Nov. 12, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State men's lacrosse head coach Jeff Tambroni has announced the signing of 11 newcomers to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. From U.S. Lacrosse All-Americans and MVPs to state champions and honor roll athletes, this year's class features a talented group poised to join the Nittany Lions in 2016.
Gerard Arceri (Saint James, N.Y.), Nick Cardile (West Grove, Pa.), TJ Connellan (Cazenovia, N.Y.), Colby Kneese (Dallas, Texas), Nick McEvoy (Bethesda, Md.), Mac O'Keefe (Syosset, N.Y.), Kane Randolph (Annapolis, Md.), Jack Rusboldt (Richmond, Va.), Mitch Schaefer (Canandaigua, N.Y.), Conor Smith (West Islip, N.Y.) and Barrett Sutley (Stevenson, Md.) are all set to arrive in Happy Valley.
"Our staff is extremely proud and excited about our incoming class. They are a hardworking, selfless and passionate group who will represent Penn State athletics and our lacrosse program with great pride," Tambroni said.
GERARD ARCERI
FOGO |6'1" | Saint James, N.Y. | Smithtown East
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
Arceri helped Smithtown East to back-to-back Suffolk County Championships in 2014-15, earning team MVP honors in both seasons ... Picked up All-County, All Tri-State and All-Long Island honors in 2014-15 ... Tallied nine goals and 19 assists in 2015 .... Selected to the 2015 U.S. Men's National U19 30-man training roster ... Earned 2015 Under Armour All-America honors ... Dicks National Champion and Liberty Bell Champions in 2015 ... Plays club with SweetLax.
PERSONAL
Born Gerard Arceri April 30, 1998 in Stony Brook, N.Y. ... Parents are Gerard and Renata Arceri ... Has one brother, Christopher and one sister, Ava.
WHY PENN STATE?
"I chose Penn State because of the rich tradition of combined athletic and academic excellence."
COACH TAMBRONI ON ARCERI
"Gerard was one on the most sought after prospects in the country at any position. His persistence, focus, and work ethic have allowed him to enjoy an extremely successful high school career. His current path points to an immediate and long lasting impact on our program. He will follow in the footsteps of former Smithtown teammate Peter Triolo '17."
NICK CARDILE
D |6'1" | West Grove, Pa. | Avon Grove
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
Cardile helped guide the Avon Grove Red Devils to a Ches-Mont Championship in 2013 and a state finalist appearance in 2014 ... Named 2015 team captain, earning First Team All-Ches-Mont honors ... Garnered two consecutive Second Team All-Ches-Mont honors in 2013-14, while also helping the Red Devils to District I Championships ... A DLN All-Area Boys Lacrosse team selection in 2015, as well as an Underclassmen All-American ... Plays club with Mesa Fresh.
PERSONAL
Born Nicholas Salvatore Cardile Nov. 14, 1997 in Newark, Del. ... Parents are David and Christine Cardile ... Has one brother, David and three sisters, Gabrielle, Alexandra and Katelyn ... Brother plays club lacrosse at Penn State ... Planning to major in criminal justice.
WHY PENN STATE?
"I chose Penn State because of its great academics, the whole atmosphere in State College and the great coaching staff."
COACH TAMBRONI ON CARDILE
"Nick is an athletic competitor from an extremely successful high school program in PA. He will be following in the footsteps of former Avon Grove standouts Timmy Golder '14, Will Schreiner '18 and Tanner Peck '18 and his unique combination of size, strength and speed will allow us the flexibility to play him at close defense and long stick midfield."
TJ CONNELLAN
LSM/D | 6'1" | Cazenovia, N.Y. | Cazenovia
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
Connellan helped lead Cazenovia to state championship titles in 2011 and 2013, as well as back-to-back state finalist finishes in 2014-15 ... A 2015 First Team All-League and All-CNY team honoree ... Competed in the Under Armour All-America Lacrosse classic in 2015 ... Plays club with Orange Crush and Roadhawks Lacrosse.
PERSONAL
Born Thomas Joseph Connellan December 2, 1997 in Syracuse, N.Y. ... Parents are Kara Falso and Tom Connellan ... Has two sisters, Kathleen and Kiley ... Sister Kathleen attends Penn State ... Grandfather, Paul Johnson, played football at Penn State from 1966-70 and was drafted by the Packers before playing for the Redskins and the Tiger-Cats (Canadian League) ... Uncle, Mike Johnson, also played football at Penn State from 1998-2001 ... Mother, Kara, played soccer at LeMoyne College ... Planning to major in economics.
WHY PENN STATE?
"I chose Penn State because it's a great school academically with top end sports program and I have a strong family connection with the school."
COACH TAMBRONI ON CONNELLAN
"TJ is a two sport standout (football and lacrosse) from upstate New York. He combines his athleticism and ability to transition from defense to offense with a grit and toughness synonymous with Upstate lacrosse. His intangibles as a competitor will make him a perfect fit with our program and culture."
