2019 Men’s College Lacrosse Year In Review: #68 Binghamton Bearcats

With the 2019 college lacrosse season complete, it’s time to look back at how all 73 teams did during the season, along with an early look at each squad for 2020.

Note: These are not end of season rankings.

Here’s our last five Year In Review posts we’ve done:

• #73 Hampton
• #72 St. Bonaventure
• #71 Mercer
• #70 NJIT
• #69 Wagner

To see all of our posts, check out the 2019 Year In Review section on the site.

Let’s continue our 2019 Year In Review!

#68 Binghamton Bearcats

Conference: America East
2019 Record: 2-11 (2-4 in America East)
Head coach: Kevin McKeown (3rd Season)

Statistical Leaders

Goals: Joe Licata (22)
Assists: William Talbott-Shere (17)
Points: Joe Licata (44)
Faceoffs: Tyler James (61-of-152; 40.1%)
Ground balls: Tom Galgano (37)
Caused turnovers: Kyle Tiernan (24)
Goals against average: Kevin Carbone (12.72 GAA)
Save percentage: Kevin Carbone (52.4%)

Personnel Losses

Key seniors departing: M Joe Licata (22 Gs, 12 As, 10 GBs, 1 CT), A Griffin Konen (21 Gs, 6 As, 10 GBs), LSM Tim Mattiace (15 CTs, 19 GBs, 1 G), M T.J. Tiernan (11 Gs, 10 GBs, 1 CT), FOGO Jack Sullivan (42.5% FOs, 27 GBs, 6 CTs, 1 A)
Senior scoring departing: 79 of 171 points (46.2%)
Senior starts lost: 51 of 130 (39.2%)

Season Summary

It’s been very tough to come close to replicating 2017’s 11-5 season in Binghamton. After a 4-11 campaign in 2018, the Bearcats won only two games this past season. It also didn’t help that former assistant Scott Meehan went to Saint Joseph’s prior to the start of the 2019 season after a few months with the program.

Prior to their two wins, their closest game was against Lafayette in mid-February. The Bearcats stormed out of the gate with an 8-3 lead midway through the second quarter. But the Leopards clawed their way back with three separate three-goal runs to take and eventually hold on to the lead.

Binghamton also played well against Delaware and Dartmouth prior to America East conference play. The Bearcats stayed neck-and-neck with the Blue Hens down by either one or two goals for the majority of the game before Delaware ended the game on a 3-0 run. The team also fought back from a slow start early against Dartmouth to draw within a goal before the Big Green went on a 4-0 run.

But the Bearcats dug deep to end the season with two conference victories over Hartford and UMass Lowell thanks to a big performance by Joe Licata against Hartford and two big games from Kevin Winkoff.

Looking Ahead

Binghamton loses just over 45% of their scoring from last season, including their two top scorers in Licata and Griffin Konen. Their other two 20-point scorers, rising junior William Talbott-Shere and rising sophomore Winkoff, are both back. Jon Perotto and Jackson Rieger registered at least 10 points and will also return.

The good news sides on the defense, losing only LSM Tim Mattiace. Kyle Tiernan, Tom Galgano, Drew Furlong, and Dan Mottes will all be back at close defense and LSM. Furlong was a big spark plug for the team that brought tremendous energy and was great on the wing. He could also be counted on to take faceoffs as well. Sal Ienna and Kyle Stemke should also return as shorties.

Kevin Carbone could come back as a redshirt senior, but rising junior Robert Martin started in nine games this season despite playing 170 fewer minutes than Carbone. He would look to try and improve on his 13.54 GAA and 48.5% save percentage next season.

And with Jack Sullivan gone, rising sophomore Tyler James is the team’s top returning FOGO after going 40.1% on draws with 17 ground balls in 10 games last season.

Head coach Kevin McKeown and company hope that the good end to 2019 will translate to a better season in 2020 with plenty of young players continuing to develop and fill some important roles on the team.