When coach Tom Mariano took over the Pace men's lacrosse program in 2013 — one that hadn’t had a winning season in nine years — he saw promise. With brand new facilities and a location in the heart of New York City, the former Sacred Heart coach knew he could build a contender at Pace.

In a Division II world that included powerhouses like NYIT, LIU Post, Limestone and Le Moyne, Mariano still felt Pace could compete. All it would take was a commitment to the principles that Mariano was about to set forth. He got that immediately.

“When I first got to Pace, I had a group of seniors that just really wanted to play as hard as they could for me and were willing to do everything that we asked them,” he said. “… They started this attitude within the program that has stuck with us, buying into who we are and who we want to be. “

His first season, although Pace finished 5-7, was a stepping stone to the Setters future. Mariano began to bring in recruits that changed the program’s fortune. He got his first winning season in 2015 at 9-7. Then came an 11-6 season in 2016.

The momentum continued last year, when Pace finished 12-4 and qualified for its first NCAA Division II tournament. Although the season ended at the hands of Adelphi in the first round, Mariano and his  program hit a benchmark, and he's excited to see the rise continue.

With a roster that stays mostly intact following a successful 2017, Pace could be headed for greater heights.

“When you get to that level and you see how close you are to getting into the next level, it’s more of an excited thing than pressure,” Mariano said. “Pressure is you’re not sure if you’re going to have a good season. As a group, we know we have talent and we know we can play.”

It will help that the Setters bring back over 96 percent of its production from last season, with its top 15 scorers returning for the 2018 season. Liam Brennan led the Setters with 33 goals and 31 assists, followed by Bradley Paterson with 28 goals and 31 assists.

Brennan and Paterson led the core that helped Pace finish as the 14th-ranked offense in Division II, fifth among teams that qualified for the NCAA tournament. Brennan, a senior, and Paterson, a junior, have another year under their belt to develop chemistry.

Brennan is part of Marino’s first recruiting class — a group that has made it easy for the veteran coach to lead.

“At this point, they know the system and know what the expectations are,” Mariano said. “That really helped raise the level of our fall ball.”

On defense, Pace will have to overcome the loss of NE-10 All-Conference defenseman Brendan Donnellan, who led the team and finished 15th in Division II with 1.88 caused turnovers per game. He was the heart of the defense, but the Setters return much of the depth it had last season.

In terms of the leadership of that unit, goalie Bobby Beshlian, a transfer from Limestone, could be looked to help anchor the defense this season. Beshlian is entering his senior year after finishing 12th in the country in save percentage in 2017.

Beshlian joined this Pace program to pair with Brennan, his former Long Island Outlaws club teammate.

“Whenever you lose a player like Brendan, it’s tough to replace,” Beshlian said. “Throughout the fall, guys stepped up. We had a bunch of freshmen last year and they’re getting more mature, so hopefully, they’ll be able to take his spot.”

There are plenty of reasons for optimism within the Pace men’s lacrosse program. Mariano came along with a vision, and it’s closer to reality than ever before. 

He’s coached Division I lacrosse and in the MLL, assisting with the Ohio Machine before joining the Florida Launch (he was named the MLL's Coach of the Year in 2017). However, there’s something unique about this team and this school.

“It was an amazing experience to see that they bought in from Day 1,” he said. “It’s been more rewarding than any job than I’ve ever had.”