{"id":6520,"date":"2024-10-16T15:00:48","date_gmt":"2024-10-16T15:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/?p=6520"},"modified":"2025-07-01T15:33:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T19:33:27","slug":"wilmu-lacrosse-police-pipeline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2024\/10\/16\/wilmu-lacrosse-police-pipeline\/","title":{"rendered":"WilmU Lacrosse: Police pipeline?"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6520_1067ee-ca\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p>Is there something about Wilmington University\u2019s lacrosse program that compels young men to go into law enforcement?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lacrosse debuted at WilmU in the fall of 2017, with the first season of NCAA competition starting the following spring. Since then, five ex-Wildcat lacrosse players have become police officers, while a former assistant coach is completing a decade of service with the Middletown Police Department.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The five ex-players represent nearly 15 percent of the 40 or so alumni of the lacrosse program. Coach <strong>Christian Zwickert<\/strong> says no other profession except perhaps education has attracted so many of his former players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both nature and nurture seem to be at work here.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nature: Three of the five ex-Wildcats have fathers or grandfathers who were or are policemen, a heritage that absolutely influenced their career choices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nurture: All five former players acknowledge that the crucible that is Wildcat lacrosse helped forge the tools and character required of police officers. Zwickert conducts tough practices and holds his student-athletes to high standards. \u201cI demand a lot; I\u2019m not the easiest person to play for,\u201d he admits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image6520_67b22e-ef .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image6520_67b22e-ef\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Wilmington-University-Jake-Mollohan-150x150-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-13530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Wilmington-University-Jake-Mollohan-150x150-1.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Wilmington-University-Jake-Mollohan-150x150-1-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption>Jake Mollohan<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jake Mollohan<\/strong>, a 2021 graduate in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/behavioralscience\/crimjust.aspx\">Criminal Justice<\/a>, is typical of the nature\/nurture dichotomy. Mollohan counts three retired policemen in his family: his father, a former New Castle County Policeman; a grandfather who served with the Delaware State Police; and another grandfather who was in the Dover Police Department.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Naturally, Mollohan became a third-generation police officer, joining the Harrington Police Department last year. But while family may have influenced his career choice, Mollohan says his days on the Wildcat lacrosse team \u201cmade it an easier transition into law enforcement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNot only do you have to be physically fit,\u201d he says, \u201cbut Coach Z also pushes you mentally; he tries to get under your skin to see how it affects you on the field. The demand he put on us physically and mentally, it lends itself to law enforcement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image6520_b859e1-9a .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image6520_b859e1-9a\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2in_Gio-Marino_LE_photos_v2_custom_colored_toned_light_ai-150x150-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-13529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2in_Gio-Marino_LE_photos_v2_custom_colored_toned_light_ai-150x150-1.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2in_Gio-Marino_LE_photos_v2_custom_colored_toned_light_ai-150x150-1-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption>Giovanni Marino<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Mollohan, <strong>Giovanni Marino<\/strong> is a third-generation policeman. His father was chief of police In Paulsboro, New Jersey, and his grandfather was chief in Woolwich Township, New Jersey. Both are retired, but Marino is carrying on their legacy as a Woolwich police officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He graduated from WilmU last year with a degree in Criminal Justice after an outstanding career with the Wildcats. A four-year starter, Marino was the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Player of the Year in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of the family tradition, he has wanted to be a cop for as long as he can remember. And now that he\u2019s achieved his dream, he finds that it exceeds his expectations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m having the best time of my life,\u201d he says. \u201cI absolutely love the job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marino says connecting with people \u2014 not necessarily solving crimes and making arrests \u2014 is the essence of community policing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not always dealing with bad situations,\u201d he says. \u201cWe take care of a lot of little things, like people getting locked out of their cars, or helping to find a lost dog. We drop in on businesses during the day just to see if they need anything. I love communicating with people on a normal level like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The discipline and routine of police work is similar to his days as a lacrosse player, Marino says. \u201cIn lacrosse, you\u2019re following a schedule, and you get into a routine \u2014 waking up early, going to practice, eating at a certain time. And Z, he was a very discipline-heavy guy and there was a very specific way that things had to get done. That translates well to police work, because there are very specific ways that you have to complete certain tasks. If it\u2019s not done in a specific way, it\u2019s wrong.