Lacrosse runs deep in the veins of JD Colarusso, an assistant men’s lacrosse coach at Marist.
His exceptional performance in high school and college propelled him to the pinnacle of the sport, where he competed with elite athletes in the Professional Lacrosse League (PLL).
Coming from a family that lives and breathes lacrosse, Colarusso always had a stick in his hands. From the second grade on, Colarusso was in love with the game of lacrosse. Instead of a football catch with friends, it was a lacrosse toss with his father.
Colarusso’s dad, Joseph, was a star goalie for the University of Albany, the program JD would ultimately lead to the first final-four appearances in school history. Before his tenure at UAlbany, Colarusso attended Arlington High School in Poughkeepsie, New York. He led them to a league title and earned the Poughkeepsie Journal Player of the Year award for his talents.
Colarusso was a day one starter in net for Arlington High, a feat that few freshmen accomplish, especially at the goalie position. He had never been a backup before, it was something not even on his mind. This would change when he got to the college level; in his first three years at Albany, Colarusso was the backup goaltender. “It was weird at first, but it also taught me some really valuable lessons,” said Colarusso.
Some of the lessons he learned as a backup were how to be a better teammate, to always have a winning attitude, and to never stop grinding. Colarusso is the epitome of a competitor; just because he wasn’t starting did not mean he lost his love for the game.
When his time finally came, Colarusso was nothing short of spectacular in net for the Great Danes. In his first year as the starter, Colarusso received an America East All-Conference Second Team selection, in addition to leading UAlbany to their first Final Four appearance in school history. He posted a 53.6% save rate, ranking first in the America-East Conference, and was chosen as the goalkeeper for the all-tournament team due to his efforts in the Great Dane’s dynamic run. The team consisted of five all-Americans.
“It was a special group, man,” said Colarusso. “It was a dream come true, and I wouldn’t have rather done it with any other group of guys.”
In 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Colarusso was claimed by the New York Atlas, a PLL team that was looking for a goalie. Colarusso learned more about the game during his span with the Atlas than he ever thought he could. Backing-up All-Star goalie Jack Concannon taught Colarusso the ins and outs of the game.
“Training camp, seeing these guys shoot, them shooting on me, you can’t beat that experience,” said Colarusso.
This experience solidified Colarusso’s decision to delve into the coaching world, where he could pass his knowledge onto younger players, knowledge acquired from years of being around the sport and playing at the highest possible level.
Before Marist, Colarusso was an assistant coach at SUNY New Paltz. His stint there was brief, but the knowledge he gained was immense. Now an assistant coach for the Red Foxes, Colarusso believes his time is now.
“It’s my first time coaching at the D1 level, but I couldn’t be in a better position,” said Colarusso. “[Marist head coach Keegan Wilkinson] has taught me so much. Coaching is so much different than playing. I’ve learned so much stuff I didn’t even know prior. My focus used to be on stopping the ball, now as a coach you see everything.”
Being a goalie in lacrosse is a daunting proposition. With no significant padding and hard, rubber balls being ripped at you constantly, the risks are numerous. With that being said, Colarusso has embraced the journey.
From a kid with big dreams to the PLL, and eventually coaching at the Division I level, Colarusso’s lacrosse journey runs deep.
Edited by Danny Destler and Luke Sassa
Graphic by Jaylen Rizzo; Photos from JD Colarusso and Marist Athletics
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