HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Coker College Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Tony Smith is pleased to announce that 12 players have signed National Letters of Intent to play lacrosse for the Cobras during their inaugural season in 2012.

The players are split between college transfers and rising freshmen with six transfers and six freshmen. Eight hail from New York with two from Florida and one from Canada.

Name

HS/College

Hometown

Position

Max Baltzer

Herricks HS

Roslyn Heights, NY

Defense

John Bretton

Palm Beach Gardens HS

Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Attack

Jake Burns

Guilderland HS/Herkimer CC

Altamont, NY

Defense

Michael DeGore

Copaigue HS

Lindenhurst, NY

Goalie

Jordan Hughes

Wharton HS

Tampa, FL

Midfield

Josh Masciarelli

Chenango Valley HS/Herkimer CC

Binghamton, NY

Goalie

Mikey Mazzola

Jupiter HS

Jupiter, FL

Midfield

Alex Salpietro

Ward Melville HS/Suffolk CC

East Setauket, NY

LSM

Ryan Vento

Holy Trinity HS

Bellmore, NY

Midfield

Steven Zolezzi

Lindenhurst HS

Lindenhurst, NY

Midfield

Dan Foote

St. Catharines/Holy Cross

Ontario, CAN

Attack

Steven Marciano

Floyd HS/Suffolk CC

Shirley, NY

Attack

Coker will become the seventh member of Conference Carolinas to have men’s lacrosse, joining Belmont Abbey College, Lees-McRae College, Limestone College, Pfeiffer University, Queens University of Charlotte and St. Andrews Presbyterian College. The addition of men’s lacrosse gives Coker 14 NCAA Division II athletic programs.

Thanks to a partnership with the City of Hartsville, Coker’s lacrosse team will practice and play their games on the football field at Byerly Park starting with off-season workouts in the fall of 2011. The first official lacrosse games will be played starting in February of 2012.