It is our goal to provide superior lacrosse instruction in a learning environment where campers of all levels of experience can develop their skills and enjoy participating in the "fastest game on two feet."

Our objective is to increase the lacrosse knowledge and fine-tune the fundamental skills of the game to enable each individual to leave the Kevin Cassese (Strong Island) Lacrosse Camp a better lacrosse player.

KEVIN CASSESE, CAMP DIRECTOR

Professional/Collegiate Career:

Kevin is currently the Head Lacrosse Coach at Lehigh University.  He was the Assistant Coach at Duke University in 2007 during the team's run to the National Championship Game.  He spent the summer of 2006 serving as the Interim Head Coach of the Blue Devil program.  Kevin's playing and coaching experience on both the offensive and defensive sides of the field, as well as at the face-off X and in the goal, enables him to work with players of all levels of experience at all positions.  Kevin began his coaching career at the Division I level, in 2005, at Stony Brook University where he helped lead the Seawolves to a 10-6 record and served as coordinator for the NCAA's number one Extra Man Offensive unit.

Kevin is a two-time member of the United States World Team.  He has helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the 2002 World Championships in Perth, Australia and a silver medal at the 2006 World Championships in London, Ontario.  Kevin is entering his sixth year as a midfielder in Major League Lacrosse.  He spent 4 years with the Rochester Rattlers, who made him a first round pick (second overall) in the 2003 collegiate draft.   In 2004 and 2005, he helped lead the Rattlers to the National semifinals and in 2005 he was named to the MLL All-Star Game.  In the summer of 2006, Kevin earned MVP honors in the Team USA vs. MLL All-Star Game as he scored 2 goals, including a 2 pointer, and added 1 assist (4 points) in the game.
In 2007, he was traded to the Philadelphia Barrage, helping the team earn it's second consecutive MLL Championship and the third title in four years.

Kevin played collegiate lacrosse for four years at Duke University from 2000-2003. He completed his career with 118 points (80 + 38), which is in the top 25 on Duke's all-time list, and was dominant at the face-off X where he won 236 of 374 (63%). He was a two-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy, which is awarded to the NCAA player of the year, he was the recipient of the Lt. Donald McLaughlin National Midfielder of the Year award, and he was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. He was also a three time All-American, earning first team honors in his final two seasons.

In his senior year, Kevin earned Academic All-America Honors and was named the top scholar athlete at Duke University. He was also an ACC Academic Honor Roll selection for each of his four years at Duke. He graduated with a sociology major and a business minor from Duke University's Trinity College of Arts and Sciences.


Personal:

Born on April 5, 1981, Kevin is the youngest son of retired elementary school teacher Barbara Cassese and retired Comsewogue High School Football Coach and physical education teacher Tom Cassese. Kevin's brother Todd is four years his senior and is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Chicago School of Medicine. He is currently a chief resident at the University of California at San Francisco. Kevin's wife, Katie Granson Cassese, is a former Duke women's tennis player from 2000-03 and head tennis coach at Yale University.  She currently sells Real Estate for Remax Marketplace in Bethlehem, PA. Kevin lists pizza (Colosseo) as his favorite food and "Old School" as his favorite movie.