Men’s Lacrosse Announces Newcomers

Sep 20 | Men's Lacrosse

Meet the Newcomers 2019 Roster

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – With fall practice starting up, Rutgers men's lacrosse announced the new members of the program for the 2018-19 season. With the school year beginning, 15 new student-athletes joined the team.

There are 12 freshmen, as well as transfers from Providence, Detroit Mercy and Nassau Community College. The class is made up of five midfielders, five defensemen, two attackmen, two goalkeepers and a faceoff specialist. Five New Jersey natives are joined by two from New York and representatives of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Texas and Washington.

#22 Eric Civetti
Attack
5-9, 160
Franklin, Mass./ Franklin HS

Prior to Rutgers: Two-time Massachussetts All- American … two-time Hockomock player of the year/MVP … Hockomock underclassmen of the year … posted 396 career points … Massachusetts All Scholastic team … was part of the science National Honor Society … had 4.3 high school GPA … also played varsity golf … parents are Jeff and Donna … has two sisters, Emma and Abbey

#2 Cole Daninger
Midfield
5-10, 180
Lake Tapps, Wash./ O'Dea

Prior to Rutgers: All American … two-time all-league … Adrenaline All American … 2018 Lacrosse state champion … also played football, where he was an all-league safety and wide receiver and team was state champion … parents are Ron and Angela … has an older sister Alexa

#55 Matt Dansecs
Midfield
5-11, 195
Roxbury, N.J./ Roxbury

Prior to Rutgers: Two-time First Team All- State … three-time First Team all-conference … scored 244 points and collected 250 ground balls during four-year varsity high school career … 2018 team captain and MVP … athletic scholar award recipient … parents are George and Nancy … has an older brother Adam … grandfather and uncle both played college football

#44 Brennan Kamish
Midfield
6-0, 192
Wixom, Mich./Detroit Catholic/Detroit Mercy

Transfer enters Rutgers as a sophomore after spending freshman season at Detroit Mercy

At Detroit Mercy: All-MAAC Rookie Team … Second Team All-MAAC … played in all 16 games as a freshman … scored 19 goals and had two assists … was third on the team in goals … also picked up 11 ground balls and had two caused turnovers … had seven multi-goal games, including hat trick in win over Siena

High School: U.S. Lacrosse All American … two-time First Team all-state … -time all-catholic … -time all-county … four-time MHSAA regional champion … team made four consecutive State Finals appearances … scored 126 goals and 64 assists during four-year varsity high school career, including 57 goals as a senior … 2017 team captain … parents are Matt and Colleen … has a brother Joseph

#43 Billy Kelly
Goalkeeper
5-11, 168
East Northport, N.Y./ Northport HS/ Nassau Community College

Transfer enters Rutgers as a junior

Prior to Rutgers: Spent two seasons at Nassau Community College … named First Team All American … made 104 saves with a 59.8 save percentage and 5.56 goals-against-average … Second team Academic All-American … captain … two-time Dean's List award recipient … also spent two years seasons at Arizona state … saw game action as a freshman before redshirting second season … in high school, played two years on varsity … captained lacrosse team that reached seventh in the county and 18^th in the country … Suffolk County Class A All-County Selection … parents are Bill and Maria … has a sister Kristina

#3 Zach Masessa
Defense/LSM
5-9, 175
Montgomery N.J./Montgomery HS/Providence College

Transfer enters Rutgers as a sophomore after spending freshman season at Providence

At Providence: Saw action in nine games … scored one goal on two shots in nine games played … had seven ground balls and caused three turnovers … also won three face-offs

High School: Collected 278 ground balls and posted 10 goals and 22 assists in four-year varsity high school career … helped team to state championship in 2017 … team captain as a senior … also played four years of football and was team captain … parents are Gina and Mark … has two younger siblings, Angela and Mia

#9 Michael Ott
Face-off
5-10, 188
Jamison, Pa./ Central Bucks East

Prior to Rutgers: First team All-American … First-team All-State … ranked No. 18 incoming faceoff specialist by Inside Lacrosse … 2018 All-Intell player of the year … three-time league MVP … two-time team MVP … four-year varsity player … Patriot award recipient … also played football and basketball in high school … parents are Greg and Maria … has four sisters: Jacqueline, Jillian, Kathleen, and Caroline

