Men's Lacrosse Coaching Staff

 

 

 

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

 

Rick Schunke is excited to lead his 2013 Hilbert Hawks into their third season of competition. 
After gaining associate membership in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) in the 2012 season, the Hawks challenged for a play-off spot in their first year. Schunke’s squad finished 4-4 in league play (5-7 overall) but had to settle for 5th place, one shy of making the NEAC play-offs. Injuries took its toll on the 2012 team and the coaching staff and players did everything possible to fill holes and finish the season in the hunt for post-season play.   That missed opportunity is fueling the 2013 Hawks as they prepare for the new season with 20 new players on the roster.
Schunke guided the Hilbert lacrosse program into Division III status during the 2010-11 academic year building a roster of returning Hilbert club players, as well as freshmen and transfers who wanted to make an immediate impact in the athletics department. That 2011 squad finished 6-6 playing an independent schedule without a post season tournament to chase. Four players garnered national attention at the conclusion of their first season. Ryan Wagner was ranked #2 in goals per game, #3 in ground balls per game and #10 in race-off percentage. Josh Baker ranked #25 in points per game and goals per game while Sean Purtill and Kory 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  23 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 third 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

Coach Menz returns for his third season as the midfield coach with the Hawks after spending six months in Dresden, Germany coaching the Dresden Braves lacrosse team. 

During his time in Europe, coach Menz played for the ELL Blue, a lacrosse team based in the Czech Republic which competed in the European Lacrosse League (ELL).  After his 3rd overall pick in the ELL draft, coach Menz lived up to expectations and finished the season as a key contributor to his team, sitting in the top five in the league in point production.

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 will continue to design the training program for the Hilbert lacrosse program. Previously he worked with the Buffalo Sabres and the football program at the University of Buffalo with their strength and conditioning programs.