Sports

RVC Native Going for a Spot on U.S. Lax Team

A Hofstra alumni and professional lacrosse player from Rockville Centre has been selected to try out for the U.S. Men’s National Team, US Lacrosse announced Saturday.

Nicky Polanco, an Oceanside High School graduate who plays for the Chesapeake Bayhawks, was a two-year letterman on defense for the Pride in 2001 and 2002 and a two-time National Junior College All-American as well as Player of the Year at Nassau Community College. Polanco earned USILA All-America honorable mention honors as a Hofstra junior and All-American first team honors as a senior in 2002.

After recording a goal, three assists, 70 ground balls and earning second team all-conference honors in 2001, he tallied two goals, three assists, 73 ground balls and was named both the CAA Defensive Player of the Year and the CAA Player of the Year in 2002.

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Two additional alumni will also be trying out for the team: Steve DeNapoli, a Hewlett native, and current Pride Assistant Coach Kevin Unterstein.

DeNapoli, who plays for the Rochester Rattlers, was a two-time All-Colonial Athletic Association selection in 2009 and 2011. A four-year letterman at Hofstra, he was also named to CAA Championship Tournament teams in 2009 and 2011. A USILA North-South Senior All-Star Game selection in 2011, DeNapoli also received Hofstra's Bengt Barbaccia Award and the David McCartney Memorial Endowed Scholarship. He recorded four goals and three assists in 16 games in 2011. DeNapoli, a 2008 CAA All-Rookie team selection, had 12 goals and 11 assists during his 61-game career at Hofstra.

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A 2008 graduate of Hofstra with a degree in sociology, New York Lizards player Unterstein enjoyed a stellar playing career as a short-stick defensive middie from 2005 through 2008. As a senior he recorded a team-leading 70 ground balls while helping to guide the Pride to the CAA title and the NCAA Tournament. For his efforts, he was an All-CAA first team selection, and was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Year, and the CAA Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player.

In 2007 as a junior, Unterstein earned USILA All-American honorable mention honors, and was named to the All-CAA second team as well as the All-CAA Tournament team. As a sophomore in 2006, Kevin, his twin brother Mike, and their older brother Chris combined to help lead Hofstra to a 17-2 record, a No. 2 national ranking and a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. He was also named to the All-CAA Rookie Team as a freshman.

The U.S. Men’s National Team will look to defend its world title at the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championships from July 10 to 19, 2014, in Denver. Tryouts will be held Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 at Goucher College in Baltimore, Md.

Information courtesy of Hofstra Athletics.


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