If Mercy College’s men’s lacrosse program is to attain success at the Division II level, it will need to attract talent from the area surrounding the school’s Dobbs Ferry campus.
One of the prime targets in that territory is Yorktown.
So new head coach Steve Manitta has to be pleased that he’s gotten commitments from not one, but two, Yorktown seniors.
And it just so happens that they’re twin brothers.
Midfielder Fitim Lajqi and defenseman/longstick midfielder Gzim Lajqi will become Mavericks beginning with the 2013 season.
Both are 6-foot, 170 pounds who are noted for their athleticism.
Now, let’s hear from both Fitim (pictured above) and Gzim.
First up, here’s a Q&A with Fitim on his commitment:
What were the main factors in your decision?
One major factor was the coaches at Mercy, Coach Manitta and (Assistant) Coach (Jordan) Levine are great guys and helped me out a lot through out my recruiting process.
Academically, I feel that it is a perfect fit for me and has some majors I’m interested in.
Lastly, Mercy’s close to home, so that was a plus.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
Oneonta State and Keene State. I visited Oneonta.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
My athleticism and my work ethic. My style of play is a hard working, athletic middie with exceptional size.
Did you and your brother plan on going to the same school and how did the recruiting process go for both of you?
We planned on going to the same school from the beginning of our recruiting process. The recruiting process went great, the coaches are great people and were very helpful through out the whole process.
Are you looking forward to being college teammates with your brother?
I’m definitely looking forward to being college teammates with my brother and making an impact on Mercy’s lacrosse program.
What were some of the big summer showcase events you’ve competed in the last couple of years and how did you do at them?
The Syracuse summer shootout was a huge showcase. And it was great in terms of college exposure. I think I did well during all my summer showcase
* For more info on Fitim, check out his player profile.
Now, here’s a Q&A with Gzim (pictured below) on his commitment:
What were the main factors in your decision?
My brother and I were looking to play in the same school and we were both very interested in Mercy. Also, the coaching staff was great and I was very impressed in what they did with the program in such a short period of time.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
Keene State and Oneonta. I visited Oneonta.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
My athleticism. My style of play is all about basic position defense.
Are you looking forward to being college teammates with your brother?
Yes, I’ve enjoyed playing with my brother in high school and am looking forward to doing it again in college.
What were some of the big summer showcase events you’ve competed in the last couple of years and how did you do at them?
Syracuse Summer Shootout, Yale Tournament and we played in some tournaments in the fall, and at these tournaments, I did well.
* For more info on Gzim, check out his player profile.
Have a recruiting commitment to report? Be sure to email us at info@laxlessons.com.
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Posted In: Recruiting Rundown, Section 1
Congratulations to both of these young men and their parents on their commitment.
Not to be a nitpicker, but 2012 will be the 3rd season of varsity men’s lacrosse at Mercy, not the inaugural one.