#30 Ben Pounds
Goalkeeper
5-9, 160
Ridgewood, N.J./ Ridgewood

Prior to Rutgers: First team All-State … First team all-county … First team all-league … Team MVP … two-time County champion … parents are Michael and Catherine … has three brothers: Evan, Noah and Eli … Evan has won multiple National Olympic Weightlifting competitions serves an officer in the Army … Noah was a Two-time All-American goalkeeper in high school and graduated from the Naval Academy

#29 Ethan Rall
Defense/LSM
5-9, 170
Islip, N.Y./ Islip HS

Prior to Rutgers: U.S. Lacrosse All-American … 2018 Newsday First Team All-Long Island … 2018 FLG First Team All-Long Island … 2018 Division Two Most Outstanding player … two-time All-County selection … three-time All-Division selection … two-time team captain … 2018 New York State Class C champion … also played football in high school … was member of National Honor Society … parents are William and Jean Marie … has a younger sister, Kellie

#88 Bobby Russo
Defense
6-0, 185
Bridgewater, N.J./ Bridgewater-Raritan

Prior to Rutgers: U.S. Lacrosse All American … Academic All American … 2018 First Team All-State … Two-time All-Group IV First team … two-time First Team All-Conference … 2018 team captain and MVP team was three-time Somerset County champions … ranked No. 40 incoming defensemen by Inside Lacrosse … 2017 Under Armour underclass All-American … selected to play in Gill-Gibbs NJ Senior All-Star Game in 2018 … also played basketball, leading team in three-point percentage as a senior… member of National Honor Society … parents are Rob and Anna … mother attended Rutgers University … has two older siblings, Bella and Liana

#0 David Sprock
Midfield
6-0, 195
Dallas, Texas/ Jesuit College Prep

Prior to Rutgers: Two-time All-American … Adrenaline All-American … all-state as a sophomore … two-time Texas state champion … ranked No. 35 incoming midfielder by Inside Lacrosse … National Honor Society recipient … parents are Carl and Jennifer … father played football at University of North Texas … has two older siblings, Dylan and Caitie … Dylan played lacrosse at Bellarmine University

#13 Jack Stahanczyk
Defense
5-11, 184
Milford, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller

Prior to Rutgers: All-American … First Team All-Midwest … three-time all-state … three-time All-Region … named Defensive Player of the Year and Regional Defensemen of the year … 2017 state champion … recorded 304 groundballs in four-year varsity high school career … led team in ground balls and caused turnovers … also played hockey and football … parents are Mike and Francine … father played football at Bethany College … has an older sister.

#1 Demetrius Stevenson
Midfield
6-2, 225
Dover, Del./ Caesar Rodney HS

Prior to Rutgers: Two time U.S. Lacrosse All-American … three-time all-state … three-time all-conference … also made it to the states in swimming, swimming the 50-freestyle and 200-free relay … National Honor Society recipient … parents are Demetrius and Amanda Keppel … father was a three-time football All-American at Wesley college … mother played volleyball at West Virginia Wesleyan … has two brothers, Dionn and Maxwell

#38 Jonathan Taub
Defense
6-1, 185
Warren, N.J./ Watchung Hills

Prior to Rutgers: All-American … first team all-state … named Defensive Player of the Year … ranked No. 22 incoming defenseman by Inside Lacrosse … Group IV State champion … also was a captain of the football team … parents are Jason and Amy … has a younger brother, Jack

#12 Brad Thompson
Attack
6-0, 185
Charlotte, N.C./ Charlotte

Prior to Rutgers: Two-time First Team All-State … two-time First Team all-region … two-time First Team all-conference … two-time team captain … led team in points junior and senior year … Great 38 All-Star … NC Player to Watch … Greater Area of Charlotte Player of the Year finalist … also played two years of basketball in high school … parents are Michael and Lori … father attended Rutgers University … has two sisters, Courtney and Morgan

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