Ralph D’Agostino is constantly being reminded of where he isn’t.

In practice two weeks ago, Syracuse assistant coach Lelan Rogers screamed at him, “This isn’t Furman lacrosse. This is Syracuse lacrosse.”

Last season, when he was a member of the Paladins, head coach Richie Meade let D’Agostino have it. “This is not how we play lacrosse at Furman. This isn’t Syracuse anymore,” he yelled.

“It’s like, man,” D’Agostino said, ”I’ve got to remember where I am from time to time.”

After a two-year leave from SU due to financial reasons took him to odd jobs, community college and eventually Furman University, D’Agostino was able to return to Syracuse for his junior season. He’s re-transitioning back into a defense and onto a No. 3 SU (2-0) team for which he was once a promising up-and-comer.

Before the start of his sophomore year, he shocked his classmates in a group text telling them that he wasn’t going to be back. And two years later, when he was vacationing on the New Jersey shore with defenders Brandon Mullins and Bobby Tait, he was able to break the news that he never thought he’d be able to deliver.

“When he left the way he did, for the financial reasons, we understood for the family and we didn’t have scholarship money to give him at the time and now things have worked out for him,” SU head coach John Desko said. “It’s a surprise to have him back, but a nice surprise.”

Leaving Syracuse was a difficult yet necessary decision for D’Agostino, made only more difficult by the immediacy of the situation. He didn’t want to talk about the specific financial circumstances, but said he had “no idea” he’d have to go before he did.

Once he got home to Tewksbury, New Jersey, he spent his time studying at a local community college and working at a restaurant and gym. It gave him a free membership and a chance to keep lacrosse in his life.

But he still knew he had a future in Division I lacrosse. The gym, the restaurant and the community college were only placeholders. When he went to Furman, he was joining a team of 50 players — 43 of which were freshmen, and D’Agostino was the only one with Division I experience.

He was forced to take on a leadership role — one he’d yet to have at the college level — for a program that had never had more than a club team.

“It was a huge learning curve for them, and a test to be a real leader and a mentor to those guys,” D’Agostino said. “… On the field at any time at Furman there’s somewhere between eight or nine true freshmen on the field. At Syracuse, we started this past game with nine or 10 fourth-year or fifth-year guys.”

Mullins said D’Agostino’s always been one of the best one-on-one cover defenders, and that didn’t change after he came back from Furman. But he acknowledged that he still needs to get comfortable with the other SU defenders, who know each other’s tendencies.

“When Ralph comes out there, he’s still a good player,” Mullins said. “He just needs to fit in the flow of things and get used to it.”

D’Agostino has played in Syracuse’s first two games this season, noting that he’d be the first to say he’s been far from flawless. Regardless, he’s just happy to have the chance.

On the Friday before the Orange’s scrimmage against Bucknell on Jan. 31, he got a text from Desko in class saying he’d been granted eligibility for the season. He was so excited that he jumped out of his seat.

Throughout the offseason, the possibility of playing had been dangled in front of him, with no assurance it would ever come to fruition.

But when it did, it bookended a two-year roller coaster of uncertainty and traveling. He’s fine with Rogers yelling at him that he’s not at Furman anymore. He’s fine because he’s back at Syracuse.

“I don’t regret anything. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” D’Agostino said. “I think I’ve matured a significant amount … I’m returning to Syracuse older but wiser.”

Published on February 18, 2015 at 12:14 am

Contact Sam: sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3