Overcoming obstacles almost seems natural to Alex Concannon. The graduate student has had a long journey en route to Hofstra University.

A native of Syosset, New York, Concannon grew up in a lacrosse family with his parents Timothy and Gloria and sisters Nicole and Casey.

Lacrosse is a popular sport, but it isn’t regarded as a “major sport” in the eyes of most people compared to baseball, football, hockey or basketball. The Premier Lacrosse League is on the rise in popularity and gaining recognition as it continues to grow.

Hockey and lacrosse are often compared. Concannon’s father played hockey for several years, but he managed to teach his son lacrosse as he was getting older.

“I just picked up the [lacrosse] stick and fell in love with it. I was doing stuff on my own, like going down to the park and shooting on the net with friends,” Concannon said. “I learned as time went on and I would watch lacrosse when the Final Four was on television.”

In elementary school, Concannon had his first chance to play lacrosse with friends in his town. He recalls scoring his first goal on a rainy day and the excitement that it brought him.

 “I scored with my Johns Hopkins University pinnie [scrimmage vest] on, so I think then and there I subconsciously became a fan of Johns Hopkins while I fell in love with the sport that day,” Concannon said.

As he got older, he gained exposure at several lacrosse showcases like the Maverik Showtime Spotlight camp where he finished as the Most Valuable Player. Sure enough, Johns Hopkins head coach Dave Pietramala was in attendance to view the high school star who had dreamed of playing for Johns Hopkins since he was in elementary school.

“It was pretty crazy [being recruited by Johns Hopkins] because back in ‘05 and ‘07 they made it to the Final Four and won it [NCAA Championship],” Concannon said. “Seeing Kyle Harrison and Paul Rabil, probably the two best players to ever play at Hopkins, I was kind of hooked and when coach Pietramala reached out I was in disbelief.”

Alex competed in several tournaments throughout Baltimore as he grew up and he visited Johns Hopkins on various occasions. He was humbled at the fact that several other schools like Duke University, the University of North Carolina and Lehigh University were recruiting him to compete for their programs, but ultimately none of them could match what Johns Hopkins meant to him.

On Feb. 9 2016, Alex played his first NCAA game for the Blue Jays against Navy. He registered two shots, but unfortunately it was the only game he played in during the season. Before the following game against Loyola Maryland University, he would tear his ACL along with other ligaments in his knee.

It was a tough process for Concannon as he finally made it to his dream school but didn’t get the chance to prove himself and showcase his ability on the season in his freshman year. Although it was painful for him, he tried to focus more on other things and he tried to look at other positives within his life.

“When adversity hits, [it helps me to] just stay level-headed and [remember that] there are worse things in life than getting hurt or tearing a ligament. Just trying to remain positive throughout the process was probably just the biggest thing,” he said.

In Concannon’s second season, he was ninth on the team in scoring with three goals while also collecting nine assists on the season as he finished with 12 points. After his injury, he was trying to figure out steps to get back to full strength before he was injured.

“I always hold myself to a pretty high standard regardless of the injury. When I was back on the field, I didn’t think too much about the injury,” Concannon said. “I tried to look forward and tried to know what to do to help my team win.”

In his third season with the Blue Jays, he finished with 18 points on 10 goals and eight assists as his team made it to the NCAA Tournament, but lost to Duke in the semifinals. He finished the following season with 18 goals and eight assists for 26 points after Johns Hopkins lost to the University of Notre Dame in the first round.

Concannon’s offseason consisted of a regimen of eating well along with staying in the weight room. He balanced it out with playing wall ball while working and doing internships. The offseason activity, he believes, helped him with his production for the season.

In his fourth year with the Blue Jays, Concannon tore the meniscus in his knee but played through the injury. During the summer heading into his fifth year, he opted for surgery, but in the first game of the season against Towson University, he suffered another knee injury and ultimately had two operations on it.

While Concannon was dealing with his injury, the COVID-19 pandemic was in full effect across the globe. Due to the shutdown, the NCAA gave an extra year of eligibility to athletes. In Concannon’s case, he had a chance to return to the field once again for his favorite team since he was young, Johns Hopkins.

“Unfortunately, the whole coaching staff got let go which left a sour taste in my mouth. It was upsetting times and it was frustrating as it was a weird time,” Concannon said. “At the time, I put my name in the transfer portal. I knew something good was going to come out of it.”

Hofstra head coach Seth Tierney reached out to Concannon shortly after his name was submitted in the transfer portal. It meant a lot to Alex, as the calls the two had weren’t always about what was being taken place on the field. After talks with his family and weighing his opportunities, Alex made the decision to transfer to Hofstra and join the Pride men’s lacrosse team in the summer of 2020.

“I was very appreciative of him reaching out as one [Johns Hopkins] alumni to another. I knew Ryan [Tierney] growing up, we played against each other in high school,” Concannon said. “At the end of the day, it seemed it was the right thing to do and I’m thrilled with my decision. I’m loving it here and I get to see my family.”

As a member of the Pride men’s lacrosse team, Concannon feels a family type of bond in between him and his teammates. He’s having fun playing within Seth Tierney’s offensive system along with splitting attackman duties with Ryan Tierney and graduate-transfer Justin Lynskey.

Concannon is optimistic for the rest of the season between himself and his teammates. He believes the team has what it takes to compete for the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title, and they need to clear themselves of mental mistakes.

“Play within our game plan,” Concannon said. “Listen to what our coaches have to say. If we manage to do that, we’ll be okay.” 

Regardless of the outcome of the season, Concannon is looking ahead to his post-collegi
ate career. He has always been around his father’s job sites since he was a kid.

“I’ve decided that I’m going to be [joining] my father’s company this summer,” Concannon said. “I hope to learn a lot throughout the years, and then eventually the future goal is to take over his company but for now, I need to start at the bottom and work my way up.”

Concannon is looking to return to the Pride men’s lacrosse lineup this season. He’s thankful and grateful for how far he’s come as a player and person. He’s happy at Hofstra University and is looking to help his team achieve a CAA Championship.

Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics