Rye Boys Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach Steve Lennon has named his MVP for the 2025 season: senior Chris Iuliano.
“Chris Iuliano one is one of the greatest defenders and lacrosse players in Rye Lacrosse history,” Lennon told MyRye.com. “He is the type of player that can completely neutralize the best offensive player on the other team, often one of the best players in the country.”
Iuliano rarely saw his name appear on the scoresheet throughout his career, including 2025, where he scored 0 goals and sprinkled in just a few assists. However, he was the centerpiece of a defense that limited opponents to fewer than ten goals fourteen times in 2025. To put that into perspective, the Garnets as a team scored fewer than ten goals just seven times (21 games).
“[Iuliano] is special as a defender because of his size, length, speed, and athleticism,” Lennon continued. “He is able to guard the quick, shifty players, as well as the big, strong players.
Throughout his senior year, Lennon and the rest of his staff asked Iuliano to take on other responsibilities – help out on faceoffs on the wings and join the play offensively in transition. His attitude and versatility allowed him to seamlessly assume those roles early in the season.
“Chris is an absolutely fierce competitor, and is one of the hardest working players I’ve seen,” Lennon said. “He is a tremendous leader and respected by all his peers and coaches. He is truly irreplaceable.”
The 2x USA Lacrosse All-American and #1 overall defender in the class of 2025 will take his talents to Notre Dame in the fall of 2025 to continue his academic and athletic careers for one of the best men’s lacrosse programs in the nation. His incredible skills, work ethic, and versatility give him a real chance to make a major impact right away as a freshman for the Fighting Irish.
