Long Island University Men's Lacrosse

Jez will man the sidelines for his tenth season as head coach of the Pioneers. Jez and the Pioneers have established a strong winning tradition and perennial national dominance of the men's lacrosse program at LIU Post.   In 2015, Jez earned his 100th career victory as head coach of the Pioneers, as his team defeated then-No. 10 Molloy 12-8 on Mar. 14. The victory was one of six wins for the green and gold against ranked opponents on the year. Furthermore, the squad went 14-3 overall and 8-0 in ECC play, earning the conference regular-season crown along with winning the ECC Tournament. For the third straight year, Jez led his Pioneers to the NCAA Tournament, while along the way collecting a bevy of awards and accolades. Eleven players earned All-ECC kudos, two earned ECAC All-Star accolades,  while eight were named USILA All-Americans, and three were name USILA Scholar All-American .   The Pioneers finished the 2015 campaign ranked in the Top-10 in the country in several NCAA statistical categories, including scoring offense (13.35), assists (117), points per game (20.24), scoring margin (4.76) and win percentage (.824).                  2014 saw the Pioneers return to the NCAA Division II Championship final. Led by Jez, LIU Post rattled off five consecutive wins down the stretch, including an East Coast Conference Championship upset of top-seeded Dowling and a national semifinal takedown of then-No. 1 Adelphi, to get to the finals in Baltimore. For his efforts, Jez earned Division II Coach of the Year accolades from both Lacrosse Magazine and CaptainU.  Additionally, ten players were named All-ECC selections, and four of the Pioneers were named USILA All-Americans.   In 2013, Jez mentored the Pioneers to an 11-3 overall record, and a perfect 7-0 clip in East Coast Conference play. As a result, LIU Post captured its fourth league title in five years, and secured a bid to the NCAA Division II Championship within that same time frame. The green and gold stood strong defensively, leading the ECC in caused turnovers, least goals allowed and goals-against average. Meanwhile, Matty Beccaris received high praise, as the conference's rookie of the year. Additionally in 2013, nine players were named All-ECC selections, two of the Pioneers were named USILA All-Americans, and two were named USILA Scholar All-Americans.   The Pioneers finished the 2013 campaign as the nation's top-ranked team in groundballs per game, and were ranked in the Top-10 in the country in several categories, including caused turnovers (10.29), scoring defense (6.71), scoring margin (5.50), turnovers per game (14.14) and win percentage (.786).                  LIU Post posted a 16-2 overall record and 9-1 conference mark in 2011 and fell one game shy of the national championship game. The Pioneers led the conference in points per game (19.17), ground balls per game (39.50) and goals against average (5.28). They also played tight in man-down defensive situations, allowing 17 goals on 82 chances. Messina was named the InsideLacrosse as well as the USILA, ECC and ECAC Player of the Year and 10 Pioneers received All-America, three Scholar  All-American and All-Conference mention.                  In 2010, LIU Post captured its second straight and third overall national title in a rematch over LeMoyne at M & T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.  The Pioneers bounced back from a halftime deficit to defeat the Dolphins, 14-9, and finished the season as the top-ranked team in the final USILA national poll. The Pioneers led the national in man-up scoring percentage and had the highest winning percentage among all Division II teams with a program-best 16-1 record.                 The 2009 team finished as NCAA Division II National Champions after defeating LeMoyne, 8-7, in front of more than 24,000 fans at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Pioneers wrapped up the season with a 15-1 record and a .938 winning percentage, which was second best in the nation. The offense was ranked No. 1 nationally averaging, 15.06 goals per game and they scored at least 10 goals against all but one opponent. For his efforts, Jez was honored as the 2009 USILA and FieldTurf/NCAA Division II Coach of the Year. That year, nine Pioneers were named All-Americans and All-ECC team honorees.                 