MCLA D-II PPOY: St. Thomas' Joe Costello
by Jac Coyne | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff | Coyne Archive
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| After guiding St. Thomas to the national championship
in Denver last spring, Joe Costello is Lacrosse Magazine's MCLA
Division II Preseason Player of the Year. © Ryan Mckee |
In his heart of hearts, Joe Costello knew his return to the
University of St. Thomas was the right one. He was back in Twin
Cities near his family and friends, and was able play with his
older brother, Pat.
However, leaving NCAA Division I UMBC, where Costello matriculated
for the fall semester of 2006, meant he was giving up on a
dream.
"First I said, ‘Man, what am I doing? I've worked hard my
entire life to get there and then to leave to go down to club?' It
was rough," he said.
As difficult as the transition was, Costello vowed he wouldn't fall
into the trap of letting his D-I experience, brief as it was, go to
his head. He is a "first on, last off" guy at practice, hoping to
inspire his teammates to strive for a little bit more. Just before
the Tommies made their dominant run to last year's MCLA D-II
championship, Costello, LM's Preseason Player of the Year, made a
believer out of his coach.
"I was pulling out of the parking lot and the lights were off, and
Joe had pulled the net out and was working on a lot of the
goal-line extended drills by himself," said Pete Moosbrugger, UST's
head coach.
"He is already better than everybody on the team, but he drives
himself more than everybody else. He wants to be perfect."
He's also found that club ball gives him all he ever wanted out of
the sport.
"The bottom line is with the athletes and skill level at club, you
can still find those matchups where we're out there balling," said
Costello, who led the Tommies with 25 goals and 25 assists
primarily out of the midfield.
Costello has found what he needs.
"All the guys on the team and the success last year made it all
worth it," he said.
