 1.15.
This past weekend the Huskies took part in the inaugural BeanShot Tournament in Boston. The event, sponsored by the Boston Cannons and Muscle Milk, pitted four of the best MCLA teams in New England against each other in an exhibition tournament. UConn would ultimately fall in the first round to New Hampshire, with the Wildcats then losing to Northeastern in the championship game. Despite the first round loss the team had a great experience and both Muscle Milk and the Cannons put on a first class tournament. For pictures from the event see the below link:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.403218579728784.114678.131553223561989&type=1
Kevin Canavan has been named an MCLA All-American, and is UConns first player to receive this honor since Defenseman Chris Yarsawich in 2001. Canavan also received the PCLLs Offensive Player of the Year award. In addition 7 Huskies were named to the PCLL All-Conference team:
1st Team -
Kevin Canavan - Attack
Derek Flynn - Attack
Jon Sherman - Goal
2nd Team
Charles Ogalin - Attack
Dominick Fusco - Defenseman
Honorable Mention
Mike Horne - Attack
Pierce Busby - LSM
Offense Player of the Year - Kevin Canvan
MCLA All-American Team
PCLL All-Conference Team
Back in the early 1980s, Paul Scordato was the head coach at New Haven when
the Chargers were a varsity team. He had good success with the program, so much
so that he was offered the head job at Division I Vermont. It was at this point
that his soon-to-be wife uttered a couple of questions that would change
Scordato's life.
What's this coaching thing? Aren't you going to get a real job?
Scordato turned down the Vermont gig and entered the private sector, his wife
smiling all the while.
"From that day, I've always regretted it and wondered where I would have
wound up if I went there," Scordato said.
Thirty years later, Scordato is taking another stab at the coaching ranks,
but this time with University of Connecticut, which operates in the MCLA
Division I. It would seem that Scordato hasn't lost any of his coaching acumen,
as the Huskies have posted a 9-2 record and are ranked No. 14 in the
country.
Scordato was hired in the offseason partly because he had an extensive
background in the Xs and Os of the game to maximize the UConn roster that is
dripping was talent. What put him over the top was the ideas he had to reconnect
the program with the parents, alums and even to the school itself, to some
degree.
Full Article
Due to anticipated rainfall tomorrows game vs #8 Buffalo will be held at Sherman Field. The game time, 1pm, remains the same. This game has huge implications, not only in the PCLL but nationally as well. The winning program will take the #1 spot in the PCLL and likely have a top 10 ranking nationally in the MCLA.
For the first time in six years, the UConn Men's Lacrosse team is nationally ranked. Today the MCLA released their weekly poll, and UConn came in at #23 in the nation. This is the Huskies first
national ranking since 2006 when they hit #25 on the poll, a ranking that also came after a victory over a nationally ranked Northeastern squad. The Huskies will look to continue their winning ways vs. New Hampshire tomorrow, and Boston College on Friday.
Poll: http://mcla.us/polls/
Lax Magazine Poll Recap: http://laxmagazine.com/college_men/club/2011-12/mcla_poll
Poll: http://mcla.us/polls/
Lax Magazine Poll Recap: http://laxmagazine.com/college_men/club/2011-12/mcla_poll
