Men's Lacrosse Coaching Staff

 

Rick Schunke 
Head Men's Lacrosse Coach
(716) 926-8801
rschunke@hilbert.edu

 

Returning for his second year to guide the Hilbert College lacrosse team is Rick Schunke. He is excited about his veteran squad from a year ago, when they finished 6-6 overall competing as an independent institution in their first year of Division III status.   Now, in the 2012 season, the Hawks are associate members in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) and will compete for a league title at the conclusion of their season.
Schunke and his staff recruited for the start of a new program and trained the team properly as they opened the 2011 season with a few quick wins before heading to their spring trip to Myrtle Beach. After splitting their two games against Cobleskill in South Carolina, the Hawks returned north and finished the season competing against primarily their future NEAC league member institutions.    Several players who garnered national attention for the Hawks in 2011 were Ryan Wagner, Josh Baker, Sean Purtill and Kori Halftown. Wagner transferred into Hilbert with freshman-eligibility status and finished the season ranked #2 in goals per game and #3 in ground balls per game after a #10 rank in face-off percentage. Baker ranked #25 in points per game and goals per game (#9). Purtill and Halftown ranked #22 and #31 in assists per game.
On December 16, 2009, Schunke became the head coach of the men’s inaugural lacrosse program. He arrived at Hilbert  following several year of coaching at the high school level.   Schunke coached 2 high school All-Americans and 9 All-League players at both West Seneca East (2000-02) and Frontier (2002-09).  Coach Schunke is a volunteer youth coach with the Hamburg Knights Lacrosse Program (12U/17U) as well as an experienced NFLOA lacrosse official at the high school and indoor Box lacrosse leagues.
“Since my graduation from Hilbert (2001), I’ve witnessed the College improve its facilities and expand its campus footprint.  These positive changes combined with the opportunity to recruit the talented athletes in our community to help establish a brand new lacrosse program gets me excited,” said Schunke.  “I love the fact that Hilbert has two lacrosse fields on campus, which is another plus for recruiting, and I really look forward to creating my own stamp on Hilbert lacrosse.”
At Orchard Park High School Schunke was named a first team All ECIC and honorable mention All Western New York athlete after his teams won the Section VI title two years,  in addition to finishing as a state semi-finalist in 1996.
His collegiate years found him competing at two Division I institutions (Canisius College – ’97 & ’98 and Gannon University - ’99) before he returned home to join the family business.  Schunke held a full time job at Schunke Insurance Agency (West Seneca, NY) and attended Hilbert College to complete his bachelor’s degree in business administration.  It was during this time, that Schunke began coaching at the high school level.
Schunke currently serves as vice president of Schunke Insurance Agency and resides in West Seneca, NY.

  

 

Jim Sturm  
Assistant Men's Lacrosse Coach
(716) 926-8935
jsturm@hilbert.edu

 

 The first coach Schunke brought on board shortly after his hiring in 2009 was Jim Sturm. For the last  20 years, Sturm has been involved in club lacrosse coaching at Fredonia State College, East Carolina University and Hilbert College. Sturm, a former goalie, lead ECU and Hilbert to numerous division and league titles as he roamed the sidelines. With the Division III program, Sturm serves as the goalie coach, an academic advisor and recruiter for the Hawks program.

Previously, Sturm served as the assistant coach for the Hilbert women’s lacrosse program during its only year of existence in 2001. Away from Hilbert, the Lakeview, NY resident coaches within the Eden branch of the Hamburg Knights Lacrosse since 2002.

Currently Sturm serves as the vice provost for leadership development and is the project director for the Title III grant which Hilbert College recently received. The SUNY Fredonia graduate (communications) earned a M.Ed. in college counseling and student personnel from the University of Buffalo in 1990.

 

Mike Hineman  
Assistant Men's Lacrosse Coach
(716) 926-8801  
mhineman@hilbert.edu

Mike Hineman joins the Hawks returns for his second year on the sidelines after several years of playing experience in the net. Hineman brings nine years of goaltending skills as a former student-athlete at Rochester Institute of Technology, Buffalo State, and Hilbert College. The Lancaster, NY native played for the Buffalo Creek Thunder in the minor league indoor lacrosse league when not involved with collegiate experiences.  Coach Schunke will utilize Hineman’s expertise and allow him to focus on Hilbert’s goal tending development in addition to the recruitment of future Hawks.

Hineman earned a bachelor’s of science degree in graphic communications from R.I.T. At Lancaster high school, he earned All ECIC while playing for the Redskins. 

 

Fred White    
Assistant Men's Lacrosse Coach
(716) 926-8801  
fwhite@hilbert.edu 

Fred White joined the Hilbert College lacrosse staff in the spring 2011 season. After his three-year career at Frontier high school, White continued his academics at Monroe Community College and served as a team captain. As a Falcon, White led his high school team statistically in ground balls his junior and senior year. He was selected 2nd team All ECIC his senior year while leading Frontier to their first play-off win in the school’s history.

 

Sean Menz  
Assistant Men's Lacrosse Coach
(716) 926-8801  
smenz@hilbert.edu

Completing the Hilbert College men’s lacrosse staff is Sean Menz who accepted his first collegiate job after several years of competitive competition. Coach Schunke will utilize Menz’s playing experience by assigning him to work specifically with the Hawk midfielders.

Menz attended Niagara Wheatfield High School, and after his 2004 graduation, continued his athletic career at Hofstra University (club team) and Limestone College. The Hamburg native represented the USA Starz organization in a European trip during the summer months of 2009. Menz currently plays for the Buffalo Creek Thunder in the Can-Am Senior B Box Lacrosse league.

Menz earned his bachelors of science degree in exercise physiology from the State University of New York, College of Brockport. He has worked with the Buffalo Sabres (NHL) and the University of Buffalo (football team) using his strength and conditioning background and will design and develop a proper training program for the Hilbert lacrosse program.