BLAIR ACADEMY LACROSSE 

Family 

Creating a family culture in our program helps first-year Blair students build strong relationships among teammates and coaches. Eating meals together, casual meetings in the office and spring training in Florida, amongst other daily activities, helps athletes grow lifelong bonds. These close relationships help teammates enjoy offseason training, look forward to long film sessions and motivate one another to improve daily. 

As coaches, knowing the players so closely helps us put them in a position for immediate and long term success. Blair Academy is home for these student-athletes, and our lacrosse program ensures each player is in an ideal environment to reach their full potential. During the critical part of a game, most coaches will put players in the correct spot for success. However, we hold ourselves accountable to put the Blair lacrosse family in the best spot for success in life—both now and in the future. 

On the Field 

Our training is focused on player development. We provide position-specific training, which enables players to work on skills relative to their game: dodge progression, shooting on the run, inside finishing, approaches, footwork, hand speed, pipe to pipe, etc. Why do we focus on player development? When our fourth attackman improves, he can become a starter, which keeps our top three attackmen working hard. This helps motivate players while keeping friendly, strong relationships! 

In terms of offensive and defensive schemes, we change year to year (sometimes game to game) based on the personnel’s strengths and weaknesses. As coaches, we would rather change our gameplan than ask 40 players to change their skillset! 

Competition 

We compete in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL), which is filled with future elite collegiate athletes. When creating our out-of-conference schedule, we want opponents that will give us a challenging matchup. This keeps players and coaches motivated while studying game film, knowing that every play may have a critical impact on the outcome! 

Recruiting 

We are determined for the Blair lacrosse family to become one of the top programs nationwide—part of that is finding the best fit for each player. Head Coach Mike Squillante has coached players committed to or attending Boston University, Bryant University, Fairfield, Hobart College, Hofstra, Iona University, Lafayette College, Long Island University, Robert Morris University, Rutgers University, Sacred Heart University, Siena College, St. John’s University, University of Delaware, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Virginia Military Institute, Wagner College and many more.

If you have questions or are interested in learning more about our program, please feel free to email Coach Squillante at squilm@blair.edu.

Meet Coach Squillante

Mike Squillante will serve as an admission associate and head boys’ lacrosse coach. Prior to coming to Blair, he taught at Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta, New Jersey, serving as a physical education teacher and assistant lacrosse coach for five years. Since 2016, Mike has also been active in the True Lacrosse club, where he served as senior director of True New Jersey and Pennsylvania Valley. His previous coaching experience includes working at Centenary University in Hackettstown, New Jersey, as an assistant men’s lacrosse coach; at Parisi Speed School in Sparta, New Jersey, as a performance coach intern; and as a strength-and-conditioning intern for Marywood University. Mike earned his BS in exercise science from Marywood in 2015 and has completed a number of master’s of business administration classes at Centenary University. We are thrilled Mike will be joining the Blair community along with his wife, Michele, and their two children, Henry, 2, and Christian, who will turn 1 later this year. 

View directions to athletic events. To read recaps about past events, go to the "Team News" tab above.

View more photos from the most recent season here.

The Blair lacrosse program was founded in 1972 and builds upon a number of ideals that have served Blair students well over the years. Blair's JV program is designed to grow and develop young players so that they will eventually feed into the varsity program. JV players range from those who are new to the sport to those who have been playing for many years. At practices, we work to develop players at every level of talent so that all progress and improve their game.

JV-level players are encouraged to attend the lacrosse program's spring break trip each year and participate in our many preseason activities. We are one program, both JV and varsity. Not only is it important for our young men to play with more experienced players, it is just as important for our varsity players to have the opportunity to mentor and set an example for our young guys.

At Blair, we push you to be the best you can be, and we look forward to having you be a part of our lacrosse program.

Meet Coach Antonelli

Brian Antonelli ’93  is Blair’s director of both athletic facilities and security and the School’s assistant football, wrestling and girls’ lacrosse coach. From 2014 through 2021, he served as head varsity wrestling coach, earning distinguished titles including NHSCA National Coach of the Year in 2019 and Wrestling USA High School Coach of the Year in 2018. Under his leadership, the Blair varsity wrestling team secured top rankings nationally five times. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Brian coached his alma mater’s wrestling team for nine seasons, serving as interim head coach in 2013. He was a varsity wrestler at Navy and was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the Marine Corps upon graduation in 1997. As a Marine officer, he attained the rank of captain and served in Operation Rapid Cheetah, patrolling the borders between Kosovo and Bosnia, and later as a Naval Academy admission officer and Marine Corps Green Belt instructor. In 2004-2005, he was the head wrestling coach at The Lawrenceville School. Brian and his wife, Susie, Blair’s Senior Associate Dean of Admission and Director of Financial Aid, live in Millbrook Cottage with their four children, Kate ’20, Sammi ’22, Christopher ’24 and Michael ’26.

View directions to athletic events.

View more photos from the most recent season here.