Lukas Mikelinich has progressed as a student, athlete and all-around person, much like the Lehigh men’s lacrosse program he’s now leading.
Often overlooked, Mikelinich has used a hard-working attitude to become an All-League defenseman and senior co-captain for a Mountain Hawks’ program with high aspirations entering the 2015 season. He embodies the type of attitude, mindset and identity that head coach Kevin Cassese wants in his program.
“In high school, I had a toughness mentality where I thought I was tougher than the other guy,” said Mikelinich. “Now, I know that I’m tougher. I have this supreme confidence and when I play with supreme confidence, I can’t be beat. I know that whoever I’m matched up against, my best effort will be better than theirs.”
Lukas’ words could be perceived as cocky, but that’s the last thing he is. The mindset comes from confidence which emulates from hard work and belief in his abilities. That hard work has already led to tremendous experience, and success, at the collegiate level when at one time, he wasn’t a highly-touted recruit. Now, he’s a captain for a perennial contender at the Patriot League and national level.
It wasn’t always easy, and that’s what makes Mikelinich’s story even more compelling. College is a time to learn and grow. Who you are coming out of college is most important. There’s no better example than Lukas Mikelinich.
“I look back at myself as an 18-year old kid walking onto this campus. I wasn’t ready for any of this,” he said. “Back in high school, I was a big fish in a little pond then I became a small fish in an ocean (college). I’ve grown tremendously, not only physically, but also mentally.”
“I recruited Lukas because he was a relentless competitor,” said Lehigh head coach Kevin Cassese. “He had an incredible motor on the lacrosse field. He hustled. He was tough. He never backed down from a challenge. He came to us an incredibly personable young man, full of ideas and focused on his goals. No doubt, he was a little rough around the edges – I’m sure he’d be the first one to admit that – but, this kid had a huge heart and it didn’t take long for us to realize he was going to be a perfect fit for our program.”
Like Lukas, the Lehigh program was on the cusp of greatness in 2011, his freshman year. In order to break through, both Mikelinich and the program had work to do. Ultimately, the Mountain Hawks qualified for the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2006, but they weren’t satisfied.
“That year made us hungry because we realized that we had the potential, talent, tenacity and heart to make it to that next level,” said Lukas.
As a freshman, Mikelinich played in just six games, but tallied three groundballs and a caused turnover in an April game against #10 North Carolina. That proved to be a coming out party of sorts for Mikelinich. Ironically, a year later, the Mountain Hawks would beat the Tar Heels, serving as the program’s turning point in its rise to national prominence.
Lukas is one of just two current players who experienced the Lehigh program before that point. In 2012 (Lukas’ sophomore season), the term Flywheel was used by Cassese which embodies the collective momentum Mikelinich and the Mountain Hawks were hoping to bring, and has ultimately developed, over the last few years. The concept was presented to the team after a 17-7 home-opening loss to Villanova.
“The concept of the Flywheel was taken from one of my favorite books: ‘Good to Great,'” said Cassese. “The Flywheel is a large, heavy, circular object that requires intense pushing by a group of people in order to get the wheel in motion. However, once the Flywheel starts rolling in the right direction, the momentum gained makes it easier to push. In fact, you do less pushing and more guiding and steering than anything else. So, for our program in 2012, we needed to do some heavy pushing after that early-season loss. That took all team members getting on the same page and pushing in the same direction. We were able to achieve this and it allowed us to start rolling.”
Lehigh rolled to a 14-3 record, its first-ever Patriot League Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. After that sophomore season which saw Mikelinich earn second team All-Patriot League honors, Lukas sat out his junior campaign due to personal reasons. He withdrew from school in the spring of 2013 and followed from afar as his teammates won the second of back-to-back Patriot League Titles.
Ultimately, Mikelinich decided to re-enroll at Lehigh and come back for 2014, due in large part to his classmates and Coach Cassese.
“Coach Cassese has been a father figure for me,” he said. “He’s been nothing but supportive and nothing but encouraging throughout these last five years. He’s been a huge support system since I walked in the door. To be honest, I didn’t know if I was coming back. From the support of the team and the support of the coaching staff, there was no pressure on me.”
“It’s my hope that all players who’ve ever played for me, whether for one day or five years, understand that I truly care about them,” said Cassese. “I get an opportunity to act this out for some better than others, but I will always make that effort. My job title says that I’m a lacrosse coach, but I realize there is much more to my job than X’s and O’s. I take pride in being an educator and a mentor. I value the relationships I have with my players and hope they understand that I will always try to be as supportive as I possibly can. So for me, it was never a question of whether or not I would support Lukas. It was a question of how I could support and how I could be most helpful. Lukas knows that I have his back. Always have, always will.”