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of Marino\u2019s coaches at WilmU was <strong>Mike Adams<\/strong>. A patrolman with the New Castle City Police Department for the past three years, Adams has been on the Wildcat staff since he received his degree in Criminal Justice in 2019. As a player, he earned Second Team All-CACC honors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image6520_1e9b03-e8 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image6520_1e9b03-e8\"><figure class=\"alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Wilmington-University-Mike-Adams-left-Coach-Z-right-360x225-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-13528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Wilmington-University-Mike-Adams-left-Coach-Z-right-360x225-1.jpg 360w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Wilmington-University-Mike-Adams-left-Coach-Z-right-360x225-1-250x156.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption>Mike Adams and Christian Zwickert<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Adams loves lacrosse, pointing out that it\u2019s both fast and physical. \u201cIt\u2019s known as the fastest sport on two feet,\u201d he says. With a chuckle, he adds, \u201cAnd it\u2019s the only sport where you\u2019re legally allowed to hit someone else with a metal pole.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He believes that the type of player Zwickert recruits, combined with the mentoring those players receive, are factors that can lead to a law enforcement career.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe people we have here and the ethics we instill in them, it makes them not only good players, but hopefully we help make them good human beings,\u201d Adams says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zwickert himself confirms that he focuses on developing his players\u2019 character as well as their lacrosse skills. \u201cWe want the guys to learn to adopt priorities in their lives,\u201d he says. \u201cFaith and family is number one, academics second, lacrosse third. Everything else is a distant fourth. When guys come here, they understand that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Adams points out, being a Wildcat lacrosse player means long days during the season. Practices last from 9 to 11 a.m. five days a week in the fall and six days a week in spring. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the team lifts weights from 6 to 7:45 a.m. Lifting is often followed by scouting reports and strategy meetings prior to practice. That discipline and dedication is similar to the demands of being a police officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt takes a certain mentality to wake up early in the morning and work out,\u201d Adams says. \u201cA lot of people don\u2019t want to do that. You\u2019ve got to push through that. The same thing with being a law enforcement officer. Working a 12-hour shift kind of stinks sometimes, but you push through for the greater good. I think lacrosse helps a lot<br>with that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jared Wagenhoffer<\/strong> is another ex-player whose career in law enforcement can be attributed to both nature and a bit of Zwickert nurture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI always wanted to go into law enforcement,\u201d Wagenhoffer says. That was due to the influence of his father, John, who has been with the New Castle County Police for 30 years, and will retire in 2025.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wagenhoffer achieved his goal when he joined the Delaware State Police in October of 2021 after graduating in the DSP\u2019s 97th Academy class and winning the DSP Law Enforcement Core Values Award. He\u2019s currently assigned to Troop 4 in Georgetown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After transferring from Wesley College, Wagenhoffer was a Wildcat midfielder for two years. He too attests to Zwickert\u2019s impact on players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCoach Z does a wonderful job of holding everyone accountable, and forces them to step up as leaders,\u201d Wagenhoffer says. \u201cAnd law enforcement is definitely a career where you have to be a leader and take charge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Chris Smith<\/strong> echoes those thoughts. \u201cPolice departments want a person who can lead, who can hold their own and not back away from anything,\u201d says Smith, who has been a patrolman with the Stafford Township (New Jersey) Police Department since graduating from WilmU in 2019 with a degree in Criminal Justice. \u201cAnd you\u2019re taught that in lacrosse. The discipline and drive that you get through practice laid a good foundation for police work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image6520_2d66ad-e1 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image6520_2d66ad-e1\"><figure class=\"alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"238\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Wilmington-University-Chris-Smith-360x238-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-13527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Wilmington-University-Chris-Smith-360x238-1.jpg 360w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Wilmington-University-Chris-Smith-360x238-1-250x165.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption>Chris Smith, second from right.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Marino, Smith derives great satisfaction from the job. \u201cI grew up in Stafford,\u201d he says, \u201cand from the time they asked me what I wanted to be in kindergarten, it was \u2018Stafford cop.\u2019 I love the town. The police have always had great support here, and I wanted to give back, to show my appreciation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also enjoyed his time as a Wildcat. WilmU lacrosse was brand new when Smith joined it as a junior, and he was named a captain his senior year. \u201cI loved Coach Z, loved the area, loved the college,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All five ex-Wildcats were coached by and often sought guidance from <strong>Adam Starrett<\/strong>. A 10-year veteran of the Middletown Police Department, Starrett was on Zwickert\u2019s WilmU staff for the first four years of the program. He played for Zwickert at Wesley College and subsequently coached lacrosse at St. Mark\u2019s High School \u2014 when Adams played there \u2014 and Brandywine High. All of that came after his time in the Marine Corps from 2005 to 2013, which included a year in Iraq.