Yale Lacrosse Adds 11 Newcomers

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Eleven newcomers have joined the 2014 Yale Men’s Lacrosse Team as it prepares to defend its two-year run as Ivy League Tournament Champions. The Class of 2017, which brings much talent and experience, hails from all over New England and Mid-Atlantic states.

There are six high school varsity lacrosse captains among the 11. Five of the newcomers were all-league, four were All-Americans and they combine for a plethora of conference and state championships.

Two players participated in regional all-star games and another was named Player of the Year in his state. Eight of the freshmen went to preparatory school. Nine played multiple sports in high school, including football, basketball, hockey, soccer and golf.

The most common theme across the board for these new student-athletes is their connections to the Ivy League. Ten of the players either have or had family, friends, and former teammates playing varsity sports in the Ivy League. Some players are upholding family tradition by attending Yale, while others will be rivals with siblings at opposing universities.

Here is Yale’s Class of 2017.

Charlie Better

Height: 6’1’’
Weight: 180
Year: Fr.
Hometown: Greenwich, CT
High School: Brunswick School
Position: D
Intended Major: Economics

At Brunswick: Three varsity letters and captain of lacrosse team…Two varsity letters for hockey, team won Empire Cup in 2013…Defensive MVP in lacrosse for 2013 season…Selected for New England East-West All-Star Game in 2013…Lacrosse team finished second in Western New England Division I with a 13-3 record in 2013…Three-time Scholar-Athlete Award winner for varsity lacrosse and hockey…National AP Scholar…Four years on Brunswick high honor roll…Awarded Faculty Citation for Excellence at graduation.

Personal: Charles Edward Better is the son of Jamie and Nancy Better…Mother is a 1984 Yale graduate…Older brother, David, is on the Yale lacrosse team and will graduate in 2015…Father played varsity hockey for Williams College…Uncle, Steven, played varsity hockey for Harvard…Enjoys playing golf during leisure time…Worked as intern at Rubicon Infrastructure Advisors in Dublin, Ireland in the summer of 2013.

Jeff Cimbalista

Height: 6’0’’
Weight: 190
Year: Fr.
Hometown: New Hope, PA
High School: La Salle College High School
Position: M/A
Intended Major: Economics

New Hope/At La Salle: Captain of varsity lacrosse team, played for four years between the two schools…First-Team All-Pennsylvania Catholic League during junior and senior seasons…Member of the PIAA Lacrosse State Championship team in 2013…Played golf for two seasons… Coached at lacrosse camps during summer…National Honor Society member…First honors all four years…Academic All-American for lacrosse.

Personal: Jeff Cimbalista is the son of Jim and Julie Cimbalista…Father graduated from Temple University in 1989 and mother graduated from Philadelphia University in 1985…Older brother, John, is currently attending Drexel University and younger brother, Jake, attends New Hope Solebury High School.

Henry Guild

Height: 6’0’’
Weight: 170
Year: Fr.
Hometown: Sudbury, MA
High School: Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School
Position: M/A
Intended Major: Economics

At Lincoln-Sudbury: Lettered for four years in lacrosse…Two-time All-American in lacrosse and two-time Dual County League All-Star…2013 Boston Globe Player to Watch…2012 Boston Herald All-Scholastic Team…Lettered for three years in football and was captain during senior year…Played quarterback senior year and cornerback during sophomore and junior year…2013 Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation Top Scholar-Athlete…Four-time Dual County League champions in lacrosse and three-time champions in football…LS Scholar all four years…St. Lawrence Book Award recipient…Varsity Football Junior and Senior Academic Award…Cum Laude Society member…Had internship during senior year teaching third grade students.

Personal: Henry Dunlap Guild is the son of David and Gretchen Guild…Younger sister, Eliza, is committed to play lacrosse at Harvard…Hobbies include boating and fishing in Nantucket Sound…Played for Laxachusetts Club Lacrosse during summer.

Christopher Keating

Height: 6’1’’
Weight: 205
Year: Fr.
Hometown: Windham, NH
High School: Phillips Exeter Academy
Position: D
Intended Major: Economics

At Phillips Exeter: Captain of lacrosse and hockey teams, played both sports all four years…Two-time U.S. Lacrosse All-American…Two-time Under Armour Underclass All-American…Three-time All-New England East…Under Armour Senior All-American…Three-time New England East champions in lacrosse…Team ranked third in New England during junior year…Three years on honor roll.

Personal: Christopher Conor Keating is the son of Ted and Nina Keating…Sister, Kyleigh, is Harvard lacrosse captain for 2014 season…Summer jobs included working at youth sports camps and as a coach for New Hampshire Tomahawks…Career objective is to be a teacher at Phillips Exeter…Hobbies include ice hockey, reading, fishing, and hiking…Sister attended Phillips Andover which is a rival of Phillips Exeter and the two schools have the oldest high school rivalry in the country… Sister plays lacrosse at Harvard.

Camyar Matini

Height: 6’1’’
Weight: 175
Year: Fr.
Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland
High School: St. Albans
Position: D
Intended Major: Undecided

At St. Albans: Four year player on lacrosse and soccer teams, three years on varsity for both sports…Captain of lacrosse team…Soccer team has the record for most wins and shutouts in the school’s history…All-Conference player in both sports, also won Coach’s Award in lacrosse…Soccer team was league champions and D.C. State Champions…National Merit Scholar.

Personal: Camyar Michael Matini is the son of Michael and Sheila Matini…Both parents immigrated to America from Iran when they were young…First member of his family born in the United States…Father attended George Washington and mother attended Tufts University… Picked up soccer at the age of 4 and lacrosse at 7…Has worked as a lacrosse coach, intern at Children’s Hospital…Currently working in an HIV Testing Program…Loves football and is a big Redskins fan…Interested in science and medicine.

