On Aug. 16, senior Milo Fitzgerald-Jones announced that he will be continuing his lacrosse career at Fairleigh Dickinson University via Instagram.
Fitzgerald-Jones’ commitment journey was different than most. He picked up the sport during his freshman year at a point where many of his teammates had been playing since they were little. This wouldn’t limit Fitzgerald-Jones’s aspirations as he would go on to explain that any aspiring athlete, “shouldn’t compare themself to other people, the recruiting process is different for everyone.”
Fitzgerald-Jones has risen to prove himself a formidable presence on the defensive side of the game for the Blue Devils and his progression will follow him into his senior season alongside teammate Emilio Vinnelrod who commented, “Sure Milo may of started the sport later than others but he still picked the mechanics up really fast and I think his work ethic and resilience really played into that.”
Resilience is the best word to describe Fitzgerald-Jones’ athletic journey. He had faced many obstacles during his high school career as a late bloomer, but that did not deter him. He continued to practice and play the sport alongside his club, Blue Star Lacrosse. This training ultimately paved the way for the following year where he would prove himself a capable and valuable asset to the championship caliber Blue Devil team.
“My experience with Westfield lacrosse has shown me how valuable it is to put in extra work and effort. Putting in time goes a long way, especially when you are consistent with it.” Fitzgerald-Jones’ formula for success was supplemented with the unwavering support of his teammates who, to him, “have always been the biggest influence on my lacrosse journey by pushing me to be better and keep going.”
Fellow teammate and defender, Quin Flor witnessed Fitzgerald-Jones’ athletic transformation and complimented his teammate saying, “Milo’s unshakable will to improve despite overwhelming difficulties at times is very admirable and most certainly will serve him well this upcoming season.”
Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private school with two main campuses in New Jersey, one in Florham and the other in Teaneck. The Devils compete in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom at the NCAA Division III level. Most recently, they tallied an overall record of 10-7.
The team culture was something that drew Fitzgerald-Jones to Fairleigh Dickinson. “Everyone really brought into the team’s goals, and that is very appealing to me,” he said. As a team-oriented athlete, Fitzgerald-Jones looks forward to his time with his teammates during his senior season as the Blue Devils strive for another Union County championship victory and to complete the program’s first three-peat state championship.
