LI Lacrosse Journal
March 3, 2026
2 min read
No. 22 Ranked Syosset Team Preview
March 3, 2026
2 min read
A trip back to the Nassau County championship game remains on the mind of 27th year Syosset Head Coach John Calabria, and has been since his program’s last appearance in 2022. It just goes to show how hard the mountain climb is, even for some of the island’s most prominent coaches. Syosset has been one of Nassau Class A’s most consistent playoff threats for well over a decade, largely credited to Calabria’s tutelage, and they renewed their stay in 2025. The program fell just a game short of their awaited county championship return with a tough, 9-7 loss to arch-rival Massapequa in the semifinals. After 10 months of marinating in that feeling, this 2026 squad is ready to respond in a big way.
There’s no shortage of fuel offensively for Syosset entering the 2026 season. The team returns its two top scorers from a year ago, senior midfielder Brody Waxer (Michigan) and senior attackman Gio Accardo (Stevens) who’ll both look to pick right up where they left off following their junior campaigns. Waxer was a force down at attack for Coach Calabria in 2025, proving himself once again as one of the county’s premier scorers. Accardo played as well of a “Robin” role in his sophomore year as one could’ve asked, showcasing his laser beam of an outside shot all spring long. These two should be a treat to watch for Syosset this season, but the offensive unit is going to need some new faces to arrive to the scene as well if they want to get back to the county final. Junior midfielder Cole Beekman and sophomore midfielder James Romanello are also expected to see a heavier workload on offense. The program watched two Division I signees depart for the NCAA this offseason, with Will Cawley (Lehigh) and Evan Ostranger (Colgate) leaving a newly formed puzzle for Coach Calabria to put together on defense. On the bright side, he does welcome back his stud senior goaltender, Josh Weisenfeld (LIU), as well as his All-County senior face off specialist, Aidan Cleary (LIU). Syosset has arguably the two most important positions on the field accounted for going into this season, and both upperclassmen should be main pillars to a potential championship blueprint. Junior Jeremy Mallen (Stony Brook) returns for a defensive unit seeing some turnover in 2026, and should immediately step in to protect Weisenfeld in between the pipes. Calabria believes he has an inspired group entering the year, pointing at his teams’ effort in the offseason when asked about what excites him the most about the upcoming campaign. “The work ethic and team chemistry have really been excellent,” said Calabria to LILJ. “[We must] continue to get better game after game.” The Class A powerhouse gets a huge first test of the season, as they welcome Cold Spring Harbor to town on March 18th for a high- powered matchup.
