Feb. 20, 2002

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Denis Scannell fondly remembers his younger days at Hofstra Stadium, watching the finest local men's lacrosse available. Now a standout midfielder at Stony Brook University, he wants to give younger fans the same thrill.

The days of the Seawolves' faithful crossing the county line to see an NCAA Tournament contender might be over. Predicted to finish first in its inaugural America East season, SBU might have a smoother path to the playoffs than Hofstra, now in the Colonial Athletic Associaton, which does not have an automatic qualifier.

"There's a lot to play for. We feel more like the hunted than the hunters now," said Scannell, a MacArthur product. "I grew up going to Hofstra games being a Nassau guy. Now it's good to see the high school kids coming to our games and cheering us the same way." Last year, SBU went 7-7, including 1-5 in the top 25-heavy ECAC. A move to the reshuffled America East has stacked the deck in Stony Brook's favor.

"It's obviously more pressure than before," SBU coach John Espey said. "But that's generated a tremendous amount of enthusiasm. For the first time, we have a realistic chance to compete in the NCAA Tournament."

Scannell leads 13 seniors, SBU's first scholarship class. Eight are four-year starters. They begin their last chance at the postseason March 2 against UMass.

"We think we have just as good a shot as all the others," said senior attackman Kevin Pall, who led Division I with 3.57 goals per game last season. "We finally know how each other works. It just gets better every year."

Stony Brook hasn't made the postseason since 1988, when it was in Division III. Joining the America East might help grow a program to rival Hofstra's. With Hofstra grappling with other high-profile programs for a handful of at-large bids, and SBU picked as the class in the conference, the future might be now.

"Right now, we're sitting in a better situation with the [automatic bid] than basically being an independent like they are," Espey said, comparing SBU with Hofstra and three other schools that bolted for the CAA. "Those teams that left the America East are all in a bind. They don't have a bid yet."

Because of NCAA restrictions, they might not until 2004. By then, SBU could place itself on par, if not beyond, Hofstra. The teams have never met.

"I think it would be a must-see this year," Scannell said of a hypothetical matchup with the preseason No.10 Pride. "That's what we want: to get a chance to play Hofstra and get a Long Island rivalry."

Newsday, February 20, 2002