Newburgh, N.Y. – Ian Farley, the third head coach in program history, will mentor the Knights in his first game on the sidelines Saturday afternoon when the Mount Saint Mary College Men's Lacrosse team opens the 2023 season against Alvernia at Kaplan Field. Face-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. with Live Stats and Video available for those unable to attend.
 
Head Coach: Farley comes to the Mount after a year at Colby in Waterville, Maine and after serving as the Offensive Coordinator at Holy Cross from 2018-21. Farley also has coaching experience at his alma mater, Sacred Heart, John Carroll and nearby schools Vassar and Marist.
 
At A Glance: The Knights finished the 2022 season with an 8-7 overall record and a 2-5 mark against Skyline Conference rivals.
 
The Knights will need to replace Second Team All-Skyline Conference selection Brian Esposito, who led the conference in assists per game in 2022, as well as leading goal scorer Colby Martin, who potted a team-high 24 goals for the Knights a season ago.
 
Mount Saint Mary welcomes back Xavier Rodriguez (Hackettstown, N.J.), the team's top leading goal scorer, and Nick Gurello (Selden, N.Y.) who combined for 38 goals in 2022.
 
On the defensive side, the Knights lost goalie Devin Kelley to graduation. Kelley had a standout season in 2022, posting 126 saves, a .548 save percentage and an 8.24 goals against average. Kelley closed his senior season as the conference leader in save percentage.
 
Joseph Angelillo (Pompton Plains, N.J.) and Matthew Esposito (Manorville, N.Y.) are also back for the Knights after earning All-Skyline Conference recognition in 2022. Angelillo was tabbed First Team All-League on defense after causing 23 turnovers and collecting 34 groundballs. In the midfield, Esposito secured 25 groundballs and caused 15 miscues for the Knights a year ago.
 
Attack/Midfield
Rodriguez and Gurello headline the returning offensive attack for the Knights in 2023. Rodriguez tallied 20 times a season ago, scoring multiple goals in a game five times. Gurello finished the year with 18 markers and 22 points, scoring the game winner in overtime against New Paltz.
 
Ryan Olmstead (Millbrook, N.Y.) was limited to only nine games in 2022 due to injury, but posted eight goals and 11 points while ranking tied for fifth on the team in groundballs with 29.
 
Mike Travers (Staten Island, N.Y.), Larry Frank (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Kaleb Pullis (Selden, N.Y.) look to increase their production from a season ago in 2023. Frank closed his rookie season with 10 goals and 13 points with Travers totaling eight goals and securing 14 groundballs. Pullis tallied twice in 13 games for the Mount in 2022.
 
Espostio earned Second Team All-League honors as a short stick defensive midfielder in 2022, appearing in all 15 games as a junior. He totaled five points, including four assists, to go along with his groundball and caused turnover total.
 
Maxwell Green Wright (Central Islip, N.Y.) appeared in 15 games last season and totaled nine points on the strength of five goals and four helpers. He scored the game winner in the closing seconds against Lasell in the second game of the season and wrapped up the year with 29 groundballs, tied for fifth on the team.
 
Tim Doyle (Selden, N.Y.) is back at LSM after appearing in nine games as a rookie, posting six groundballs and four caused turnovers.
 
Looking for increased rolls in 2023 are Sal Gallucci (Massapequa, N.Y.), Joe Keating (Pleasantville, N.Y.) and Frank Mattina (Holtsville, N.Y.). Gallucci appeared in 15 games in 2022 and totaled three points, eight groundballs and six caused turnovers. Keating totaled a goal and an assist in five contests and Mattina appeared in four contests for the Knights a year ago.
 
Defense
Angelillo highlights the defensive corps for the Knights, a group that allowed the fewest number of goals in the Skyline Conference in 2022. Angelillo earned First Team All-League distinction after starting all 15 games a junior, one of only three Knights to do so, and finishing the season ranked 12^th in the conference in caused turnovers per game.
 
Carmine Comitini (Staten Island, N.Y.) started 14 games for the Mount in 2022, helping to anchor the backline with 19 caused turnovers and 22 groundballs.
 
Angelillo and Comitini will look to mentor a young group that welcomes back just three other players with experience at the Mount in Dennis Dowd (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.), Antonio Notaro (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Bobby DeSantis (Patchogue, N.Y.). Dowd scored twice and won 26 face-offs in 2022, while DeSantis won 37 face-offs and posted a .597 winning percentage. Notaro saw action in one game in 2022 for the Knights.
 
Joining the position group in 2023 are Luke Dombroski (Flanders, N.J.), a four-year varsity letter winner in lacrosse at Pope John XXIII, Ryan Ciuffo (Staten Island, N.Y.), Joseph Tagliareni (Hackettstown, N.Y.) and James Thoben (Carle Place, N.Y.).
 
Face-Off
Four players return from the 2022 roster who won a face-off a season ago, including DeSantis, Dowd and Angelillo.
 
Anthony Paggiotta (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) saw his 2022 season cut to just seven games due to injury. In his seven-game stint, Paggiotta went 34-for-83 in face-offs and collected 16 groundballs to go along with a goal and an assist. Paggiotta ranked second on the team in face-off attempts in 2022 and third on the team in wins.
 
Goalie
Tasked with replacing Kelley between the pipes in 2023 is freshman Kenny Leen (Miller Place, N.Y.). Leen comes to the Mount after a successful prep career at Miller Place High School. Over the course of his high school career, Leen was named Section XI All-League in 2021 and in 2022 was tabbed Section XI All-County Honorable Mention.
 
The Schedule
Following the home and season opener on Saturday, the Knights take to the road for three games before returning to Kaplan Field to host Vassar on March 15.

The Knights will play two of their next three games after the Vassar tilt on the road, before opening Skyline Conference play at home against Purchase on April 5. The Knights also welcome league rivals Manhattanville (4/15), Maritime (4/25) and College of Mount Saint Vincent (4/29) to Kaplan Field in 2023.
 
The conference road schedule includes trips to Farmingdale State (4/11), USMMA (4/19) and St. Joseph's-L.I. (4/22).
 
The four-team Skyline Conference Championship commences on May 2 with the champion crowned on May 5.
 
What's Next: Mount Saint Mary begins a three-game road trip with a visit to Marywood on Saturday, March 4.