Dylan Meyer

Height: 6’2’’
Weight: 175
Year: Fr.
Hometown: Manhasset, NY
High School: Manhasset High School
Position: G
Intended Major: Political Science

At Manhasset: Two-year varsity goalie in lacrosse and two-year varsity receiver in football…Named to the All-Conference and All-County lacrosse teams in 2013…All-American candidate for lacrosse in 2013…Team won the 2013 Woodstick Classic and was ranked #6 in NYS Class B…Academic All-County in 2013.

Personal: Dylan Francis Meyer is the son of J.B. and Diana Meyer…His brother, Jack Meyer, is also currently a goalie on the lacrosse team and will graduate from Yale in 2014…Father was an All-ACC goalie and honorable mention All-American in lacrosse at the University of Virginia…Mother played tennis at William Smith College…Cousin, Emily Easton, is an All-Ivy sprinter at Princeton…Favorite hobbies include football and golf.

Brian Pratt

Height: 5’8’’
Weight: 170
Year: Fr.
Hometown: Garden City, NY
High School: Chaminade High School
Position: M
Intended Major: Economics

At Chaminade: Played lacrosse and soccer for four years…Played midfield in lacrosse and was a forward in soccer…2013 All-League in lacrosse and soccer…Lacrosse team was the New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association League champions and state champions…Soccer team was League Champions and state runner-up.

Personal: Brian Pratt is the son of James and Cathleen Pratt…Older brother, Michael, captained the 2012 Yale lacrosse team…Father graduated from Lehigh in 1982, while his mother graduated from Marymount in 1983…Career objective is to work in investment banking.

Conor Resch

Height: 6’3’’
Weight: 215
Year: Fr.
Hometown: Floutown, PA
High School: La Salle College High School
Position: D
Intended Major: Undecided

At La Salle: Lettered four years in both lacrosse and football…Captain of lacrosse team…Played center or offensive tackle on the football team…First-team All-Catholic and First-team All-State in his senior year for lacrosse…Teammate Jeff Cimbalista is also entering his freshman year at Yale on the lacrosse team… First honors every year…Member of the National Honor Society senior year.

Personal: Conor Anthony Resch is the son of Anthony and Mary Resch…Both parents graduated from Yale in 1985…Brother, Patrick, plays lacrosse at Dartmouth…Father was a two-time All-American defenseman for Yale lacrosse team who became a National Lacrosse League Hall of Famer and a MLL coach. He has coached U.S. National Teams and helped the 1990 team win gold at the World Championships…Mother was the captain of Yale basketball team…Uncle, Hank, also played lacrosse at Yale…Hobbies include spending time with friends, playing pick-up sports, and listening to music.

Anthony Rocco

Height: 5’10’’
Weight: 180
Year: Fr.
Hometown: Kensington, CT
High School: Avon Old Farms
Position: A
Intended Major: Economics/Mathematics

At Avon: Lettered three years in lacrosse…Led league in goals and led team in points for two years…2013 U.S. Lacrosse All-American…2013 Offensive MVP on team…2011 and 2012 Under Armour Underclass All-American…Team New England 2011 Under Armour Tournament Champions… Avon team was Founders League Champions in 2012…Member of Headmaster’s List…Received Academic Rosette for Academic Excellence.

Personal: Anthony Joseph (A.J.) Rocco is the son of Patrick and Shara Rocco…Father graduated from Boston College in 1982, mother from St. Joseph’s in 1988…Hobbies include playing sports and going to the beach…Twin brother, Austin, is also an incoming freshman playing on the Yale lacrosse team.

Austin Rocco

Height: 5’10’’
Weight: 170
Year: Fr.
Hometown: Kensington, CT
High School: Avon Old Farms
Position: A
Intended Major: Economics

At Avon: Varsity lacrosse player for three years…Second leading scorer on 2013 team…2013 All-League in lacrosse and was elected to 2013 NE West Senior All-Star Game…2012 Founders League Champions…2011 Under Armour Underclassmen Tournament Champions…Headmaster’s List Student…Awarded Senior Rosette for Academic Excellence in 2013.

Personal: Austin Robert Rocco is the son of Patrick and Shara Rocco…Twin brother, A.J., is also entering his freshman year on the Yale lacrosse team…Father played Division I lacrosse at Boston College…Enjoys basketball, spending time with friends, and playing videogames.

Eric Scott

Height: 5’11’’
Weight: 185
Year: Fr.
Hometown: Basking Ridge, NJ
High School: Ridge High School
Position: M
Intended Major: Undecided

At Ridge: Captain of and lettered four years in lacrosse…197 career points as midfielder…Played three years of basketball as a guard…Started in varsity lacrosse as a freshman, team won New Jersey Group III State Championship…First-team All-Skyland Conference and First-team All-State in 2012 and 2013…Named New Jersey Player of the Year in 2013…Named top 5 New Jersey Athlete of the Year by MSG varsity…Team was Somerset County Champions, New Jersey Group IV State Champions, and New Jersey Tournament of Champions in 2013… National Honor Society member…Recipient of the Ridge Sports Foundation Scholarship.

Personal: Eric Thomas Scott is the son of Jeff and Sandy Scott…Sister, Shannon, is a 2013 Bucknell graduate…Sister, Kelly, is a junior at Lehigh and plays lacrosse… Gives individual lacrosse lessons during the summer months…Hobbies include boating and water sports, music, and Nintendo 64.

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