On July 23, senior lacrosse player Rocco Trainor announced his commitment to Drew University men’s lacrosse. Trainor, a defenseman for the Scotch Plains-Fanwood boys varsity lacrosse team, is the second member of the lacrosse team from the class of 2026 to announce his commitment.
“My decision to commit to Drew University was heavily influenced by my multiple trips to the university, the occasions of which being meetings with the coaching staff, watching the team practice or even just being on the sideline for the games,” Trainor told The Fanscotian.
Located in Madison, New Jersey, Drew University is a private university affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Drew competes at the Division III level in the Landmark Conference against the likes of Juniata, Lycoming and Susquehanna. The Drew Rangers have won two conference championships, their last coming in 2008, paired with 18 conference playoff appearances, reaching the postseason the past two seasons.
“The most influential component of the team in terms of my commitment process was, of course, their coach, Coach Leidl,” Trainor said. “Leidl had a deep love for the game, and huge aspirations for the program, and this aspect of working with the team towards something bigger than ourselves was something I could really get behind.”
A member of the varsity lacrosse team his sophomore and junior year, Trainor has been a part of teams making runs in both the county and sectional tournaments. Outside of the high school, Trainor competes for the Patriot Lacrosse team located in Morristown, New Jersey. For Trainor, his best memory in his high school career comes from his sophomore year in a game against Wall.
“Wall was a team ranked way ahead of us, and the atmosphere during that game was amazing, especially after our win,” Trainor said. “Seeing us move up into the top twenty following this win was a great feeling too, as we definitely had something to prove going into this season.”
Despite having one more season of high school lacrosse left to play, Trainor is already looking forward to suiting up as a Ranger, and competing in the Landmark Conference.
“In college, I hope to not only improve my own game, but that of those around me as well,” Trainor said. “At the end of the day, If I could leave a lasting impact on my teammates, coaches and the program as a whole, I would consider myself accomplished at the end of my collegiate lacrosse career.”
Now preparing for his senior season, Trainor is excited to play with his teammates one more time before graduating.
“I’m going to miss playing lacrosse alongside some of my closest friends here at SPF, but overall I’m happy with what we’ve done together over the years, and I’m for sure looking forward to bringing home the state championship in 2026.”
