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Luke Hanson In his own words

Dear #JasperNation

Senior Luke Hanson

Arriving at Manhattan College for my senior year had a different feeling about it. I was overwhelmed with excitement, but more eager to show what our team was capable of. While everyone thinks ‘their’ class is unique, this senior class was different than most. This class was closer than any group I have ever been a part of or seen. Every senior shared a bond and had a blue-collar approach and mentality that was unparalleled. What brought us even closer was the hardship we endured over our first three years. We went through 3-11, 4-10 and 6-8 seasons and while we struggled, we knew that we were building something special. Losing game after game, many of which we got blown out in, wasn’t easy and many people wouldn’t have fought on. However, it was these struggles and hard times that gave us a chip on our shoulder and the determination to continue to fight. We now had the chance to overcome it all and prove that all our hard work would allow us to take the next step as a program.

Men's Lacrosse Class of 2020

One of the trademarks of senior class was that we had to outwork people in order to compete. We were not the most talented group, but we overcame that by working harder than everyone else. I remember arriving as a freshman and our whole class went down to the field to work on our shooting, passing, footwork and conditioning. As a naïve freshman, I thought maybe this was the energy and anticipation that every freshman class feels. However, this wasn’t the case as our class brought the same energy and determination to the field each and every day. Not a day went by through our four years that one of us were not down at the field working and improving to achieve our shared goal of winning a MAAC Championship. It’s a special thing when everyone that you play with shares the same fire and determination to fight and get better each and every day. This was our mentality, which created a bond that NO ONE could interfere with, and what brought up together while also setting us apart from other classes.

Manhattan posted a 10-8 win over VMI in the home opener.
Hanson was named MAAC Co-Player of the Week after handing out a MAAC-record nine assists in a victory at Wagner.

The best thing about being a senior, is that you get to set the tone and that is emulated by the kids below you. Everyone looks up to the seniors and they are leaders of the team, and they in turn look out for everyone while putting the team above everything else. All 42 players on our team had the same mentality and that is something special. For the first time in my four years, every member of the team had the same goal: team success. We are and were family and the best team I have ever been a part of at Manhattan College.

Hanson celebrating a score with senior C.J. Scharf.

Flash forward to the early March. We were sitting at 3-3 following a dramatic one-goal comeback win at NJIT and morale was high. MAAC play was starting the following Saturday and we were finally starting our journey towards a MAAC Championship at Canisius. All the practices, all the highs and lows had set the stage for this. One final MAAC campaign for myself and my fellow seniors. Unfortunately, we never got that opportunity. One Wednesday, March 11, the Ivy League announced that they were canceling the remainder of the spring season. I remember seeing the headline and thinking that it was only a matter of time until we learned that our season was over. The next day, the team got a message that we would be meeting at 2:30 pm, a time that we NEVER meet at. Walking to the locker room, my mind was racing and I didn’t know what to think. However, while I knew the inevitable was staring me in the face, I was still holding out hope that the dream wouldn’t end this way. It’s crazy that we sometimes try to rationalize for what we want to be done, when in reality we know what needs to be done. Being the first player in the locker room, I was the first to see the coaches and their faces and their mannerisms. That day was surreal as each coach had a look of sadness that I have never seen before and will never forget.

The season opener at Navy

The anticipation did nothing to mask the shock effect. Every senior cried and had a pit in our stomachs. Everything was over and there was nothing we could do. We never even got our opportunity to compete for a MAAC Title. However, that meeting taught me one other thing. It wasn’t just the seniors that were devastated, but rather the entire team. I thought we would be the only group that would be devastated, but I was wrong. It was the entire team, as they all felt the pain and hardship that I thought was singular to our group. All of our players, right down to the greenest freshman, felt the same sense of loss that the seniors. Although it was hard, I realized at that point what we had accomplished as a class. We had our done our job, we had changed the locker room. They all felt the same disappointment, because they had all sacrificed and dedicated themselves to same singular cause. It was more than just lacrosse at that moment, and I felt like we as a class had instilled that culture. The senior class instilled a bond and friendship that could not be broken, and we brought a team that truly loved each other together.

The 2020 Manhattan Jaspers

I would be remiss to say that the decision also had a direct effect on my family. The first person I called was my mom and after telling her it was over, she immediately broke down. My parents worked endlessly to get me to this point, constantly shuttling me to practice and various events up and down the east coast. Whether it was in Detroit or right at Gaelic Park they never missed a game and I always knew I could look up into the stands during pregame warmups and see them. Their love and support was and is unmatched. They cared just as much as I did about our team. Talking to them on the phone and hearing their sadness and tears made me realize that this pandemic was a serious issue that was affecting not only myself but a lot of people. Having my season cancelled hurt so much, but there are so many people going through much worse. People were putting their lives at risk to stop the pandemic. This event was so much bigger than sports.

Seniors Kelson Borisenko, C.J. Scharf, Luke Hanson, Brandon Grinnell, Trevor Pelletier

I do not know what my future holds. I do not know if I am going to start my career or return for a fifth year. It is the toughest decision I have ever had to make, but no matter what I do I know that this team is one that I will never forget. Myself and the fellow seniors left our mark while setting out to do what we wanted to do. We built a team that cared for each other and loved playing the sport. If this was my last year of playing competitive lacrosse, I can walk away smiling. The seniors and I are proud to having established a championship culture of accountability and hard work. It is a culture that will get Manhattan to a MAAC Championship. That much I am sure of.