The lack of pressure played a significant role in Lukas deciding to return to Lehigh. A multi-sport athlete growing up, he decided to focus on lacrosse due to his passion for the sport. The love for the game, combined with the people in the program, led to Mikelinich re-enrolling.
“I kind of had an enlightening moment when I asked myself, what am I doing? These are my best friends; these are my boys. I’ve been through so much with them,” said Lukas. “I didn’t want one bad year to define me. I didn’t want to go out like that. It was like turning over a new leaf.”
Mikelinich immediately re-entered the starting lineup and didn’t miss a beat. He played an integral role in the Lehigh defense, stepping in for graduated All-League defenseman Mike Noone to fill out the Mountain Hawks’ close defense. Lukas finished his senior season with career highs in groundballs (37) and caused turnovers (18) as Lehigh again stood among the nation’s top defenses.
The entirety of last season was unique for Lukas, in that he didn’t know if he’d return for a fifth year. Within the Patriot League, student-athletes must wait until after their fourth year to determine if they’d be granted a fifth year of eligibility.
“I’m essentially in my second senior year right now,” said Mikelinich. “It was a little nerve-racking, but I’m just blessed to be here now. I’m never taking a moment for granted, I’m savoring every day and every moment I walk out on the field.”
Mikelinich’s personal growth at Lehigh has been impressive, culminating with being named a captain to lead the 2015 Mountain Hawks. He’s learned a lot from past captains and leaders like Rich Bradley, current Lehigh assistant coach Will Scudder, Cameron Lao-Gosney, Roman Lao-Gosney, Brian Hess and Ty Souders, crediting them for a lot he’s learned.
“I was both happy and proud when Lukas was selected as a co-captain of this team,” said Cassese. “A couple years ago, I didn’t know if he’d stay at Lehigh or if I’d ever have the chance to work with him again. Lukas is a true success story. He’s faced many challenges in his life, most of which have had nothing to do with lacrosse. He made a conscious decision to attack those challenges head on and he’s become a better man because of it.”
“I’ve been able to take bits and pieces from [past captains] and put my own spin on my personal leadership style,” said Mikelinich. “I think I have a pretty keen pulse of the team; I have a pretty strong bond with each and every player. I love all the guys on this team and would do anything for them.”
Mikelinich is one of two captains, but the team’s leadership doesn’t begin and end with the co-captains.
“I think with my style along with Dan Taylor, the coaching staff and the entire senior class, we complement each other,” he said. “We have a phenomenal group of upperclassmen and I commend everyone for their leadership abilities. I’m very fortunate to not be on my own as the sole leader. A lot of guys have my back. The whole team has really bought in this year and it’s really exciting.”
On the field, Mikelinich is poised for continued success. He is stepping into the defense’s leadership role and is making a positive impact on his teammates.
“We watch film together a lot and he’s taken that Ty Souders role as quarterback of our defense, telling everyone what their role is while knowing his at the same time,” said junior defenseman Casey Eidenshink. “I go to him with questions about where I should be, what he thinks about certain sets and things like that. He comes out with the right attitude. He’s definitely taken on a vocal leadership role, but he also leads by example by doing the right things and working hard on the field, off the field and in the weight room.”
Talk to Lukas and you see a charismatic young man who’s learned a lot in the classroom, has learned X’s and O’s on the lacrosse field and most importantly, has learned life skills. He’s matured as an individual, which has set him up for success after college. Mikelinich’s postgraduate plans are still up in the air, but he could go several different ways.
“Right now, I’m dancing around with a few interviews,” said Lukas, a Psychology major. “Ty Souders actually just reached out to me about a sales position, so I’m meeting with a representative from his company within the coming weeks. I have an opportunity to go to graduate school to pursue a master’s degree in Psychology if I want to continue down this road. There’s a lot I could do.”
“The Lehigh alumni network is so strong. I know that with my personal abilities and my ability to communicate with people, if I get into an interview, I can work through it and find myself with an entry level position somewhere,” Mikelinich continued. “I’m open to a lot right now.”
Right now, the Mountain Hawks are set to open the 2015 season against Marquette on Feb. 7 and Lukas is helping lead the charge.
