University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Alum Jacovina Named Assistant Coach At St. John's
July 11, 2007 | Men's Lacrosse
July 11, 2007
QUEENS, N.Y. - Former UMass lacrosse star Brian Jacovina has been hired as an assistant lacrosse coach at St. John's University. Red Storm head coach Jason Miller announced Wednesday the hiring as the latest addition to the Red Storm lacrosse coaching staff, which now features two former Minutemen. Jacovina is a recent graduate of UMass, where he played under Miller for three seasons when Miller was an assistant to Minutemen head coach Greg Canella.
"Brian will be a great addition to our program," said Miller. "He is one of the smartest, hardest working, savviest players I have ever coached. I know he will bring these qualities to our program at St. John's."
Jacovina, a Hicksville, N.Y., native, boasts a hefty player resume. A four-year varsity athlete, a two-year starter and senior co-captain, Jacovina was selected as a 2007 Preseason Third Team All-American by Inside Lacrosse/Face-off Yearbook, was a three-time First Team All-New England honoree, a 2007 USILA Scholar All-American, a 2007 New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Scholar Athlete and a UMass Spring Scholar Athlete.
Noted as a throwback, multi-purpose midfielder and a consistent top point scorer, Jacovina played both first midfield and defensive midfield in addition to the face-off wing. As a sophomore, Jacovina was the first and only player to win an overall team Most Valuable Player award. With a traditional offensive, defensive, rookie and senior award given, the coaches created this unique MVP award just for Jacovina who Miller called "the pulse" of the Minutemen's 2005 NCAA Quarterfinal team.
"I am excited to be working at St. John's," said Jacovina. "Coach Miller taught me for three years at UMass. I am thrilled to be able to learn a lot from both Coach Miller and assistant coach Dan Paccione, and to be able to bring my own ideas to the team."
As a senior, Jacovina led the Minutemen and was fourth in the ECAC in assists with 18, had seven games with multiple points and scored a point in 36 of 46 games dating to 2005. Career-wise, he finished with 30 goals, 54 assists, 84 points and 94 ground balls, with 26 multi-point games.
Prior to his collegiate-career as a Minuteman, Jacovina was a local star athlete as a four-year letterwinner at Holy Trinity High School, in Hicksville, N.Y., playing for head coach Wayne Ament. With a school-career record 404 points, he was a four-time Nassau-Suffolk Catholic High School Athletic Association (NSCHSAA) All-Long Island selection and was the Long Island Catholic League's Offensive Player of the Year in 2003. With the addition of Jacovina, Miller and the Red Storm lacrosse program moves steadily toward a new era of continued success. The 2007 season marked numerous program firsts and highlights, including a first-ever ECAC win, a season high win record, a 4-1 record at home and an attendance record of more than 700 fans on two occasions.
