University of Massachusets Athletics
Tundo Brothers Shine For Men's Lacrosse
May 17, 2004 | Men's Lacrosse
May 17, 2004
By Chris Forman
The Maroon & White
Matt and Gene Tundo come from a lacrosse family, so it is no surprise that they are excelling as part of another family - the UMass family.
The family atmosphere that UMass lacrosse depicts has been long talked about, so it should come as no surprise that the two brothers are helping maintain that tradition. The UMass family stretches wide from Dick Garber's 300 wins to grandson Brett (a current freshman on the team) playing on his grandfather's field, to Brett's dad, Ted, coaching at UMass for two years, to current head coach Greg Cannella coaching and playing under Dick Garber. The lineage goes on and on.
You can see how the Tundo Brothers can fit right in. In fact, they fit in so well that on April 5, Gene was named ECAC Player of the Week and Matt was named ECAC Rookie of the Week. The pair combined for five goals and five assists, with both brothers netting a career-high in points (Matt - 4; Gene - 6) in a 17-8 win over Penn State.
"It was easy to come here, because everyone gets along so well," said Gene. "We all came here for a certain reason, because we all have a common goal."
"It is awesome being here coming from one lacrosse family to another," said the younger Matt. "Playing for coach Cannella is like playing for my dad again. We are all really close to each other, and we all get along so great."
The duo, who look alike except for the hair (Matt's hair is a little longer), grew up playing lacrosse in Orchard Park, N.Y., a suburb of Buffalo, under their father, Gene Tundo, Sr.
"I can remember running around the yard when Matt and I were younger, doing anything we ould with a lacrosse ball," said Gene. "We played a lot of different games, and Dad was always there supporting us."
"Playing for my dad was a great experience," added Matt. "I loved growing up around lacrosse, and my dad was the best instructor I could have. We always had a lot of fun playing, and I really learned a lot about the game."
While at Orchard Park High School, Gene racked up some big-time numbers, scoring an amazing 143 points (62 goals, 81 assists) as a senior, while leading the Quakers to state runner-up finishes in 2000 and 2001. Along the way, he was named a high school All-American, a two-time All-Western New York selection and a four-time All-Conference honoree.
"I loved playing for my father," said Gene. "He always gave us a lot of freedom in the way we played and never forced us to play a certain way. He always told us to have fun."
With all the accolades, the road to UMass was a long one for the elder Tundo. Playing for coach Cannella was not initially high on Gene's list, but after a trip to Amherst, he changed his mind.
"UMass was not really high on my list, but when I visited, it just felt right," said Gene, who spurned Loyola and Towson. "After visiting here, I could not imagine being anywhere else."
But Gene made the adjustment to the college game a painless one, tallying 30 points on eight goals and a team-high 22 assists as a freshman, in helping the Minutemen to their first-ever Eastern College Athletic Conference title and an NCAA quarterfinal appearance. He was named ECAC Co-Rookie of the Year in 2002, and followed it up with a 26-point effort as a sophomore, and another appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals.
"I had played lacrosse my whole life, so I was confident in my abilities," said Gene. "I played with great leaders like Marc Morley and Matt McFarland, and it was really easy to feed off them."
In 2004, Gene scored 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) and now has 81 career points. His 49 career assists are just nine shy of 15th place on the UMass career chart.
Meanwhile, while Gene was starring at UMass, Matt was turning heads of his own back in Orchard Park. During his four seasons, the team went a combined 78-4, and he was a teammate of Gene on the state finalist teams in 2000 and 2001. He netted 99 points as a senior and was a two-time All-American and All-Western New York honoree, and played in the prestigious National North-South All-America game.
But something was missing for Matt at Orchard Park, and he knew exactly what it was. As tough as Gene's recruiting process was for coach Cannella, it was a piece of cake to land Matt. He had a little help.
"I knew I was going to come here when Gene came here," said Matt. "Coach Cannella stayed in contact and that was all I needed. I also looked at Towson, but I could not pass up a chance to play with Gene again."
"It is the best feeling in the world being reunited with Gene," said Matt. "I missed him the last two years on the field. Part of my game was missing when Gene came to UMass. Now that we are back together, it is everything I could have hoped it would be. I have had a lot of fun this year.
"Gene is more of a feeder, and I am more of a scorer," continued Matt. "I can tell when he is going to pass, and he knows when and where I am going to cut. We have just learned that by playing so long together."
Matt has had an excellent freshman season, ranking fifth on the squad in scoring (24 points) and second in goals (21). The 21 goals rank him tied for 11th among the nation's freshman. He has been named ECAC Rookie of the Week twice, and has netted three hat tricks and seven multi-goal games in only 14 career contests. The 21 goals are more than eight of UMass' top 16 career scorers had in their freshman season. Matt was surprised at the smooth transition he has made.
"I was really surprised, but I have gained a lot of confidence since the start of the year," said Matt. "I knew I would have to work hard, and everything just fell into place after that."
However, things have not been all roses for the Minutemen this season. Injuries decimated UMass to a 7-7 record, and the Minutemen missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years. And while the record may not be what the Tundo brothers had hoped for, their attitudes have remained strong.
"We really struggled for an identity and consistency this season," said Gene. "But I am kind of glad this year has happened. It gives us an edge for next year and really helps us understand that there is no room for error. I think we may have taken that for granted this past year."
"It has been a rough season as far as injuries and our record, but we have not had a problem staying confident and together as a team," said Matt. "It was kind of a rebuilding year, but we have a lot of youth, and next year should be a great one for us."
With a solid core back next season, including the Tundos, the UMass lacrosse family will be as strong as ever.
This story was originally published in The Maroon & White.
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