Coming off a shortened season, the UMass Lowell men’s lacrosse team eyes a competitive 2022 campaign after a fall of preparation. With a mix of fresh talent and the return of several critical veteran contributors, the River Hawks hope to make a statement and earn their spot at the top of the conference.

Opening their season on Saturday, February 12, against non-conference foe Quinnipiac, the River Hawks are ready to put their hard work to the test. With an experienced leadership core comprised of graduate students Domenic Giachello (Somers, Conn.), Kyle Laforge (Tyngsboro, Mass.) and Paul Macrina (Wrentham, Mass.), UMass Lowell is set to debut a deep roster of top-to-bottom talent starting with their returning crew of scoring leaders.

Giachello and Laforge resumed their captaincy after serving as captains during the 2021 campaign. Appearing in 87 combined career games, the attack duo will be critical catalysts for the River Hawks once again. Last season, the pair combined for 20 points with Laforge notching seven and Giachello accounting for five. On top of his five, Giachello tied for first on the team in assists with eight.

A transfer from Drexel, Macrina brings in a wealth of knowledge and experience from his four seasons in Philadelphia. A goaltender for the Dragons, Macrina was also a member of the 2021 CAA Championship squad.

In addition to their veteran talent up top, the River Hawks brought back several key contributors 
within their junior and senior classes.

Leading the FOGO unit, senior Liam McDonough (Groton, Mass.) returns to the lineup after being a solid contributor in his first three seasons. McDonough finished his junior season as the River Hawks’ top faceoff specialist and ranked second on the team with 28 groundballs. In addition, he knocked in three goals off three shots on goal.

On defense, Jack Tepper (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Eric Flynn (Bedford, N.H.) ready to take the field as probable starters for UMass Lowell. Last year, Flynn led the crew with 11 caused turnovers and scooped up 12 groundballs.

Senior midfielders Dakota Clark (Bedford, N.H.) and Zach Zeyher (Wilton, Conn.) aim to solidify the transition for UMass Lowell this season. After a fall of work on and off the field, the pair hope to break the starting lineup and continue to be valuable pieces of the River Hawks puzzle.

Anchoring the attack, juniors Nick Harvath (Whitemore Lakes, Mich.) and Conor Foley (Walpole, Mass.) take the field this season some of the River Hawks’ more prolific scorers. Foley led the team in goals last season with 11 and finished second in total points with 14. He also captured 12 groundballs in his nine appearances. With six points last season, Harvath rounds out the crew of River Hawks attackmen likely to make their presence known early on.

In addition to their skilled crew of upperclassmen, the River Hawks added a stacked freshmen class to their roster in the offseason. With 14 newcomers integrated into the mix, the young group of up-and-coming River Hawks combines with a crew of sophomores that had to quickly gain its footing in 2021.

“I think we have a lot of young talent that came in. It gives us a boost of athleticism and skill. From last year, we had a lot of young guys playing as well. They took a couple lumps, but I think they learned a lot from that. They’ve come back with a refocus. The energy is higher in practice from day to day. There’s just a lot of excitement top to bottom in the team right now," remarked Mummau. 

The River Hawks open the spring with a challenging non-conference slate highlighted by key matchups against Quinnipiac, Massachusetts, Siena, Merrimack and Sacred Heart.

“We open up with Quinnipiac. They’ve been number one in their conference. That’s a great start to play a conference championship team. We’re playing so many teams that have competed at such a high level. For us, it’s a tremendous challenge and a great opportunity to prepare ourselves for our conference season," commented Stephenson on the team's opening stretch. 

The team then transitions into America East play on the road with a tilt against Stony Brook before hosting Jacksonville for a midseason non-conference clash. The River Hawks then face a tough conference stretch, traveling to NJIT before returning home for a four-game homestand highlighted by UAlbany, Vermont and UMBC. Their final home contest of the 2022 campaign brings in-state foe Holy Cross to the Mill City before the team caps its season on the road at Binghamton.