Navy men’s lacrosse head coach Joe Amplo is hoping to surpass outside expectations for his squad in 2024.
The 2023 season proved to be a challenging one for Navy. The Midshipmen went 8-8 overall, 5-3 in Patriot League play and saw their season come to an end in the Patriot League quarterfinals with a 12-7 loss to Loyola.
Amplo and Navy are looking to get back on track and compete for a Patriot League title in 2024. That quest began with the hiring of Dave Cottle as offensive coordinator mere weeks before the start of the spring practices. What was the thought process for bringing in the legendary coach after former offensive coordinator Mike Phipps left for Maryland?
“Through the scenario that we were forced into in December, Coach Cottle and I have always been great friends. He’s always been a mentor,” Amplo said on Glenn Clark Radio Jan. 30. “Through conversations with him, he mentioned that would have some interest. Once he said that, I was like, ‘All right, how the heck do we make this work, to bring this guy back into college lacrosse.”
Amplo can think of no better hire given the circumstances.
“I think there’s an energy around him that people are going to be surprised about,” Amplo said. “He’s been extremely valuable with us in the office, and our guys on the field have really started to engage him in a really positive way.”
Navy’s top returner, however, plays on the defensive end. Senior defenseman Jackson Bonitz picked up 39 ground balls and caused 22 turnovers a year ago, earning honorable mention All-America honors.
Not only was Bonitz selected by his peers to serve as a captain for the men’s lacrosse team this season, but he was chosen by the captains of all the sports at the Naval Academy to serve as the Athletic Team Commander, more commonly known as the Captain of the Captains, for the 2023-24 academic year.
“He’s done everything right since he’s been here and worked to become an elite player but more so an elite human being,” Amplo said. “He just goes about his business in a way that is exemplary.”
Navy began the 2023 season winning three straight, then lost six in a row, then won five of its final seven games.
“We underachieved, and it’s my first time in 23 years of coaching that I can say that I’ve been around a team that didn’t get the most out of itself, and we took that personally,” Amplo said.
With new players like 2023 Baltimore Sun first-team All-Metro selection Zach Hayashi, who plays with a contagious energy and spirit, and the return of the team’s top five veteran goal-scorers from last season, Amplo is confident his team can deliver as he and his coaching staff look to build the team into perennial contenders.
Navy’s resilience paid dividends during the season opener against Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday, Feb. 3. The Midshipmen scored six consecutive second-quarter goals and took an 8-3 lead into halftime. Navy’s defense held the Mount scoreless for the final 13 minutes of the game, while five different players accounted for Navy’s final six goals of the contest to earn the 19-6 win.
Next, the Midshipmen host Hofstra at noon on Feb. 10, followed by faceoffs with Towson and Penn State before tackling Patriot League play against Boston University.
“We’ve just got to get the most out of ourselves on a daily basis,” Amplo said. “That’s our goal. If we do that, I believe that there’s talent in here that people really aren’t talking about right now, which is exciting for me as a guy who likes to prove myself. Hopefully if we find a team within this group that wants to prove themselves, I think we have a chance to do some good things this year on the field.”
For more from Amplo, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Navy Athletics