For Nicky Galasso, the decision to leave the University of North Carolina at the end of the current fall semester stemmed from a desire to be closer to his family in West Islip.
In an interview with Lacrosse Magazine, while Galasso said he was appreciative of the opportunity to play for the Tar Heels, he added, “I just want to experience a college closer to home so my family can get down to more events and watch me perform.”
As reported on Tuesday, North Carolina head coach Joe Breschi announced that Galasso would be leaving the school after the current semester and would be eligible to play in the spring unless he joined rival Atlantic Coast Conference programs Duke, Maryland or Virginia.
Depending on how the former West Islip High School lacrosse standout defines “closer to home,” two Long Island-based lacrosse programs — Hofstra and Stony Brook — could provide that outlet for Galasso at the Division I level.
Stony Brook won the American East postseason tournament this past season before losing to Johns Hopkins in the opening round of the NCAA Division I Tournament. Hofstra, which has long enjoyed success at the Division I level in lacrosse, nabbed a top recruit in Sam Linares of Hauppauge, who in his senior year in 2012 was named an Under Armour High School All-American and tallied more than 100 points.
In the Lacrosse Magazine interview, Galasso said Hofstra is a great program, but he felt it might be too close to home. “I’m thinking maybe elsewhere, try to get a little bit away and still have that college experience,” he said.
Galasso was not asked what he thought of Stony Brook.
On Wednesday, Inside Lacrosse magazine reported that collegiate lacrosse powerhouse Syracuse University has had contact with Galasso, but it was not clear which party initiated the contact.
Read the complete Lacrosse Magazine interview with Nicky Galasso.
