Matt Poskay (born January 13, 1984) is an American professional
lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensiv ...
player who played with the
Boston Cannons and
New York Lizards
The New York Lizards, originally the Long Island Lizards, were a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) team based in Hempstead, New York, located on Long Island. They are original members of the MLL. They lost the league's inaugural game on June 7, 2001 to ...
of
Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was a men's field lacrosse league in the United States. The league's inaugural season was in 2001. Teams played anywhere from ten to 16 games in a summertime regular season. This was followed by a four-team playoff ...
(MLL). Poskay attended
Arthur L. Johnson High School (
Clark, New Jersey
Clark is a township in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 15,544 an increase of 788 (+5.3%) from the 2010 census count of 14,756, which had in turn increased by ...
), where he set a national high school record for goals scored in his career. He played his collegiate lacrosse at the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
, where he won collegiate national titles in both 2003 and 2006. He was part of the MLL championship team in 2011 with the Cannons.
Poskay scored 468 points during his high school career, a New Jersey state record that stood was broken by Canyon Birch, who graduated from
Manasquan High School
Manasquan High School is a four-year comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Manasquan, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, operating as the lone high school of the Manas ...
in 2019 with 558 points. His 362 goals at Arthur L. Johnson High School set a national high school record, which he first broke during his junior year in 2001. He held the national career record for goals scored during his high school career for nearly a decade
[Staff]
"Poskay Named Wagner Head Coach"
Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was a men's field lacrosse league in the United States. The league's inaugural season was in 2001. Teams played anywhere from ten to 16 games in a summertime regular season. This was followed by a four-team playoff ...
, June 10, 2011. Accessed August 4, 2015. "He has held the national high school record with 362 career goals for nearly a decade and also tallied 468 career points, tops in state history." (a record since surpassed and held as of 2015 by Zed Williams, with 444 career goals), and ranked tied for fifth nationally in career goals as of 2015.
In addition to lacrosse, Poskay played quarterback on his high school's football team, earning first team all-state honors as a senior, and started at
point guard for the school's basketball team.
While at the University of Virginia, he was recognized twice as an All-American and was part of the school's
Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship teams in
2003, as well as the team that won the
2006 championship with a 17–0 season record that made them the 12th undefeated champion in Division I history.
[ Thamel, Pete]
"Virginia Claims National Title, and a Victory for Lacrosse"
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', May 30, 2006. Accessed September 4, 2015. "The Cavaliers throttled the Minutemen, 15–7, spoiling the first appearance by UMass in the N.C.A.A. final. The victory gave Virginia its fourth N.C.A.A. title, and at 17–0, Virginia became the 12th undefeated Division I champion."
Poskay took over the Head Coaching position at
Montclair State University
Montclair State University (MSU) is a public research university in Montclair, New Jersey, with parts of the campus extending into Little Falls. As of fall 2018, Montclair State was, by enrollment, the second largest public university in New ...
in fall 2018. Prior to Montclair, Poskay was the Men's Lacrosse Head Coach at
Wagner College
Wagner College is a private liberal arts college in Staten Island, New York City. Founded in 1883 and with an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students, Wagner is known for its academic program, The Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts. It ...
since 2011, prior to which he served as an assistant coach at Arthur L. Johnson High School and for two years as an assistant coach at
Drew University
Drew University is a private university in Madison, New Jersey. Drew has been nicknamed the "University in the Forest" because of its wooded campus. As of fall 2020, more than 2,200 students were pursuing degrees at the university's three sch ...
.
He was inducted into the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2013, at the age of 29.
MLL career
Poskay was selected in the second round by the Boston Cannons, the 12th pick overall, in the 2006 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft
2006 Collegiate Draft of Major League Lacrosse
References
{{Reflist
Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft The Major League Lacrosse draft was the annual draft of outstanding amateur lacrosse players from American colleges and universities int ...
.[Matt 'Posk' Poskay #7]
Boston Cannons. Accessed August 3, 2015.
During his rookie season in 2006, Poskay led the Cannons with 25 goals in eight games, leading the team in goals and setting a team rookie record. In 2007, he scored 21 goals, earning a spot as an all-star and was named the MLL All-Star Game MVP with a four-goal performance. He was an all-star again in 2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, leading the team with 34 goals. Poskay was recognized as winner of the Major League Lacrosse MVP Award Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was a professional men's field lacrosse league consisting of nine teams in the United States. Since the league's first season in 2001, the MLL gave several annual awards to players and coaches.
Most Valuable Player
...
and the Major League Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Year Award Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was a professional men's field lacrosse league consisting of nine teams in the United States. Since the league's first season in 2001, the MLL gave several annual awards to players and coaches.
Most Valuable Player
...
in 2010, a season in which he scored a team-record 45 goals. In the 2011 season, Poskay's 30 goals tied for the most in MLL, in a season in which the Cannons won the league championship. In 2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
, Poskay led the Cannons with 38 goals.[
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poskay, Matt
1984 births
Living people
Arthur L. Johnson High School alumni
Boston Cannons players
Lacrosse players from New Jersey
Major League Lacrosse players
New York Lizards players
People from Clark, New Jersey
Sportspeople from Union County, New Jersey
Virginia Cavaliers men's lacrosse players