2026 Fall Check-In: Tampa

For our next Fall Check-In we head down to Tampa.  The Spartans played for the SELC title last year and made their first appearance at the MCLA National Championships Presented by New Balance with a very young team.  New head coach Vinny Mercadante will be taking over a capable team.  

Check out our prior Fall Check-In pieces here: Georgia

MCLA: Your program is relatively new to the MCLA and made your first trip to nationals last season, what lessons did you all learn from that?

Vinny Mercadante: We learned a lot from last season, especially making it to the National Tournament. It was our first time even making the conference playoffs, so to make that run all the way to the SELC Championship and then follow it up with our first National Tournament appearance two weeks later was an incredible experience for our program.

 At the same time, everything was new to us. Experiencing that type of postseason run for the first time gave us a much better understanding of what it takes. We saw firsthand how important it is to be playing your best lacrosse at the right time, how quickly you have to reset and prepare for the next challenge, and how much smaller the margin for error becomes against that level of competition. We also learned a lot from the logistical side of making that run. We had 21 players who were unable to travel to Nationals because of conflicts with final exams, so that is something we have already worked through this year to ensure we won’t have those same conflicts if we are fortunate enough to put ourselves back in that position. It also reinforced how important it is to have every player on the roster ready to step up at any point in the season. Our guys are bought in from top to bottom, and we have confidence in anyone on our roster when their opportunity comes.

I think the biggest thing we took away from it is that while getting there is a huge accomplishment, especially for our 3rd year program, we now know what that stage looks and feels like. We don’t just want to be happy to make it back there. We want to take what we learned from that experience, be better prepared for those moments, and put ourselves in a position to make a deeper run this season.

MCLA: You all had a very young team last year and return your top ten scorers, top ten ground ball players, nine of your top ten in caused turnovers, your goalie, and your top faceoff guys, what are you hoping will be different about this team to allow them to make a run at nationals rather than just another appearance?

VM: We are extremely excited to have all of those guys back. So many of them stepped up in huge ways for us last season, especially when you consider how young our team was. They played a major role in what we were able to accomplish and we’re excited to see them continue to grow this year.

More than half of our team and starting lineup last season were first year players and we only had two seniors on the entire team. That forced a lot of our younger guys to step up and take on leadership roles earlier than they normally might have. Now our players are coming back with a full season under their belts, including experience playing in a conference championship and at the National Tournament. Having that talent, leadership, and experience back gives us a much more confident and prepared group heading into this season.

Our team culture is also something we take a lot of pride in. Returning 37 players says a lot about how close this group is and how much they enjoy being around and competing with each other. These guys genuinely have fun together, they want to be there, and they are motivated to keep getting better. Having a group that cares about each other, supports one another on and off the field, and pushes each other every day makes a huge difference. We believe that combination of experience, leadership, talent, and the culture we’ve built can help us take that next step this season.

MCLA: What are the schedule highlights?  Any big trips?

VM: We are excited about the schedule we have put together for this spring, which will be fully released soon. One of the biggest highlights will be our trip to Myrtle Beach, where we’ll take on two very talented programs in Coastal Carolina and UNCW, both coming off National Tournament appearances last season.

We’re also excited to head down to Miami, where we’ll take on Miami in an important conference matchup while also getting the opportunity to play another top team in Air Force at a neutral site.

I also believe our conference is one of the strongest in the country, so having the opportunity to play those teams every year is something we always look forward to. Competing against that level of talent throughout the season is only going to make us better and prepare us for where we want to be at the end of the year.

MCLA: How is Fall Ball going? Do any returners look poised to make a jump?  Any impact newcomers?

VM: Fall ball for us actually just started yesterday since our school gets back a little later than most. Even with only one official practice and tryouts under our belt, we already have a pretty good idea of what we have with this group, and we’re really excited about it.

As you mentioned, we bring back basically all of our top statistical leaders from last season and we believe those guys will continue to improve. At the same time, there are several returners who may not have been at the top, or even on some of those statistical lists last year, but have clearly put in the work over the offseason. We’ve already seen that work show early and there are definitely some guys who look ready to take a big step forward this season.

Newcomer wise, we brought in another large and talented group very similar to last year, including several key transfers on both sides of the ball who already have experience and success playing at the college level. It’s still very early, but we have a number of freshmen and transfers who have stood out right away. We believe there are some guys in this class who will make a name for themselves pretty quickly and have an opportunity to make an immediate impact for us.

One of the biggest things that has stood out to me, beyond the talent level, is how close this group has already become in just a few days of being together. That takes everyone. Our returners have done a great job of getting the new guys involved and making them feel like part of the team right away, while the newcomers have come in with a lot of excitement, energy, and a willingness to be part of what we’re building. Seeing that chemistry develop this early is something we’re really excited about.

MCLA: You are taking over as the head coach after serving as an assistant the last few years, how is that jump going?  Do you plan to make any significant changes?

VM: It is going great so far. First off, I am extremely excited, blessed, and grateful for the opportunity. I have been lucky enough to be on staff since our inaugural MCLA season, so being able to watch this program grow from the beginning and now step into the head coaching role means a lot to me.

There are obviously adjustments that come with taking over as head coach, but I don’t expect any significant changes to the program itself. We have built a strong foundation and culture and my goal is to continue building on that while finding ways to keep raising the standard and pushing the program forward.

I’m also surrounded by a great staff of both returning and new coaches who all share the same goals and expectations for this program. I truly believe we have everything we need to end the season where we want to be and everyone associated with the program is on the same page about what it is going to take to get there.

Between our staff, players, parents and families who help make all of this possible, and everyone who continues to support our program, we are in a great place. Having a group that pushes each other to get better, has fun while doing it, and is extremely competitive is all you can ask for as a coach. We take a lot of pride in having a team made up of not only great players, but great people, and I truly believe every guy in our program fits that mold and that's why they are here. I have high expectations for this group, and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together.

Thank you to Coach Mercandante for taking the time to answer some questions. 

Coaches, if you'd like to take part in our Fall Check-In series send a note to info@mcla.us