This also marked the best scoring offense in the 50-year history of the LIU Post lacrosse program. The man-up and face-off units also led the nation in 2009, with the man-up unit scoring 51 percent of the time and the face-off unit, posting a 67.5 win percentage. The 2008 and 2007 seasons were also very successful under Jezs leadership. The Pioneers were ranked fourth nationally both years and ranked amongst the highest in many NCAA statistical categories. Team and individual success have gone hand in hand during Jezs tenure. Two national titles, six NCAA championship appearances and six conference championships have come under the watch of Jez. Sixty-six players have earned East Coast Conference year-end honors, including Matthew Beccaris, who was named the 2013 Rookie of the Year, as well as Mike Messina, who was named the 2008 Rookie of the Year and capped off his career with ECC Player of the Year honors in 2011. Greg Cerar was the ECC and ECAC Player of the Year in 2009. Jez has also helped his players to earn a combined 49 All-America distinctions, including 12 First Team, 20 Second Team, three Third Team and 14 Honorable Mention selections.                 Under his tutelage, Messina, Cerar and Michael Cama were honored as top players in their respective positions by the USILA. Messina was named the 2011 Outstanding Player of the Year as well as the Lt. Donald McLaughlin Jr. Award for Most Outstanding Midfielder. In 2009, Cerar was honored as the Lt. Col. J Turnbull Award winner for Outstanding Attackman of the Year and received the Lt. Raymond Jenners award for National Player of the Year. Cama was honored as both the 2010 and 2009 Specialty Player of the Year.                 Jez also stresses excellence in the classroom, resulting in 14 players earning USILA Scholar All-American honors, including Chris Ruhlig (2013), Tim Bradley (2013), Erik Boyd (2011), Dan DaCosta (2011), Mike Giordano (2011), Matt Dimler (2008), Greg Cerar (2009), David Loftus (2009) and Dan Sciulla (2009). Most recently, Connor Drost (2015), Robert Chiocco (2015) and Justin Woodley (2015) garnered that distinction. Each semester, more than 20 of Jezs players have been recognized with the LIU Post Athletic Academic Achievement Award. This award is given to student-athletes that obtain a 3.0 or higher semester GPA. Many student-athletes who have achieved a 3.25 or better were named to the ECC Commissioner Honor Roll.                 Before taking over for legendary National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee, Tom Postel, Jez assisted him for two seasons in 2005 and 2006. In 2005, the Pioneers advanced to the NCAA Division II semifinal round against NYIT. Jez came to LIU Post after serving as head coach at Pace University for the 2003 and 2004 seasons. He led the Setters to as high as a No. 3 national ranking in Division II. In 2003, he coached the nations top scoring offense that averaged 19.07 goals per game.                 In 2004, his team averaged 15.93 goals per game which was third-best nationally. While at Pace, Jez mentored six All-Americans and 12 Northeast 10 All-Conference performers.                 Prior to his appointment as head coach at Pace, Jez served as an assistant for six years at the Pleasantville campus and he had a one-year stint at Division I Sacred Heart University.                 Jez has served as the Chairman of the NCAA Division II Lacrosse Championships Committee and is the central region advisor on the USILA All-America Committee. He also serves as a representative for the weekly USILA Division II national poll and is a Division II representative on the NCAA Mens Lacrosse Rules Committee.                 Jez is currently the general manager for the 2016 U.S. Under 19 Men's National Lacrosse team. He was also an assistant general manager for the 2010 US Mens National Lacrosse team and was on the support staff for the 2008 and 2012 US Under-19 National Lacrosse team and the 2006 US National team.  During the summer of 2012, Jez came on board as an assistant coach for the Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse.                 A native of Ossining, NY, Jez earned a bachelors degree in Sports Medicine-Exercise Science in 1994 from Pfeiffer University. He was a four-year letterwinner at the North Carolina school, helping lead the team to national Top-10 ranking his junior and senior seasons. A two-time All-American midfielder in 1993 and 1994, Jez was selected as an alternate for the North-South Senior All-Star game in 1994 and was named Pfeiffer Universitys lacrosse MVP that same year.  He completed his masters degree in Criminal Justice at LIU Post in May 2010. In 2012, Jez was inducted in to the Pfeiffer Athletics Hall of Fame.                 Jez and his wife, Christine, currently reside in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. with their daughters, Olivia (17), Dakota (10) and Jalyn (8).  

