New York Lizards
|
Team logo | |
| League | MLL |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2001 |
| Home stadium | Shuart Stadium |
| Based in | Hempstead, NY |
| Colors |
Green, white, black |
| Head coach | Joe Spallina |
| General manager | Joe Spallina |
| Local media | New York Newsday |
| Steinfeld Cups | 3 (2001, 2003, 2015) |
| Division Championships | 3 (2001, 2002, 2003) |
| Formerly |
Long Island Lizards 2001–2012 New York Lizards 2013–present |
| Website | www.nylizards.com |
The New York Lizards, originally the Long Island Lizards, are a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) team based in Hempstead, New York, located on Long Island. They are original members of the MLL and lost in the league's inaugural game on June 7, 2001 to the Baltimore Bayhawks (now Chesapeake Bayhawks), 16–13. From the league's inception in 2001 through 2005, they were in the American Division. From 2006 to 2008, they were in the Eastern Conference.
History
In the MLL's inaugural season in 2001, the Long Island Lizards split their home games between Hofstra Stadium, now James M. Shuart Stadium, and EAB Park (now Bethpage Ballpark). For the 2002 season, they used Hofstra Stadium as their home field. As of 2003, the Lizards played all home contests at Mitchel Athletic Complex, in Uniondale, New York until 2008. The team will return to James M. Shuart Stadium for their home games in 2009.[1] The Lizards have won American Division championships in 2001, 2002, and 2003, and Major League Lacrosse titles in 2001, 2003 and 2015. The team made the playoffs in 2005 as a wildcard despite a losing record. The team's name and logo are based on the Italian wall lizard, a small reptile that was imported to Long Island (which has no native lizards) in the 1960s and which populate areas of the team's hometown of Hempstead in Nassau County.
On December 14, 2012 the Lizards changed their name to the New York Lizards.[2]
Rivalry
The Lizards' main rival is the Chesapeake Bayhawks. Between them they hold 8 of the 15 MLL league championships awarded through the 2015 season. The two teams have played in the championship game five times, with Chesapeake winning 3 of those 5.
General managers
- Joe Spallina
Coaching staff
Current coaching staff
- Head Coach – Joe Spallina
- Assistant Coach – Keith Cromwell
- Assistant Coach – Tommy Susko
- Assistant Coach – Steve Duffy
All-time head coaches
| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | W% | GC | W | L | W% | |||
| 1 | John Detommaso | 2001–2004 | 51 | 33 | 18 | .647 | 6 | 5 | 1 | .833 |
| 2 | Jim Mule | 2005–2011 | 84 | 37 | 47 | .440 | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 |
| 3 | Joe Spallina | 2012– | 56 | 31 | 25 | .554 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
Current roster
| 2016 New York Lizards | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Name | Position | Height | Weight | College | |
| 1 | Jojo Marasco | Midfield | 5-10 | 193 lbs | Syracuse University | |
| 3 | Rob Pannell | Attack | 5-10 | 195 lbs | Cornell | |
| 5 | Chris LaPierre | Midfield | 6-3 | 210 lbs | Virginia | |
| 7 | Sean Brady | Midfield | 6-0 | 195 lbs | Stony Brook University | |
| 14 | Drew Adams | Goalie | 6-0 | 205 lbs | Penn State | |
| 17 | Joe Fletcher | Defense | 6-2 | 185 lbs | Loyola | |
| 25 | Michael Kimmel | Midfield | 6-0 | 195 lbs | Johns Hopkins | |
| 28 | Dylan O'Shaughnessy | Defense | 6-5 | 232 lbs | Lehigh | |
| 31 | Dave Lawson | Midfield | 6-1 | 203 lbs | Duke | |
| 32 | Greg Gurenlian | FOGO/Face-Off Middie | 6-1 | 225 lbs | Penn State | |
| 36 | Kevin Unterstein | Midfield | 5-11 | 190 lbs | Hofstra | |
| 44 | Steve Dircks | Defense | 6-1 | 195 lbs | Loyola | |
| 65 | Mike Unterstein | Midfield | 5-11 | 195 lbs | Hofstra | |
| 66 | Matt Gibson | Attack | 5-10 | 170 lbs | Yale | |
| 68 | Conrad Oberbeck | Attack | 6-1 | 190 lbs | Yale | |
| 70 | Steve DeNapoli | Midfield | 5-9 | 165 lbs | Hofstra | |
| 80 | Steve Holmes | Defense | 6-0 | 200 lbs | Virginia | |
| 81 | Kyle Hartzell | LSM/Defense | 6-2 | 180 lbs | Salisbury | |
| 84 | Tommy Palasek | Attack | 5-11 | 175 lbs | Syracuse | |
| 92 | Michael Skudin | Defense | 6-2 | 205 lbs | Hofstra | |
| 99 | Paul Rabil | Midfield | 6-3 | 220 lbs | Johns Hopkins | |
- updated 2013-05-25
