Hall of Fame
Starting something new was not a foreign experience for Joe Collins when he decided to attend Cabrini College in 1993. Collins was one of the players on the first boys’ lacrosse team at Monsignor Bonner high School, so being a pioneer on Cabrini’s team was nothing new.
As one would expect, the early days of the program were tough. Lacrosse was a relatively new sport on the scene, which meant there would be a small number of players and even fewer with experience, as well as limited field availability.
The team struggled with just 15 players, but according to Collins, “it was a credit to the players for their love of the game,” as the team had to find public parks and parking lots for practice time.
Despite its small roster, the Cavaliers finished their first season with a 5-8 record, with five losses coming by one or two goals. The season ended on a high note with a second place finish at the Long Island Dowling Tournament, an experience that included a pair of wins over Division II opponents.
Those tough early days helped forge Collins into one of the best players in program history. A two-time captain, Collins started every game during his four year career and tallied at least one point in every contest except one.
Collins’ work on the field has stood the test of time, as he remains the program’s all-time leader with 5.16 points and 3.32 goals per game, while his 1.84 assists per game rank third.
While his numbers jump off the page, his favorite memories of his days in the Blue and White revolve around the comradery among the men in the program.
With the growth and experience of the coaching staff and its ability to recruit and retain better and better student-athletes, Collins and his teammates spent the next three years helping establish the foundation for the program we see today.
Collins credits those coaches and teammates for teaching him some of the life lessons that he carries to this day as a father and youth lacrosse coach.
“Lacrosse is the ultimate team sport,” Collins said. “Every time you step on the field, you play for something bigger than yourself. You are always playing for your teammates.”
