Essensa to play for Colgate in 2022

Cameron Essensa, Grade 12 student at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) is headed to New York and Colgate University for the next steps of his academic and athletic journey.

“I chose Colgate University for a variety of reasons, it’s a smaller university, only 4,000 students and it’s located in upper state New York so it’s close to home,” says Essensa. “I like the campus – I was able to visit it before the pandemic and I really liked all of the facilities that they have.”

Essensa has been playing lacrosse since he was five years old and has been part of the SMCS lacrosse programme since Grade 7.

“I enjoy playing a sport where my team and I have a collective goal,” says Essensa, who has helped his past teams take home five provincial championship titles and one national title.

“Cameron is a natural, incredibly effective righty attackman. He has an uncanny ability to see the play, and always puts himself in the right spot with or without the ball,” says Angus Dineley ’03, Head of the English Department at SMCS and one of Essensa’s lacrosse coaches on the Blue Gaels Lacrosse Team. “He doesn’t say much, but he’s beloved by his teammates, and is such an easy kid to coach. He’ll join his older brother Ryan (2016-17), a former member of the Blue Gaels, in suiting up for the Red Raiders.”

SMCS lacrosse alumni Ryan McClelland ’06 and Cristian Lazzarino ’20 also attended Colgate University following their SMCS graduation.

The coaching staff at Colgate was another factor that led Essensa to apply and commit to their lacrosse team for September 2022.

“Coach Karwick (Head Coach) is new to the programme, he’s only been there a couple of years – he came from Notre Dame and he’s changing the culture and nature of the programme,” says Essensa. “I’m excited to get in on the ground floor of this transformation and be part of a new and upcoming lacrosse team.”

While playing for Colgate’s Division I lacrosse team, Essensa plans to major in economics.

“One of the things that I really liked about Colgate is that they don’t let you pick your major until mid-way through your sophomore year,” he says. “They really want you to try some different courses and find something that really appeals to you.”

Following his SMCS graduation, Essensa will be using the next year to take some additional courses and sharpen his lacrosse to prepare himself even further for university.

“SMCS has given me a great academic education and prepared me for the rigours of university,” he adds. “The curriculum and experience over the last six years have given me a great foundation to be able to succeed at university.”