DANBURY, Conn. - Western Connecticut State University has added Vincent Ricca and Will Vitelli to its men's lacrosse coaching staff for the 2025 season.  Both have impressive playing and previous coaching experience at multiple levels. Entering its sixth season under the direction of Head Coach Ryan Cavanagh, WestConn finished the 2024 campaign with a 13-5 overall record and won the the Little East regular season title with a 7-1 mark against conference teams.  The Wolves were the top seed in the LEC Championship Tournament and defeated Keene State, 11-9, in the semifinals before falling to Plymouth State, 16-10, in the LEC Championship Finals.  The Wolves open the 2025 slate st home on Wednesday, February 19 against Ursinus at 4 p.m.

Ricca, a 2015 WestConn graduate with a bachelor's degree in business marketing, played collegiate lacrosse for two seasons each at both Lasell College and WestConn as a defenseman. A Branford native, Ricca has coached in Connecticut for over nine years at different age levels in Fairfield, Milford, and Stamford. He has also coached travel/club lacrosse at the high school level with Calvary, CT Wolves, and CT City. His coaching philosophy focuses on blue collar work ethic, developing strong fundamentals, and building character on and off the field. 

Vitelli is a seasoned lacrosse coach and player development specialist with over a decade of experience in coaching and playing at the highest levels. A dual citizen of the United States and Italy, Vitelli's diverse international background has allowed him to contribute to the growth of lacrosse across multiple continents.  Vitelli was a standout player at Quinnipiac University, the Italian National Team,and the Surrey Park Lacrosse Club in Australia.  He was a dominant midfielder and faceoff specialist for the Division I Bobcats, earning Metro Alantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Faceoff Specialist of the Year in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and totaled 30 goals in five years while helping the Italian National Team achieve its highest finishes in both the European and World Championships.  Vitelli began his coaching career at Joseph A. Foran High School in Milford before becoming the head coach for the Bologna Sharks Lacrosse Club in Italy where he led the Sharks to the Italian National Championship in their inaugural season.