Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/26/19
From Press Release
Fairfield University Men’s Lacrosse Head Coach Andrew Baxter has announced that Charles Giunta (Penn Charter) will join his coaching staff as an Assistant Coach. Giunta spent the last two seasons coaching at his alma mater, Saint Joseph’s University.
A Philadelphia native, Giunta was a defensive assistant and managed the Hawks’ faceoff men during his time at Saint Joseph’s. In 2018, Giunta helped guide a defensive unit that ranked fourth in the nation in scoring defense and seventh in man-down defense. That campaign saw the Hawks win the Northeast Conference Regular Season Championship as a part of a program-record 11-game winning streak.
With Giunta shifting his focus to the faceoff unit in 2019, the Hawks improved their win percentage on the draw by more than 20 percent this past spring. The team as a whole ranked 11th nationally at the faceoff ‘X’, with primary faceoff man Zach Cole slotted 10th in the nation individually.
“Coach Giunta made an immediate positive impact as an assistant coach at Saint Joseph’s working with their defensive and faceoff units,” said Baxter. “He will be an incredible resource for our student-athletes both as our defensive assistant and as a passionate teacher of the game.”
Giunta has also served as Director of Youth Operations and Defensive Coordinator for the Philadelphia Big 4/HHH lacrosse program since 2014.
As a four-year starter on defense at Saint Joseph’s, Giunta totaled 41 ground balls and 25 caused turnovers. The Hawks qualified for three consecutive NEC postseason appearances with Giunta on the backline. He was named a team captain as a senior and was one of 20 nationwide candidates for the 2017 Senior CLASS Award.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to be joining the Fairfield Men’s Lacrosse program,” Giunta said. “I want to thank Coach Baxter for giving me this opportunity as well as Paul Schlickmann and Zach Dayton for their guidance and attention throughout the interview process. I am excited to be a part of something special at Fairfield on the lacrosse field and in the Stags community.”
Giunta in a two-time graduate of Saint Joseph’s, earning a B.A. in Marketing in 2017 and completing his M.S. in Organizational Development and Leadership in 2019.
Giunta was a First-Team All-Phillylacrosse.com pick in 2013 as an LSM at Penn Charter.