On July 20, senior Matthew Tardibuono announced his commitment to play lacrosse for Endicott College via Instagram.
Tardibuono first started his lacrosse journey at the age of five. Although Tardibuono has committed to play lacrosse, he has also played other sports throughout his childhood, such as baseball, soccer and basketball. Yet, his love for lacrosse stood out, as he has played for club teams such as Blue Star and Team 91. He mentioned one of his greatest achievements was during his sophomore year, when WHS won a ring for winning states.
Endicott College is located in Beverly, Massachusetts, about 20 miles north of Boston. The location is one aspect that attracted Tardibuono’s attention, “I am looking forward to going to the beaches and the city often, and possibly living in Boston after college too.”
That’s not the only reason Tardibuono chose this college. “I thought Endicott was a good fit for me academically and athletically,” he said. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to compete at a high lacrosse level.”
Endicott is a part of the NCAA Division III and competes as a member of the Conference of New England (CNE). They were an outstanding team for men’s lacrosse last year, as they finished with a record of 14-4 overall and earned the No. 1 seed heading into the CNE Championship, but fell short.
Tardibuono is eager to get to college so he can start a new journey and help lead his new team to a championship victory when he arrives. “I’m excited to be in a new atmosphere with new teammates. Working with new teammates is going to be a good way to expose myself to higher competition and to also hopefully win the championship”
Undoubtedly, Tardibuono will have a smooth transition with adjusting to a new school. Junior Casey Gilford said, “Tardibuono is definitely one of the guys you want to surround yourself with on and off the field. He’s always looking to include people, and I know he’s always the first guy to check up on me if I’m not doing well.”
Additionally, Gilford said, “What makes Tardibuono a great teammate is his drive. He’s always one of the first guys in the locker room, and more often than not, you’ll see him shooting around after practice, just trying to get better. During practice, he’s always taking every rep a hundred percent, setting a great example for the younger kids.”
