Teams: Men's Lacrosse: Team Overview

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During the 11-year tenure of Coach Mike Daly, the Tufts University Men's Lacrosse program has firmly established itself as a nationally-ranked squad and as one of the top programs in the competitive New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Last spring, the Jumbos earned their second NCAA Tournament berth and were the conference runner-up.

The program has been in the national top 20 for six straight years, including a #10 finish in 2004. Tufts was ranked as high as #3 in the nation in 2007 and #2 in 2006. The 2007 season also featured the program's first victory against NESCAC foe Middlebury College in 40 years to clinch the conference regular-season title. Tufts' 13-4 finish tied the program's record for wins in a season, originally set by Daly's 2004 team. That total was matched by last spring's 13-5 squad.

The team's four United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-Americans last year was the most in program history. D.J. Hessler, who led the conference in scoring, Clem McNally, Jordan Yarboro, and Eytan Saperstein all garnered national recognition. This marked the seventh straight year that Tufts had representation on the USILA teams. Previously, two-time NESCAC Player of the Year Bryan Griffin and 2005 NESCAC Player of the Year Devin Clarke accumulated five All-American honors combined. With seven players on the 2009 Turfer/New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) All-New England teams, Tufts had the region. Matt Harrigan, McNally, and Yarboro represented Tufts at the prestigious USILA North/South Senior All-Star Game last May.

The team earned Daly's 100th career victory in a NESCAC game against Colby last March. A 1995 Tufts graduate, Daly is a two-time NESCAC Coach of the Year. After 11 seasons, he is the program's all-time leader in coaching victories with an 110-64 record for a .632 winning percentage. He was honored as NESCAC Coach of the Year in 2004, when he coached the North team at the North-South Classic, and in 2007. Daly is also the kicking teams coordinator and linebackers coach of the Tufts Football team.

Members of the NESCAC, the Tufts program plays in the nation's most competitive small college conference academically and athletically. The Jumbos play at a post-season pace week after week against conference competition. Tufts also plays the best non-conference teams in New England, including Endicott and Western New England. Last year, the Jumbos traveled to Pennsylvania to play nationally ranked Haverford College, marking the first meeting between the two teams. Last season the Jumbos the played the ninth-most difficult schedule in the nation.

The Tufts program is one of the nation's oldest, playing 909 games since the team's beginning in 1930. The 2010 team looks to continue a run that has produced a 80-33 record over the last five seasons. Hessler, whose 89 points in '09 were a Tufts record, returns up front along with Ryan Molloy (44 goals in '09). Face-off man Mike Droesch, midfielder Matt Witko, and Saperstein - each an All-New England selection - also return.

Tufts recruits on a national level, seeking the finest high school and prep talent available. The foundation of Daly's teams has been built around talented players who also love the game. These lacrosse junkies must also be highly motivated in the classroom. The same drive that propels a student-athlete to academic success enables him to compete at the highest level athletically.

Located right outside of Boston, Tufts offers a well-rounded collegiate experience to student-athletes. Within its picturesque small-college campus, Tufts is a major university with "an unprecedented diversity of programs, exceptional faculty and staff, and bright and talented students", according to President Lawrence S. Bacow. The Athletics Department sponsors a varsity program of 28 sports that is among the most competitive in the NCAA's Division III. Tufts finished 10th in the 2009 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup, which awards points based on NCAA performances. The University's proximity to a world-class city renowned for its academic institutions is also a major draw.

Daly, his wife Norah, daughter Fiona, and son Liam reside in nearby Reading, Mass. Scott Rynne, Brett Holm, Chris Carr, Jono Zissi, and Ian Applegate comprise the assistant coaching staff. Rynne held the head women's job at Pomona-Pitzer and the head men's job at Susquehanna prior to coming to Tufts as a football assistant.
Holm, a two-year lacrosse captain at Tufts, is in his second year as the team's graduate assistant coach. Goalie coach Chris Carr played at Union, Zissi is a 2002 Tufts graduate who led the '01 team in scoring, and Applegate is a 2004 Wesleyan grad who led the team in goals during his junior and senior seasons.

The Jumbos play their home games on the Bello Field turf, which opened in 2004 and was site of the NESCAC Championship semi-finals and final in 2007. Weekday games are regularly played under the lights, and the Jumbos have drawn some of the largest crowds to watch college lacrosse in New England.