Published: July 11, 2007
QUEENS, N.Y.
Head coach Jason Miller announced
Wednesday the hiring of Brian Jacovina
as the latest addition to the Red Storm lacrosse coaching staff.
Jacovina is a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts,
where he played under Miller for three seasons when Miller was an
assistant to Minutemen head coach Greg Canella.
“Brian will be a great addition to our program,” said Miller.
“He is one of the smartest, hardest working, savviest players I
have ever coached. I know he will bring these qualities to our
program at St. John’s.”
Jacovina, a Hicksville, N.Y., native, boasts a hefty player
resume. A four-year varsity athlete, a two-year starter and
senior co-captain, Jacovina was selected as a 2007 Preseason Third
Team All-American by Inside Lacrosse/Face-off Yearbook,
was a three-time First Team All-New England honoree, a 2007 USILA
Scholar All-American, a 2007 New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse
Association Scholar Athlete and a UMass Spring Scholar Athlete.
Noted as a throwback, multi-purpose midfielder and a consistent
top point scorer, Jacovina played both first midfield and defensive
midfield in addition to the face-off wing. As a sophomore, Jacovina
was the first and only player to win an overall team Most Valuable
Player award. With a traditional offensive, defensive, rookie and
senior award given, the coaches created this unique MVP award just
for Jacovina who Miller called “the pulse” of the Minutemen’s 2005
NCAA Quarterfinal team.
“I am excited to be working at St. John’s,” said Jacovina.
“Coach Miller taught me for three years at UMass. I am thrilled to
be able to learn a lot from both Coach Miller and assistant coach
Dan Paccione, and to be able to bring
my own ideas to the team.”
As a senior, Jacovina led the Minutemen and was fourth in the
ECAC in assists with 18, had seven games with multiple points and
scored a point in 36 of 46 games dating to 2005. Career-wise, he
finished with 30 goals, 54 assists, 84 points and 94 ground balls,
with 26 multi-point games.
Prior to his collegiate-career as a Minuteman, Jacovina was a
local star athlete as a four-year letterwinner at Holy Trinity High
School, in Hicksville, N.Y., playing for head coach Wayne Ament.
With a school-career record 404 points, he was a four-time
Nassau-Suffolk Catholic High School Athletic Association (NSCHSAA)
All-Long Island selection and was the Long Island Catholic League’s
Offensive Player of the Year in 2003.
With the addition of Jacovina, Miller and the Red Storm
lacrosse program moves steadily toward a new era of continued
success. The 2007 season marked numerous program firsts and
highlights, including a first-ever ECAC win, a season high win
record, a 4-1 record at home and an attendance record of more than
700 fans on two occasions.
For the most up-to-date information and statistics on St. John’s
Lacrosse and its Athletic Department, please visit www.RedStormSports.com or call our hotline at 1-888-GO-STORM.
TRANSACTIONS: Brian Jacovina named assistant
lacrosse coach at St. John’s University (N.Y.).