PURCHASE, N.Y. – After battling through injuries all season in 2016, the Manhattanville College men's lacrosse team is healthy and looking to make a splash in the MAC Freedom this year in search of their first conference postseason bid since joining the MAC Freedom in 2008.
The Valiants lost five players from last season's team, but return the bulk of their offensive attack for the 2017 campaign. Out of the 117 goals scored last season, the Valiant returning core netted 102, building a strong core for head coach
Ryder Bohlander to build around this year.
PRESEASON POLL: After finishing in seventh place in the MAC Freedom standings a year ago, Manhattanville was again slotted to finish seventh in the MAC Freedom Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll, which was released in January. The Valiants finished with 15 points, five back of King's (Pa.) College for sixth place and eight points ahead of eighth-place Wilkes University.
KEY RETURNERS: Manhattanville returns its top-five scorers from last season's team and four All-Conference performers for the 2017 season, as the Valiants look to keep building on its solid foundation of players.
Junior
Tyler Bentrewicz (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) was named to the All-MAC Freedom first team in 2016 after leading the Valiants with 25 goals and 16 assists for 41 points, while senior
Ed Motherway (Suffield, Conn./Suffield) ranked second on the squad with 21 goals on the way to All-MAC Freedom second-team recognition.
Sophomore
Erik Sparby (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) and senior
Colin Morrissey (Shelton, Conn./St. Joseph) are both back as well after recording 28 and 21 points, respectively, last season. The Valiants also look for a full season from senior
Andrew Murray (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac), a two-time All-Conference selection who scored 15 goals in just five games before missing most of the season due to injury, as well as junior
Christian Flores (Avon, Conn./Avon) and sophomore
Tristan Green (Easton, Conn./Joel Barlow).
The Valiant defense returns three starters from last season, with senior
Kyle Kelvas (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley), junior
Chris Ayson (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) and sophomore
Sam Hahn (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y./Briarcliff) all back this year. Ayson and Kelvas ranked led the team with 17 and 14 caused turnovers, respectively, in 2016, while Hahn finished second on the squad with 37 ground balls despite missing four games.
Senior
Zach Hoffman (Loudonville, N.Y./LaSalle Institute) also is back after earning All-MAC Freedom second-team honors in 2016, when he posted a 10.15 goals against average and .569 save percentage in the first 13 games of the season.
KEYS TO SUCCESS: With a small roster, health is going to once again play a key factor in Manhattanville's success this season. If the Valiants can get a full season out of all their offensive weapons, they will be able to contend in many conference matchups. Hoffman finished the 2016 season third in save percentage and second in saves per game. The senior netminder has proven to be one of the most skilled goalkeeper's in the conference and has helped keep Manhattanville in several contests throughout his career.
NEWCOMERS: Head coach
Ryder Bohlander has brought in seven new faces who look to earn some playing time right away for the Valiants this season, as the freshman class hopes to make an impact on all areas of the field:
SEASON OPENER: The Valiants will kick off Manhattanville's home spring slate on March 1, when the team plays its first game on the new GoValiants.com Field turf under the lights against Farmingdale State College beginning at 7 p.m.
