STONY BROOK, N.Y. — After helping lead Towson to five CAA championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, Anthony Gilardi returned to his native Long Island last summer with the goal of bringing similar success to Stony Brook men's lacrosse.

That pursuit now begins in earnest.
 
Stony Brook opens its 2020 season on Tuesday at 5 p.m. against St. John's at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.

"When you talk about a group of administration that wants to be successful — the commitment, and all the facilities that we have — it's all very similar to me to Towson, which made it a seamless transition for me coming over last June," Gilardi said.

Gilardi said Stony Brook's collection of seniors buying into his system has helped make the transition as seamless as possible.

The Seawolves tuned up for Tuesday's opener with recent scrimmages against Boston University and Harvard. 

"The biggest thing for our staff was making sure we do everything we can to maximize this year for our seniors," Gilardi said. "Coming in with a different coaching staff after three years is definitely a challenge, but we were very fortunate to have great kids in the locker room."
 
Gilardi's goal for the squad is an America East championship.

The Seawolves did earn the conference's regular-season title a year ago while producing a 9-6 overall record.

"Being used to having success, coming over to Stony Brook I want to make sure we have a type of winning culture and mentality," Gilardi said. "We expect to win. And the blueprint is there so we just have to get the guys to believe and buy in."

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