April 16, 2015
By Maria Canales, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Before the final home game of the regular season, Penn State men's lacrosse will honor nine graduating seniors. Playing at home for a final time, seniors Kyle Baier, JP Burnside, Jack Donnelly, Brian Gerrato, Pat Manley, Ryan Mullen, Michael Richards, Taylor Stothoff, and Kyle Zittel look to win one last game in Happy Valley.
Tasked with leading their young team during their first season as members of the Big Ten lacrosse conference, the class of 2015 met many obstacles along the way. The leadership of the senior class will easily be one of their lasting legacies.
Head coach Jeff Tambroni is fond of this senior class because it was one of the first classes he recruited as Penn State. Tambroni has been able to see the young players he brought in four or five years ago transition and grow into better players but also respectable young men.
"I would measure the significance of this group in the quality of their character," said Tambroni. "I don't think statistically you can quantify what this group meant because some of these guys have just not played a lot of minutes for our program over the last four years, yet have still really contributed a great deal in the locker room, on campus, and within the community. In a limited amount of time some of them have done a wonderful job of contributing on the field."
Statistically, they may be overshadowed, but that doesn't mean the senior class has not made an impact. Falling in behind sole captain Kyle Zittel, the senior class quickly set the tone for what was expected from their younger teammates, whether it was their attitude in practices or their mentality on game days.
"Looking at Kyle Zittel I think he is someone that is symbolic of the entire class," said Tambroni. "He has done really well in the classroom, he's super involved in the community, and has become a leader of our program because of the quality of his character and because of his integrity."
During its time at Penn State, the senior class has made many memories, both on and off the field. Some moments will forever stand out in the minds of the seniors.
"For me [my favorite memory] was our 4-2 double overtime win against Notre Dame our freshman year," said senior Jack Donnelly. "[It] was just an unbelievable game; a great experience. At that point we were pretty much nobodies so it was a real eye-opening experience for a lot of us. I think that really just sparked a passion for a lot of us."
Triumphs on the field will certainly be highlights for the senior class, but for others, the moments that happen behind the scenes will forever be their favorites.
"I'll probably remember most of the stuff off the field, in the locker room, with teammates, during practice," said senior Taylor Stothoff.
Tambroni and the rest of the coaching staff have become very fond of their senior class. During a time of great transition, the seniors faced many challenges and led their team head-on into the fight. The class of 2015 paved the way for Penn State men's lacrosse for years to come and has set the foundation for Penn State's time as a member of Big Ten lacrosse.
"From what we have seen as a coaching staff, this class has meant a lot in the transition of this program from where we were and where we'd like to be," Tambroni said. "They'll be remembered by our coaching staff as a class that really did a lot to allow that bridge to happen."
As the class of 2015 looks ahead to their last few games as a Nittany Lions, the seniors want to end their reign in Happy Valley on a high note. For now, Sunday's game against Rutgers is just one more game for the departing 2015 class to leave their mark on.
Penn State hosts Rutgers on Sunday at 6 p.m. The game will air on the Big Ten Network.