COLBY KNEESE
G |5'10" | Dallas, Texas | Highland Park
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
Kneese Helped lead Highland Park to a Texas state championship title in 2015 ... Earned All-State and Under Armour All-America honors in 2015 ... Named All-District THSLL honorable mention in 2013-14 ... Named All-Star at Baltimore Summer Kickoff ... Plays club ball with Coast 2 Coast and Dallas Select.
PERSONAL
Born Colby James Kneese July 18, 1997 in Dallas, Texas ... Parents are Rick and Chris Kneese ... Has one brother, Cooper ... Grandfather, Keith Markey, played lacrosse at Army and uncle, Rich Wehman, played lacrosse at Navy ... Planning to major in business.
WHY PENN STATE?
"I chose Penn State because of the academic and athletic opportunities it has to offer and because it feels like home."
COACH TAMBRONI ON KNEESE
"Colby is an extremely talented goalie hailing from a region outside the traditional hot bed of lacrosse. He will bring a confidence and competitive demeanor to match his work ethic which will be necessary for the demands of the position that he plays."
NICK McEVOY
M |5'10" | Bethesda, Md. | Gonzaga College High School
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
McEvoy helped the Gonzaga Eagles to two consecutive WCAC Championship titles in 2014-15 as well as a No. 3 ranking in the 2015 Nike/US Lacrosse National High School Boys' Top 25 Poll ... Earned First Team All-WCAC honors, as well as Washington All-Met Honorable Mention distinction ... Will serve as team captain in 2015-16 season ... Plays club with Green Turtle-DC and FCA ... Helped FCA to Lake Placid Tournament titles in 2014-15 and Green Turtle squad to King of the Hill, Crab Feast and Legacy tournament titles in 2013 ... Also plays on the football team at Gonzaga, starting at linebacker.
PERSONAL
Born Nicholas Edward McEvoy January 28, 1997 in Washington, D.C. ... Parents are Sean McEvoy and Therese McNerney ... Has one sister, Tess, who plays lacrosse at Yale.
WHY PENN STATE?
"I chose Penn State because of its excellent reputation in both academics and athletics. Coach Tambroni and the staff made me feel like a member of the Penn State lacrosse family the moment I stepped on campus."
COACH TAMBRONI ON McEVOY
"Nick is one of the toughest lacrosse players that we evaluated on the recruiting circuit. He does a little bit of everything for his current football and lacrosse programs (both have spent time ranked in the top 10 nationally). He will provide a reliable face-off presence with a hardnosed, tough two-way midfielder mentality."
MAC O'KEEFE
M |6'0" | Syosset, N.Y. | Syosset
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
O'Keefe helped lead Syosset to a 2015 Nassau County and Long Island Class A Championship, earning All-America honorable mention honors in 2014-15 ... Also garnered All-County honors in 2014-15, in addition to a spot on the MSG Varsity All Metro team in 2015 ... Earned a spot on the 30-man training roster for the U.S. Men's Lacrosse U19 team ... Tabbed the Nassau County leading goal scorer with 63 goals in 2015 ... Plays club lacrosse with Team 91 and box with UBOXLA U18.
PERSONAL
Born Macaire Emeric O'Keefe February 6, 1998 in Plainview, N.Y. ... Parents are Lynann and Brian O'Keefe ... Has one sister, Delaney, who plays club lacrosse at Ole Miss ... Father played professionally in the NLL with the New York Saints and the Anaheim Storm ... Planning to major in economics.
WHY PENN STATE?
"I chose Penn State because of the great academic and athletic combination it offers students. Coach Tambroni and the staff have been great and I'm really excited to be a pair of the team environment."
COACH TAMBRONI ON O'KEEFE
"Mac is a highly skilled, goal scoring attackman who can play with or without the ball. His nose for the goal and ability to score is matched by very few prospects in the class of 2016. Mac has had plenty of success playing the field game but he spends plenty of time refining his skills by playing indoor lacrosse which has elevated his game to a different level. He brings tremendous passion and love for the game and will be welcome addition at attack."
KANE RANDOLPH
LSM |5'11" | Annapolis, Md. | St. Mary's Annapolis
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
Helped guide St. Mary's Annapolis to an MIAA-A State championship title ... One of 50 to be invited to training camp with the 2016 US Men's National U19 team ... Plays club with Baltimore Crabs and Annapolis Hawks.
PERSONAL
Born Michael Kane Randolph July 18, 1997 in Honolulu, Hawaii ... Parents are Mike and Kathleen Randolph ... Has one brother, Cole and two sisters, Colleen and Kaileigh ... Father played baseball at Navy, while sister Colleen was a swimmer at Navy as well ... Plans to major in education and business.
WHY PENN STATE?
"Penn State will allow me the best opportunity to succeed at any profession after lacrosse."
COACH TAMBRONI ON RANDOLPH
"Kane is an extremely athletic long stick midfield with a motor that does not stop. He impressed the evaluators at the USA U19 try outs this past summer with his passion and his aggressive style of play will fit well into our defensive system. Kane comes to Penn State from the 2015 MIAA Championship team, St. Mary's, and has a very high IQ for the game. Kane will follow current freshman Kevin Fox '19 from St. Mary's to Penn State."
JACK RUSBULDT
G | 5'10" | Richmond, Va. | Collegiate School
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
Rusbuldt helped Collegiate School to a pair of state semifinalist appearances in 2014-15 and a league championship in 2015 ... Earned U.S. Lacrosse All-America honors as well as First Team All-State Virginia accolades ... Set a school recorded with 272 saves in the 2014 season ... Plays club with Amped Lax, Tidewater Riptide and Geronimo Lacrosse ... A two-time Maverick Showtime All-Star, as well as King of the Hill and Gait Cup All-Start ... Also plays cornerback and receiver for Collegiate School.
PERSONAL
Born Jack Barber Rusbuldt July 7, 1997 in Richmond, Va. ... Parents are Anne and Chris ... Has one brother, Chris, who played lacrosse at Washington & Lee ... Father, Chris, played lacrosse at Hampden-Sydney.
WHY PENN STATE?
"I chose Penn State because I want to play for the best coaches in the country and work toward a national title."
COACH TAMBRONI ON RUSBULDT
"Jack is a two sport athlete from Virginia, Football and Lacrosse, who possesses a tremendous work ethic. We have been impressed with his ability to lead one of the most successful high school programs in Virginia while maintaining the necessary poise and command of his position as a leader. Jack is meticulous in his approach and he will bring an attention to detail, hand speed and work ethic that will transition well into the collegiate level."
MITCH SCHAEFER
M |5'11" | Canandaigua, N.Y. | Canandaigua
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
Shaefer helped lead Canandaigua Academy to a Class A Sec V Championship in 2013, earning MVP Section V Tournament honors ... Plays club ball with SweetLax, having helped the team to a first place finish at the Adrenaline Cup.
PERSONAL
Born Mitchell Robert Schaefer Oct. 15, 1997 in Canandaigua, N.Y. ... Parents are Scott and Sue Schaefer ... Has one sister, Lauren ... Plans to major in business.
WHY PENN STATE?
"I chose Penn State because of the coaching staff and family atmosphere and of course, the superior education."
COACH TAMBRONI ON SCHAEFER
"Mitch is an athletic two sport star with an explosive first step and a tremendous shot on the run. He will be an asset is so many ways offensively due to his ability to break down a defense and his ability to shoot with range. Mitch is following the footsteps of former Canandaigua standouts Michel McClain '19 and Tommy Lacrosse '14 and shares the same love for the game."
CONOR SMITH
A |6'1" | West Islip, N.Y. | West Islip
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
A four-year varsity member of the lacrosse team at West Islip, earning All-Division honors in 2014-15 ... The team's leading scorer in 2014-15, earning MVP honors in 2015 ... A three-time member of Suffolk County Top 20 Team ... Also plays football and basketball at West Islip ... Twice named both a Maverick Showtime and Hotbeds Camp All-Star.
PERSONAL
Born Conor Thomas Smith Oct. 21, 1997 in West Islip, N.Y. ... Parents are Sean and Carol ... Has two brothers, JP and Brendan ... Father, Sean, played lacrosse at Roanoke College ... Brother, Brendan plays lacrosse at Limestone College and brother JP, played lacrosse at the University of Tampa ... Planning to major in business.
WHY PENN STATE?
"I chose Penn State because of the opportunities it offers academically, athletically and career-wise."
COACH TAMBRONI ON SMITH
"Conor is an attackman with an extremely high IQ for the game. He is the son of a lacrosse coach who has shown the ability to break down a game and defense in real time. While he is a great attackman, he is a tremendous leader. Conor is another multi-sport star from high school, having played Football and lacrosse, and he possesses the skill set to play either attack or midfield. Conor is following in the footsteps of former teammate Nick Aponte '17 from West Islip."
BARRETT SUTLEY
M |6'2" | Stevenson, Md. | McDonogh School
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
An honor roll student at McDonogh School ... Helped guide McDonogh to back-to-back MIAA semifinal appearances in 2013-14 and a finalist finish in 2015 ... An MYLA All-Star ... Plays club ball with Greene Turtle and Crabs Lacrosse.
PERSONAL
Born Barrett Ledingham Sutley September 15, 1997 in Baltimore, Md. .. Parents are Stuart and Elizabeth ... Has two brothers, McKay and Max and one sister, Spencer ... Father, Stuart, played lacrosse at Virginia and grandfather Philip, played lacrosse at Johns Hopkins.
WHY PENN STATE?
"I chose Penn State because the second I felt the atmosphere on the campus, I knew it was where I wanted to attend college."
COACH TAMBRONI ON SUTLEY
"Barrett has a tremendous shot on the run which allows him to stretch a defense as a scoring threat. He has worked to become one of the top two way midfielders in the nation while playing for one of the most respected programs in the country. Barrett is a selfless teammate who has taken on many roles for his high school team and those skills will transfer well into Penn State. Barrett is following in the footsteps of his former line mate Robbie Black '19."