By Andrew Coen
That all changes this winter, as the expansion New York Titans of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) are ready to take flight with an eight-game home schedule that includes four games at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale and four contests to be held at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in
Manhattan.
Adam Mueller, head coach of the Titans, arrives in the metropolitan area after coaching the Minnesota Swarm to the teamÕs first-ever playoff berth last season. He said he is excited about the TitansÕ inaugural season, which features former college All-Americans, many of whom hail from Long Island.
ÒItÕs an exciting time for everyone involved,Ó said Mueller. ÒWe have some great athletes and we want to bring an exciting brand of lacrosse for the fans.Ó
The Titans launched their 16-game season by dropping their first two games on the road, and will hold their MSG home opener on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. against the Chicago Shamrox, marking the first time a lacrosse game has ever been played at Òthe worldÕs most famous arena.Ó The TitansÕ Long Island debut is scheduled for Jan. 27 at Nassau Coliseum against the Philadelphia Wings with face-off at 7:30 p.m.
ÒIt's kind of fun for me to be involved in the New York/Long Island lacrosse scene,Ó said Titan forward Ryan Boyle, a former standout attackman at Princeton who grew up in Maryland. ÒItÕs an incredible opportunity for myself and this team for [indoor lacrosse] to make it in New York.Ó
The sport of indoor lacrosse differs from the traditional outdoor game in many ways: the indoor game has fewer players (six players per team versus 10 in outdoor), a smaller playing surface on a hockey rink and a smaller net. Indoor lacrosse, also known as box lacrosse, was developed in Canada in the 1930s and has become a popular winter sport in the United States since the formation of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League in 1987, which a decade later merged with the NLL.
The Titans boast some major talent including former Syracuse star attackman Casey Powell, along with Boyle. The Titans also have plenty of local flavor with former Hofstra players on the roster, including defenseman Joseph Ghedina and forward Blake Miller. Defenseman Nicky Polanco, an Oceanside High School product and 2002 Hofstra alumnus, is recovering from off-season surgery and is expected to join the TitansÕ lineup in mid-season. Long Islanders will also see a familiar former college player in Brian Tower, an Adelphi University product.
Coach Mueller said that once his squad learns some chemistry after playing with each other a few games they should be a fun team to watch. He hopes the Titans can play an up-tempo style to entertain the fans. ÒOnce they get used to playing with each other we should be a great team,Ó said Mueller. ÒIf we're successful on the floor, then the fans will come.Ó
For further information about the New York TitansÕ season, which runs until mid-April, call 888-8TITANS or log onto www.nytitans.com.
Comments about this story? Acoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