Vitolo Assistant Coach 3851 A veteran lacrosse coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels, Frank Vitolo enters his ninth season as the programs top assistant and defensive coordinator.         Frank is one of the top defensive coaches in the nation, says head coach John Jez.  His hard work and dedication has continued our programs winning tradition and without him we would not be at the level of competitiveness we are at today.  His game preparation is unmatched.  LIU Post lacrosse is blessed to have his guidance and leadership.  I do not know what we would do without him.         Prior to joining Jezs staff, Vitolo was an assistant with the New Jersey Pride of the Major League Lacrosse from 2002-05 and also spent eight seasons on the coaching staff at Northeast-10 member Pace University. Vitolo served as the Setters head coach from 2000-02 and his team was nationally ranked during that time. In 2013, Vitolo's defense sported a conference-leading 5.47 goals against average. LIU Post's scoring margin was 5.50, good enough for second in the nation. In 2011, Vitolos defense posted a 5.28 goals against average, which is the best in the programs history.  Erik Boyd (Second Team), Dan DaCosta (Second Team), Jason Cranmer (Second Team) and John Wood (Honorable Mention) each earned USILA All-America recognition.         In 2010, Vitolo was the architect of a defensive unit that posted a 5.88 goals against average (second-best nationally) and the best mark for a Pioneer defense in over 39 years (1972 - 5.75 goals against average).  Under his leadership, Joe Blount (First Team), Richard Schmidt (First Team) and Bryan Leonard (Second Team) all earned USILA All-America honors.         Vitolos defensive unit posted a 6.19 goals against average (second-best nationally) in 2009. LIU Post held 15 of its 16 opponents to fewer than 10 goals.  Under Vitolos guidance, defensemen Bryan Leonard (First Team), Joe Blount (Second Team) and Jon Kology (Honorable Mention) were named to USILA All-America teams.         In addition, Vitolo was bestowed the 2009 Division II Assistant Coach of the Year by the Intercollegiate Mens Lacrosse Coaches Association for his outstanding work in helping the Pioneers capture their second national title.         In both 2007 and 2008, Vitolos defensive teams ranked among the best in NCAA Division II statistical categories.  The 2007 team was fourth in scoring defense (7.85 goals per game) and fourth in man-down defense (81.9 percent stoppage).  His 2008 defense was fifth in scoring defense (6.79 goals per game) and eighth in man-down (75 percent stoppage).         Over the last six seasons, Vitolo has coached 10 defensive All-Americans at LIU Post.  Among those honored are four First Team selections Rob Blount (2007), Chase Safarowic (2007), Bryan Leonard (2009) and Joe Blount (2010); seven Second Team selections Bryan Leonard (2008, 2010), Joe Blount (2009), Dan DaCosta (2011), Erik Boyd (2011), Jason Cranmer (2011), T.J. McAndrew (2013) and Honorable Mention selections, Jon Kology (2009) and John Wood (2011).         A longtime resident of Somers, N.Y., Vitolo spent over 20 years as head coach at Lakeland High School, where he accumulated more than 300 victories.  During the summer of 1990, Vitolo coached the Hudson Valley boys lacrosse team to a gold medal finish at the Empire State Games.         He is a member of the Lakeland High School Athletics Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Hudson Valley Chapter of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1995.         Vitolo received his bachelors degree in Physical Education in 1972 from Ithaca College.  While at Ithaca, Vitolo competed in the wrestling and lacrosse programs.         Vitolo and his wife, Kathi, are the proud parents of daughters Nicole, Kim, Sara and Katy.  They currently reside in Babylon, N.Y.