Program Philosophy Our goal is to prepare our student-athletes to be ready for the college experience and life after lacrosse. Our approach is process driven focusing on academics, character, leadership, and competition. KUA lacrosse players are expected to: put their academics first; do the right thing when no one is watching; play a second sport; be involved in a non-athletic activity; and hold teammates accountable for actions on and off the field. We believe winning is a result of this process and always strive to “Play Like a Wildcat!”
Facilities KUA boasts some of New England’s top lacrosse facilities. In 2018, Pope Field was resurfaced with a state-of-art lighted FieldTurf surface. “The Barn” is Kimball Union’s 80’x60’ indoor facility. Complete with FieldTurf and heat, “The Barn” gives KUA student-athletes a space to train in all weather conditions. Most KUA lacrosse players spend one season doing Strength & Conditioning in the Silver Gymnasium. The Strength Program is overseen by a certified strength and conditioning specialist.
Opponents Kimball Union participates in the Lakes Region against Brewster Academy, Holderness School, New Hampton School, St. Paul’s School, Proctor Academy, Tilton School, and Vermont Academy. The schedule also includes non-conference opponents such as Exeter, Andover, Cushing, Lawrence Academy, Brooks, NMH, and Portsmouth Abbey. KUA takes a spring training trip each year to the Mid-Atlantic where they compete against top-quality competition from the region.
Eric joined the Kimball Union Academy faculty in 2004. He teaches a multidisciplinary set of courses including Human Geography, Economics, and English. In the summers, Eric and his wife, Yesenia Araya Mesen, direct the Academy’s Summer Language in Action Tropical Adventure Program in Costa Rica.
A graduate of Colby College in 1991, Eric completed a master’s in Latin American studies with a concentration in Environment and Development from the University of Texas at Austin in 2004.
As an undergraduate at Colby, Eric captained both the men’s soccer and lacrosse teams. He holds the lacrosse single season total points record and is second in all-time career points. At KUA he coaches the boys’ varsity lacrosse team and assists with the varsity boys’ soccer team.
Eric lives on campus with his wife, Yesenia, and their two daughters, Kyra and Svia.
Entering his third season with the KUA boys’ lacrosse program- and no stranger to New England lacrosse- Jim “Grim” Wilson continues to help guide the KUA’s boys’ varsity lacrosse program for the 2011 season. Grim moved to the Upper Valley after an illustrious 49 year career as a coach, dorm parent, and teacher at the Loomis Chaffee School. Considered a legend in the high school lacrosse ranks, Grim, in 2007, was inducted into the New England Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He is most known for his unwavering commitmentto foster leadership, dedication, effort, and teamwork in his players and teams.
The 2012 boys’ varsity lacrosse team was a dogged group that met each challenge with the goal to prove their will and talent to compete as a top contender in New England Prep School lacrosse. Known around the region as a scrappy team, the Wildcats proved time and time again to be a dangerous and formidable opponent. A preseason trip to Florida with twenty-five players and two coaches built a sense of team, or UNA (latin for “as one”), that came to symbolize the tenacity and selflessness that unified this group.
Early season losses only galvanized the resolve of the “Bison” to prove their worth against some of the stronger teams that they were to face in the final third of the schedule. Under the senior leadership of captains Max Abendroth, Ian Timpone, and Kevin Vieira, along with fellow classmates Andrew Cole, Jon Spencer, Peter Prendergast, Alex Keiver, Will Ralston, and Tim McNair, the Wildcats would rise to the occasion. Memorable games include an historic 9-8 win over Western New England powerhouse NMH in triple overtime and, just a few days later, a narrow 8-6 loss to the undefeated Lakes Region leaders Brewster Academy. The Wildcats finished the season with a 5-10 record. The team was awarded, for the second consecutive year, the Bill Pottle Northern New England Lacrosse League Sportsmanship Award. Senior Max Abendroth was selected as the Academic All-American for Northern New England. Juniors Patrick Lynch and Andrew Jarrett were named to the NNELL All-Star team while senior goalie Tim McNair, Kevin Vieira, and Max Abendroth earned honorable mention recognition.
Looking ahead to 2013, the Wildcats will return fifteen players and are very much eager to maintain the progress and spirit that defined this year’s season.
Zach Dayno ('08) and Jamie Schmidt ('08) play in College North-South DIII All-Star Game
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Zach Dayno ('08), a senior at Middlebury College, and Jamie Schmidt ('08), a senior at Babson College, both were one of only 32 seniors to be selected to play for the North in the annual college North-South DIII all-star game. Dayno was a four year stand-out long pole for the Panthers while Schmidt led the Babson midfield in scoring. The game was played Friday night at Harvard Stadium.
Despite a lackluster start, KUA fought hard to the final whistle. Trailing 7-2 at the end of the first quarter, KUA dug in and slowed down the Andover offense to end the half down 10-4. Andover exploded for seven goals and KUA managed just three goals in the third. The Wildcats finished strong in the fourth quarter, scoring four to end the game down 18-11. On offense, Alex Keiver scored two and assisted on three. Kevin Vieira, Max Abendroth, and Ryan Lund each scored two goals apiece while Andrew Jarrett, Ian Timpone, And Trey McDougall each added one goal each.
Riley Alderman won 6 out of 12 face-offs and Mike Robertello won four out of his six. Hunter Braswell played four hard quarters at long pole and Pat Lynch, Trey McDougall, and Peter Prendergast played shared the defensive duties.
KUA (4-8) travels to Brewster Academy on Wednesday.