This season, DU is lucky to have two Cannizzaros (Cazenovia, New York) on the men’s lacrosse team. Sean Cannizzaro is in his fourth and final year at DU, playing alongside his younger brother, Connor, who transferred from the University of Maryland in his sophomore year. Sean has played in 55 games in his career at DU and has 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists). Before coming to DU, Connor had a successful first year at Maryland with 26 goals and eight assists. With the NCAA tournament a month and a half away, Connor already has 30 goals and 20 assists. He leads the team, surpassing captain and veteran star Wes Berg by 14 points.
Sean is definitely happy to see his little brother join the Pioneers.
“I knew [Connor] wasn’t happy at Maryland. After I found that out, I brought him out here to meet the guys and he loved it,” he said.
Once the opportunity was presented, the decision was not a very difficult one for Connor to make.
“I looked at a couple of schools, but I’ve been around DU because my brother was here while I was still in high school. I came and met the coaches and I loved them, I love the environment and I thought it would be a good fit.”
Sean and Connor grew up learning lacrosse together in their backyard. Their older sister, Kara, is also a lacrosse player and was a part of the University of North Carolina’s 2013 NCAA Championship team. Their father, John, coached the boys up until ninth grade. The Cannizzaro family is deeply ingrained in the world of lacrosse.
“It’s awesome that the whole family can come around this sport together. We all love it and share the love for the game,” said Sean.
Being able to play together again is an added bonus for both brothers. The degree of chemistry between Sean and Connor is something that can only come from over a decade of experience together.
“All throughout childhood, we were on the same team. It’s awesome to play with [Sean] and it’s good to get back together. When we are on the field we know where each other are. We have good chemistry and we make a good combination,” Connor said.
Sean’s role on the team is well established. He is one of the three captains on the team, alongside seniors Wes Berg (Coquitlam, British Columbia) and Carson Cannon (Stillwater, Minnesota). Despite having a leadership position, Sean is mostly focused on playing his game.
“Being captain hasn’t changed me too much. I play a larger role when I’m on the field and I try to put people in the right spot. Other than that, I’m playing like I always have,” he said.
Connor has already made a place for himself on the team and is playing at an incredibly high level. He thanks his teammates for this success.
“They’ve improved my game more than anything. I’m playing with some of the best players in the country like Berg, Zach Miller [Steamburg, New York] and my brother. It’s been really fun and I can’t wait to keep playing with them.”
Although Sean’s time at DU is almost over, his goals for the remainder of the season are high and attainable.
“A NCAA Championship is the goal and if we get that, everything else is just dessert,” he said.
After DU, Sean will not be pursuing a professional lacrosse career. Lucky for Pioneer lacrosse fans, the addition of Connor to the team means the end of this season does not equal the end of the Cannizzaro legacy.
