Lacrosse Player Signs With Dowling College

Photo courtesy of Riverhead Central School District

Riverhead High School student John Roca signed to play Men’s Lacrosse with Dowling College on Monday.

Roca is a goalie on the RHS Varsity Lacrosse team, who, according to his coach, Victor Guadagnino, is a very good goalie who makes the ‘dramatic saves’.

In addition to playing for Riverhead High School, John made the Suffolk/Nassau Lacrosse Team and is on the Team 76 and LI Rebels travel teams.

“I am very happy for him,” Roca’s dad said. “He’s worked very hard and sacrificed a lot. John is a real team player. He was sought out by a few other colleges, but he started playing lacrosse in third grade at a program at Dowling, and said then, ‘Someday I want to play for this college.’ Ironically, he has come full circle and recently decided that Dowling was the best choice for him. We’re very excited for him.”

In addition to playing lacrosse, Roca is a wrestler weighing in at 182, is an NJROTC Cadet, and is employed at the Maximus Gym in downtown Riverhead.

Roca, who caries a 3.3 GPA and is ranked in the top third of his class, will be receiving a combination academic / athletic scholarship from Dowling and plans to major in English Education.

“I’m excited about going to Dowling,” Roca said. “It’s close to home and my family will be able to come watch me play. Plus, Dowling has a really good lacrosse team.”

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