The Siena Men’s Lacrosse team is set to have another highly anticipated season in the MAAC with many valuable returning assets at their disposal. The 2026 Captains, Conor Hufnagel, Colby LeBlanc, and R.J. Ihlefeld, were announced in January by Coach Tim Cox. The trio graciously sat down with The Promethean to talk about the upcoming season. They are excited for the season to get in full swing with MAAC play beginning on March 7.
Siena Lacrosse’s season came to a screeching halt last year after a heartbreaking loss to crosstown rivals, UAlbany, in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. While the Saints will lose key players from that championship team, Saints fans should not worry about the offensive side of the ball: it will be in good hands.
Newly named captain, graduate student Conor Hufnagel, who netted 36 goals last season for the Saints, is expected to have a dominant spring. The unique lefty attacker is dangerous in tight around the crease, but will also finish from the outside with a powerful sidearm.
However, before Hufnagel and the rest of the offense can get to work, the faceoffs need to be won in order to give them a chance. All three captains agree that sophomore Logan Banek will make another huge difference this season, continuing his productivity during his freshman season. With an almost .600 faceoff percentage, Banek had a standout season and fans can hope this success will continue.
Captain Colby LeBlanc had high praise for Banek by saying he is “the best in the conference and one of the best in the country”.
Another under the radar player, according to Ihlefeld, is long stick midfielder, junior Joe Valenza. Valenza played significant roles on Siena’s defense and offense last season.
“He’s probably the best offensive defenseman in the entire country… he was able to put up numbers that a lot of starters weren’t able to do last year and he was pretty much playing second string,” Ilhefeld claimed.
Siena’s defense is also in good hands with R.J. Ihlefeld at the helm. Last season, aside from Banek consistently winning faceoffs, Ihlefled led every other position in ground balls, with 59.
LeBlanc compared Ihlfeld to the glue that keeps the team together and how he is “able to connect with players on the team that may be struggling in one way or another”.
LeBlanc, the senior midfielder did not have the eyecatching stats last season, but is still an extremely valuable player for the Saints. Hufnagel described him as the “dad” of the team and always makes sure the little things are getting done, on and off the field. Hufnagel and Ihlefeld agree that every team needs a leader like that in order for daily success.
“He’s always there making sure the little things are done in the locker room and making sure practice runs smoothly,” Ihlefeld said.
Making smooth transitions off the field has not been easy for Siena Lacrosse, however. Liam Gleason, Siena’s former head coach, who tragically passed away this past fall, had passionate and long-lasting relationships with his players. Gleason played and coached lacrosse at UAlbany under head coach Scott Marr for a number of years before transitioning into the head coaching role at Siena.
After this tragic accident, the Capital Region came together for a funeral at the UHY Center to honor Coach Gleason’s life and legacy. The UAlbany Lacrosse program was there to pay their respects to a man who impacted the lives of so many past Danes.
“We even had Silas Richmond, who is their captain, reach out to all of us saying the whole Albany team is behind us,” Hufnagel revealed.
All three captains agree that playing the Danes on March 17 will be a special moment for both teams who are so intertwined in the Capital Region lacrosse community.
“Before the game and during the game, you’re not going to be friends. But after that, it’s going to be a special moment,” LeBlanc expressed.
Newly appointed head coach Tim Cox has had plenty of experience coaching with Gleason, so although he brings his own opinions and flair to the coaching position, there are definitely similarities in the two.
“He has his own touches but he emulates how Coach Gleason coached and how he treated the players,” Hufnagel said.
“We are all 100% behind him. When it was a question about who was going to take over that spot, every single person on our team wanted to see Coach Cox take over,” Ihlefeld explained.
Of course there will be plenty of obstacles for the Saints this upcoming season, as they play with heavy hearts, but with an exciting schedule ahead, they are sure to be a team to watch.
And the overall goal for the team this upcoming season? LeBlanc had two words. “MAAC. Championship.”