On July 30, senior Cooper Cimei announced his commitment to play college lacrosse at Ithaca College via Instagram.
Cimei’s commitment stems from a childhood of being surrounded by lacrosse. Cimei said, “I started playing lacrosse as soon as I can remember, along with a bunch of other sports. My dad played too, so it was always around me growing up.”
Cimei has caused havoc on the offensive side of the ball, recording plenty of goals, assists and ground balls within his first three years for the Blue Devils. In his most recent season, Cimei scored five goals, while accounting for three assists and 10 ground balls.
His success is a testament to his signature move. Head coach William Wertheimer said, “We call him ‘Shimy Cimei’ for a reason. It’s for his shake and bake.”
Westfield hasn’t been the only program that has helped Cimei grow as a lacrosse player. Cimei said, “[I played] 3D Garden State for a few years. Before that, I was in some other programs like BBL, but 3D is where I was the most. I was able to compete at a high level and grow my game against top competition.”
Besides being an offensive mastermind, Cimei is dedicated to being an amazing teammate as well. “He is someone who is easy to talk to, explains things well, and always has a smile on his face,” said Wertherimer.
His teammate, Emilio Vinnelrod, said, “He’s always making conversation with the underclassmen. He’s also very social with all the kids on the team and is a natural role model.”
The transition in Cimei’s growth as a player over time has helped pay dividends in his success. Another teammate, Milo Fitzgerald-Jones, said, “Cimei’s just bigger, faster and stronger. I’ve seen him put up big numbers in the weight room.”
He has also transitioned into becoming a smarter player. Vinnelrod said, “Cimei’s more aware of his surroundings on the field and making the simple plays rather than taking it to the goal every time.”
Ithaca University is a private university with a heavy emphasis on the entertainment and media programs in Ithaca, NY. Home to about 6,000 students, Ithaca is in the Liberty League at the NCAA Division III level. This past season, the squad finished with a record of 10-9, becoming Liberty League semifinalists after a tough loss to the Rochester Institute of Technology.
As for the school, Cimei fell in love with it. Cimei said, “The coaches made me feel welcome right away and understood my game. The lacrosse program itself is strong and competitive, which I wanted. Also, the campus and overall environment felt like the right fit. I could picture myself being there for four years, both on and off the field.”
Cimei is eager to start a new beginning in New York. He said, “I’m excited for the higher level of competition and the chance to grow. I’m also looking forward to building new relationships with teammates and being part of another strong lacrosse family.”
From being a Group 4 state champion to winning countless sectional and county championships, Cimei is pumped to be back on the turf this spring. In addition, he’s looking forward to leading Ithaca to a Liberty League championship in the future.