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not surprisingly, while Starrett was at Wilmington, the aspiring police officers on the team turned to him with their questions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA lot of them would ask me for advice and guidance about the hiring process,\u201d he says. \u201cOr they would ask me about the profession in general. I was doing narcotics work around that time, and that always intrigued them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cThe discipline and drive that you get through practice laid a good foundation for police work.\u201d <em>\u2014 Chris Smith<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Starrett earned a master\u2019s in Administration of Justice with a Concentration in Criminal Behavior from WilmU in 2017, and he has high praise for the school\u2019s Criminal Justice Department. \u201cThey have a phenomenal program, with phenomenal instructors. Some I knew from the field.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for the link between lacrosse and law enforcement, he says: \u201cIt\u2019s definitely interesting. It\u2019s becoming almost the identity of the program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zwickert himself has some previous connection to the criminal justice system, having served briefly as a probation and parole officer for the State of Delaware. But his goal as a coach is greater than turning out law enforcement professionals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur mission is the development of the person,\u201d he says. \u201cWe want them to leave here a better person than when they came in, so they can be the best coworker, the best friend, son, husband, the best father. We want them to be men of character and integrity, who do the right thing when nobody\u2019s watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re using lacrosse to teach life lessons.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is there something about Wilmington University\u2019s lacrosse program that compels young men to go into law enforcement? Lacrosse debuted at WilmU in the fall of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":18172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[135,143],"tags":[98,9,643,94,716,736,737,14,15],"class_list":["post-6520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-magazine","category-sports","tag-athletics","tag-criminal-justice","tag-lacrosse","tag-law-enforcement","tag-magazine-fall-2024","tag-police-officers","tag-wildcats","tag-wilmington-university","tag-wilmu"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":135,"label":"MAGAZINE"},{"value":143,"label":"SPORTS"}],"post_tag":[{"value":98,"label":"Athletics"},{"value":9,"label":"Criminal Justice"},{"value":643,"label":"lacrosse"},{"value":94,"label":"law enforcement"},{"value":716,"label":"Magazine Fall 2024"},{"value":736,"label":"police officers"},{"value":737,"label":"Wildcats"},{"value":14,"label":"Wilmington University"},{"value":15,"label":"WilmU"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/lax-480x480.jpg",480,480,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Mckayla Imperatrice","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/author\/mckayla\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":135,"name":"MAGAZINE","slug":"magazine","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":692,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":431,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":135,"category_count":431,"category_description":"","cat_name":"MAGAZINE","category_nicename":"magazine","category_parent":0},{"term_id":143,"name":"SPORTS","slug":"sports","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":700,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":36,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":143,"category_count":36,"category_description":"","cat_name":"SPORTS","category_nicename":"sports","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":98,"name":"Athletics","slug":"athletics","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":655,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":10,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":9,"name":"Criminal Justice","slug":"criminal-justice","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":566,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":8,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":643,"name":"lacrosse","slug":"lacrosse","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1200,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":94,"name":"law enforcement","slug":"law-enforcement","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":651,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":716,"name":"Magazine Fall 2024","slug":"magazine-fall-2024","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1273,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":26,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":736,"name":"police officers","slug":"police-officers","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1293,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":737,"name":"Wildcats","slug":"wildcats","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1294,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":14,"name":"Wilmington University","slug":"wilmington-university","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":571,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":357,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":15,"name":"WilmU","slug":"wilmu","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":572,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":291,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6520"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6520\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18173,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6520\/revisions\/18173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}