By Andrew Smith
Last year men’s lacrosse had an excellent season. The Panthers finished with a perfect 10-0 record in the conference and 15-2 overall. They reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament before falling to the Le Moyne Dolphins by a score of 9-4. The team is entering the 2023 season with a talented roster and hoping to go even further.
Three current players–Kyle Steinbach, Jason Rebaudo and Dylan Renner–shared their personal reflections on what they learned last season and what steps they believe they need to take to get to their ultimate goal. All three credited their family, friends and youth sport programs as the major catalyst that kept them going as young athletes.
Steinbach, a fifth-year senior studying management, said, “I owe all the credit to my parents. If they didn’t take me to so many camps, lacrosse tournaments, shooting clinics and fishing trips, I wouldn’t be the player I am today.”
Renner, a history major in the STEP Program, added, “My family played a big role in my athletic development. Having two brothers and being in the middle we were always playing sports and competing with one another.”
Rebaudo, a junior studying physical education, noted, “I grew up always playing sports as a young kid either with my neighborhood friends or on organized teams that my father put me on.”
Regarding not reaching their goal of winning a national championship, Rebaudo, who totaled the third highest goal total on the team in 2022 with 28, said, “Last season we had a great team and we were truly a family. We accomplished many great things and it ended unfortunately in the quarterfinals. We learned that we have what it takes to make it to the top.”
Renner, a goalie, acknowledged how winning the conference was great, but it was not the intended goal. He made all 17 starts in net for the Panthers in 2022 and was integral to their success.
Steinbach finished second on the team in goals scored (33) and led the team in total shots (124). He said, “The loss has been looming in the back of my mind since last season and this year we want the whole pie not just a slice.”
They agreed the offseason has served as a great opportunity to refine certain skills and target the weaker points of their game. “I really worked on my off hand, feeding and being more controlling on offense with longer possessions,” explained Steinbach.
Renner added, “I worked on getting quicker in goal.”
Rebaudo, an attackman, saw the offseason from a different perspective. “During the off season my teammates and I would go to the field and practice. We would also hang out and bond with each other creating chemistry off the field as well.”
During the pre-season, these three athletes were honored in “USA Lacrosse Magazine” and on “Inside Lacrosse.” Steinbach was named to the second team in “USA Lacrosse Magazine” and Renner was nominated for the third team. “Inside Lacrosse” named Renner to the second team and Rebaudo as an honorable mention.
“I am very proud of my teammates for the honors they have received and it is very humbling to see the work we put in pay off,” said Rebaudo. “We would not be able to get these honors without our teammates putting in work everyday in practice. They deserve credit as well.”
Steinbach said, “The accolades are really cool but as a team I think we can all agree that winning a national championship this year would trump an award like that.”