On Aug. 3, rising senior Emilio Vinnelrod announced his commitment to play college lacrosse at Rhodes College via Instagram.
Playing lacrosse at the collegiate level has always been at the back of Vinnelrod’s mind ever since he picked up a stick in kindergarten. He said, “I always knew, even when I was young, I wanted to play college lacrosse.”
Vinnelrod has shown great skill as a defensive player, racking up numerous ground balls throughout his first three years playing for the Blue Devils. As well as high school, Vinnelrod has been playing club lacrosse for 10 years. “[I played] Transition Lacrosse for two years, 3D for three years, BBL for one year, Leading Edge for three years and one more year with the Towerman,” he said.
Vinnelrod’s talent and gamesmanship is noticed by many of his teammates. High school teammate Cooper Chororos said, “Emilio is a good teammate because he’s always gritty so people see that and also get gritty.”
Thomas Holland, another teammate, said, “He is always down to play and push others in scrimmages which benefits everyone in the game. He has always been a staple in helping me improve my game in the offseason too.”
Team camaraderie is something Vinnelrod has always taken pride in. Holland said, “One of [my] favorite memories was the entertaining banter he would get in with both the older and younger guys at captains practice which helped to bring the team closer.”
Rhodes College is a private liberal arts school located in Memphis, TN. The Lynx compete in the Southern Athletic Association at the NCAA Division III level. This past season, they finished with a record of 14-5, winning the SAA Championship and making it to the second round of the NCAA DIII Championship.
Aside from the charming campus, Vinnelrod said, “Rhodes coaches are the best. The academics are great and so are their connections.” Vinnelrod is excited to “travel with the boys on weekends to play a game and get to know [the] team.”
Vinnelrod also shared how his parents, coaches, friends and teammates all contributed to giving him the best opportunity to take his talents to the collegiate level.
From being a part of a two-time state championship winning team and Kirst Cup finalists in recent years, Vinnelrod is eager to bring the same energy in his final season with the Blue Devils. He hopes to continue this success in college and help the Lynx win the NCAA DIII National Championship, as well as another SAA championship.
