QUINCY, IL---The Quincy University men's lacrosse team will travel to Rockhurst on Saturday (Feb 5) to begin the 2022 season. 

The game will not be a GLVC game, but will be the first of eight non-conference games for the Hawks including one exhibition before Great Lakes Valley Conference play begins on March 18 (Friday) at Davenport for the Hawks. 

Last year in the shortened GLVC-play only campaign, the Hawks went 0-10.

Jayme Brain returns to the squad and he led the Hawks with 19 points after he scored 15 goals and had four assists last season en route to his All-GLVC honorable mention selection last spring. 

"Jayme is a man on fire," Head Coach Eric Ruppel said of the Monroe, WA native who led the Hawks is every offensive category last season. 

Ruppel enters his third season at the helm for QU while Tim Madden joins the staff for his first season. 

"He's crushing it with defense," said Ruppel of first year assistant Madden. 

Jordan Ernst returns and looks to be a formable force at the left attack for QU, while Zach Springborn returns after he anchored the defense with a team-best 18 caused turnovers last season. 

New additions in transfer Vincent Ianiero and Freshman Connor Nock will add legitimacy to the defense. John Jennings also is a new addition that will add depth and talent in the middle. 

"We have a couple guys really starting to find rhythm in practice but games will tell their fate," Eric Ruppel said prior to Saturday's season opener with the Rockhurst Hawks who were tabbed No.2 in the GLVC preseason poll. 

Neal Dardis and Preston Willman are projected to be big contributors to this lineup as well and both have been on the Hawks roster since the program had it's inaugural season in 2020 that only lasted five games because it was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The goalie position will feature Sam Huff and Ryan Riggs. The two split time in goal last season after both keepers tailed 300 minutes a piece during the 2021 season.