Men's Lacrosse Hosts First Gael Classic Tournament

The Men's Lacrosse team hosted their very first Gael Classic Tournament this fall. As many of you may know, the Gaels compete in the MCLA, otherwise known as the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. The official MCLA season starts in the spring, so Coach Dom Chilimodos '22 believes it is best for his team to get a head start before the season begins. The Gael Classic Tournament involved four other non-MCLA programs in competition. Three of the teams were post-collegiate men's clubs, and the fourth was Diablo Valley College, a junior college operating with an independent lacrosse program. 

The main purpose of this tournament was to challenge the Gaels by deliberately playing them against other teams who are significantly more skilled than the collegiate-level teams they will play during their regular season. Coach Dom does this intentionally, as he believes playing against harder teams in the Fall will therefore better prepare his team for the Spring. It was an interesting trial to say the least, as the Gaels played a total of three games within the short span of five hours. Brutal. These were the first competitions of the year, besides scrimmages at practice. Coach Dom's goal was to teach his team how to work together while simultaneously maintaining a positive attitude and supporting each other. These are important skills to obtain, as this can make or break a team dynamic. 

Overall, it was a successful tournament. As a whole, the Gaels improved with every game. All of the other participating teams also enjoyed themselves, with many players, coaches, and fans giving positive feedback and encouragement for a tournament next year.

Coach Dom Chilimodos- A Gael Alumni 

Coach Dom Chilimidos '22, a born and raised Moraga native, has plenty of experience in all things lacrosse. He graduated from Saint Mary's in 2022 with a major in Communications. During his time at Saint Mary's, Coach Chilimidos played lacrosse for two years. After graduating, Coach Dom moved to North Lake Tahoe for a job opportunity, but on the side he continued his love for lacrosse by taking a coaching position. Here, he coached at many different levels for over three years. Some of the programs he coached included Truckee North Tahoe High School, University of Nevada, the North Tahoe Lakers, and the High Sierra Avalanche Club Program. Coincidentally, his full-time job brought him back to the Bay Area and ultimately back to his alma mater. When Coach Dom saw there was a vacant coach position for men's lacrosse, he believed it would be a full circle moment for him to give back to not only his college, but his hometown as well. 

Coach Dom highlighted that he is one of six lacrosse coaches this year. He expresses that this is an advantage, as it allows more eyes on the individual players which results in higher amounts of personalized feedback. Five out of the six coaches happen to be Gael lacrosse alumni as well.  Coach Hayden Cook '15,  Coach Tyler Queenan '15, Coach Aric Moriao '21, and Coach Jon Luc Ambrosio '21 were all out on the field playing lacrosse at some point in their journey at Saint Mary's. Coach Dom emphasizes that this is a vital aspect of re-establishing a strong relationship with alumni. 

Evan Salgado '26 mentioned how important the alumni are to the Men's Lacrosse program. Each year, Saint Mary's hosts the alumni scrimmages, which is when former Gael lacrosse players return to their alma mater and participate in a scrimmage against the current lacrosse team. This event is crucial for networking opportunities as Salgado mentioned that many of the boys  have previously landed internships through these connections. Additionally, Coach Dom mentioned that Saint Mary's also hosts an annual alumni weekend in January with a friendly golf tournament.

Looking ahead to this upcoming season, Coach Dom is really focused on getting this team to the WCLL Championship. They were able to accomplish this goal in 2024, but fell short this last year. He says that there is an influx of new talent this season that is balanced out between freshmen and all the way to graduate students. The coaches are very excited and hopeful for another chance this spring. It's beneficial having Hayden Cook '15 and Tyler Queenan '15 as coaches because they were able to make it to the National Championship in 2012. They know what it takes to get this team back into its prime. 

This Men's Lacrosse team is being led by amazing coaches who are dedicated to the success of the team. Coach Dom is not taking his first season as head coach lightly, and through this he is anticipating both a valiant season and a big turnout for Gael alumni. Be sure to come out to the annual alumni scrimmage on January 23rd, 2026 and games come spring!