"I went on campus and I fell in love right away. Everything about it seemed just right for me. . . the coaching staff, the players, the area. . ." He talked to coaches at Syracuse, Air Force, Binghamton and Mercyhurst. There were just a lot of schools, but this was just the right fit for me."

His official visit was busy and rewarding as Tyler spent time with coaches and players under many conditions. "The coach picked me up at the train station and I met with the guys, saw what classes were like, saw lifting and a practice and after dinner got to spend time with the boys. It was a really positive environment. From the seniors all the way down to the freshman everyone was very welcoming."

He credits his coaches for teaching him the skills needed to prepare for playing in Division I."The Pittsford program brought me up as a player. I started in fifth grade and it's just been a lot of hard work. Coach Whipple put me through the drills, and playing every day with the boys."

His role models, growing up on the varsity, included Craig Jerabeck (Babson) who took him under his wing and showed him the ropes. "he taught me a lot of things including how to act on and off the field. Between he and Joe Dupra, I had a couple of good role models."

Although his mind is certainly on his last season and the possibility of another Sectional championship, he's been thinking about his approach to his first college season. "It's going to take work and determination. I understand that there will be a lot of bigger, stronger, faster players out there. I need to just keep at it with a positive attitude and hopefully work my way into the rotation."

More images are available in the gallery.