by Shaun Gold | Special to MCLA.us

DURHAM, N.H. -- Opening up ranked at No. 10 in the MCLA preseason poll, the University of New Hampshire men's lacrosse program is ready to live up to its expectations this spring.

First-year head coach Sean Houlahan worked with his squad throughout the fall, getting it acclimated to the new system and the philosophy he’s bringing into the program.

Houlahan is taking over a program that saw great success in the last “normal” season for the MCLA.

In 2019, the Wildcats went 12-1 and made it to the quarterfinals in the MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance.

This season, the Wildcats look to pick up right where the program left off in 2019, helped by a strong senior class led by captain and president Zach Keating (midfield), Brandon Howe (attack) and Chris Connery (LSM), .

The fall not only allowed UNH to have a normal offseason for the first time in a couple of years, but it also allowed the team to get acclimated to Houlahan’s system. Between practices and scrimmages, the team had the opportunity to build chemistry and gel as a unit.

Houlahan noted one of the biggest messages he has instilled into his team is playing selflessly.

“If we can get a cohesive group out there and everybody does their job, I think we’re gonna have a lot of success,” Houlahan stated when asked what it will take for New Hampshire to see success this season.

He said his squad has no selfish motivations this year, and all of his players have banned around one goal: winning.

This season, New Hampshire will rely on their stout defense to open up the offense in what is expected to be an exciting run-and-gun unit.

If New Hampshire can put the pieces together this season, they’ll be looking at another deep tournament run similar to the one they had in 2019.