By Molly Tow
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/13/11
Recent Emmaus graduate Dan Kinek (midfielder) has
made a verbal commitment to play Division I lacrosse at the University of Michigan.
Kinek, who will spend a post-graduate year at Avon Old Farms (CT) this year, led the Green Hornets to the Lehigh Valley Conference title and was named league MVP in 2011. He collected 70 goals and 24 assists and finished his career with more than 200 goals and 300 assists while receiving All-Phillylacrosse.com honors this summer.
Kinek, who plays for Duke’s Lacrosse Club, also was captain of the basketball team and achieved Honor Roll his junior and senior years at Emmaus.
While at Michigan, Kinek plans to study Business, Sports Management, or Law.
This spring, Michigan announced that its men’s lacrosse program would be switching from the MCLA to Division I starting in the 2011-2012 season. The Wolverines were MCLA National Champions from 2008-2010.
“I chose Michigan because after I toured the campus, I knew it was where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life,” said Kinek. “Michigan is one of the finer institutions in the country and I know that I will have an incredible student athlete experience.
“Big Ten football and Big Ten basketball is something you cannot turn down. Michigan has such a rich tradition that also really influenced my decision. The coaching staff really impressed me and gave me a good sense where they are headed and how the transition will be from club to Division I. I could feel the energy from the coaches and the players I met.”
Kinek is the first from his Emmaus team to make a commitment to play college lacrossse, and the third in the Philadelphia area to commit to Michigan. He will join two rising seniors, LSM Paxton Moore (Haverford School) and defenseman Graham Conlan (Hill School) on the Wolverines for their 2012-2013 season.
Kinek helped the Hornets win their fourth straight LVC championship in 2011.
“It was a rebuilding year this past season,” said Kinek. “The team was young, not as experienced, but it was a great group of guys who wanted to win.”
Kinek has a strong vision for himself in the years to come.
“To succeed at Avon and be ready to play as a freshman at Michigan,” said of his goals for the future.
