This year, St. John’s is all about “the now.”
After a lost season last year in which they finished 1-13, that “now” has been crucial for the St. John’s lacrosse team and their success this season.
The Red Storm is now 6-2 after winning a thriller at home on Saturday vs. No. 19 Hofstra. It was the biggest win of the season for St. John’s.
Senior Attack Jason DeBenedictis leads the team with 28 points. He missed most of the season last year with an injury, which contributed to the team’s struggles. This year, DeBenedictis has embraced his role as one of the leaders of the team on and off the field.
“I’m just trying to stay positive and keep guys motivated,”DeBenedictis said. “Don’t look past anyone and keep working hard every single day.”
Junior attack Colin Duffy has scored 19 points and is one of the leaders on the team. He hit the game-winner with three seconds left to edge St. John’s past Hofstra. He feels this year is different and noted a sense of urgency by the upper classmen, including himself.
“Being a junior makes you want to work a little bit harder to set an example for the younger guys,” Duffy said.
Sophomore attack Mike Madsen is another leading scorer for the Red Storm with 16 points on the season. His twin brother Joe Madsen has 26 points and is also an attack.
“We are a completely different team this year and put last year behind us,” Mike Madsen said. “I am glad to be wherever the coaches put me and ready to do whatever I can for the team.”
Head Coach Jason Miller, now in his 12th season leading the Red Storm, cautioned that it is still very early in the season, but he is pleased with the way his team has played so far.
“I think we’ve been in position to win games because these guys have the ability to stay in the now,” Miller said. “They don’t get too far in front of themselves when things are going well, they just focus on that moment.”
After winning just one game last year, Miller realized that the culture of the team had been lacking. He knew he had to address it in order to be successful.
“We’ve spent a lot more time talking about our culture than we have in the past,” Miller said. “Talking about having a unified vision, a unified mission that everyone buys into.”
