Last weekend, Drew men’s lacrosse hosted the second annual Leanos Cup, originally created to honor the outstanding legacy of longtime head coach Tom Leanos. The tournament meant even more to the team this year, as Coach Leanos passed away last month.
Coach Leanos led the Rangers lacrosse team for four decades from 1988-2017. He earned a total of six Coach of the Year awards and is the program’s all-time leader with 234 wins. He was inducted into the New Jersey Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame in 2005, the Drew University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2021.
The imprint that Leanos left on the lacrosse program remains not only amongst the players but also with one of Leanos’ former players, head coach Dan Leidl (C’97).
The tournament commenced with a matchup between Montclair State University and Manhattanville University, with Montclair securing a decisive 16-8 victory. Drew took the field against Immaculata University in the second game of the day.
In a thrilling finish, the Rangers took an 8-7 lead with 2:55 left when Colin Diodato (‘26) rebounded his own shot in front of the net. After a quick answer from Immaculata, Luke Bruther (‘25) scored the game-winning goal one minute into overtime, lifting the Drew University men’s lacrosse team to a 9-8 victory over Immaculata University, sending them to the championship game against Montclair State University on March 16.
The Rangers had an incredible performance throughout the tournament, a perfect way to pay homage to a former coach who paved the way for success. Joe Barnish (‘27) collected a career-high 18 saves, including 17 in the first half against Immaculata, while Bruther and Matt Giordano (‘25) posted two goals and one assist apiece.
The consolation and championship games took place on Sunday. Immaculata secured third place in the tournament with a 12-8 victory against Manhattanville. The Rangers took the field against the Montclair State Redhawks that afternoon in a contest that would decide who would leave as the new Leanos Cup Champion.
Montclair State’s quick start, scoring eight goals in the first period, ultimately allowed for the Red Hawks to defeat the Rangers 17-9 and come away as the winners of the tournament.
While the Rangers did not emerge victorious, the team was able to pay homage to the life and legacy of Coach Tom Leanos, who will always be remembered as a vital piece of Drew Athletics history.
The Rangers continue their season on March 22, when they host Susquehanna University at 1 p.m. in their Landmark Conference opener.
Gillian Sampson is a graduate student in the masters of education program.
