DEVELOPING SITUATION: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Chad Palumbo heads to goal in recent action. Sophomore Palumbo has emerged as a bright spot for the Tigers, providing scoring punch from the midfield. He totaled five goals and one assist as the Tigers started the season by defeatingMonmouth 15-5 on February 18 and then topped Manhattan 15-6 two days later. Last Saturday, Palumbo chipped in two assists as the Tigers fell 13-7 at No. 4 Maryland. No. 15 Princeton plays at No. 18 North Carolina on March 1 and at No. 1 Duke on March 3. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Chad Palumbo has a special motivation to make the most out of every moment he is on the field for the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team.

Heading into his senior year in high school in 2021, Palumbo was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that starts as a growth of cells in soft tissue, and he underwent six months of chemotherapy in order to beat it.

“It was a blessing in disguise because you realize life is a lot bigger than lacrosse, there is so much more out there,” said Palumbo, reflecting on his cancer ordeal. “It really helps you put things into perspective because nothing is permanent. Something as precious as life can be taken from you at any moment. It is something that has changed me for the better, it has made me a more grateful man. I am blessed having gone through it. I am blessed to have my family and my friends to help me through it.”

Palumbo has gone through some ups and downs as he has looked to make an impact for the Tigers. After scoring two goals in the first game last year, Palumbo rode the bench the rest of the spring. Breaking into the starting lineup this year, midfielder Palumbo tallied three goals in a 15-5 win over Monmouth on February 18.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Palumbo, a 6’2, 205-pound native of Newton, Mass., reflecting on the opener. “I am blessed to have such good teammates — they are so easy to play with. It was a good first test. It is good to put our systems up against another team. I am glad we came out on top. We played some good lacrosse.”

Two days later, Palumbo played some more good lacrosse, chipping in two goals and an assist in a 15-6 victory over Manhattan on February 20.

“It is all confidence, we have a lot of guys who really believe in the mental side of things,” said Palumbo. “We all believe that it is big as the physical side of the game. Coach always says you have to flip the switch come game time, you have got to get the mind right. We came out with a lot of juice today and started hot.”

It has taken a while for Palumbo to develop his confidence at the college level.

“I showed up in the first game last year but not after that,” said Palumbo. “Then it was all about working and getting better, learning from those older guys. We had a lot of All-Americans there.”

Applying those lessons, Palumbo put his nose to the grindstone to prepare for the 2024 campaign.

“A big thing is the mental side, you have got to get your routine down,” said Palumbo. “In the offseason, it is all about putting your head down, loving the grind. I pride myself on my stickwork most of all because you can’t get on the field if you don’t have a good stick. I love games and I love practicing. I enjoy wall ball, I love shooting. But for me a lot of it was footwork and getting quicker because I am a big kid. I have to move a little better.”

Princeton head coach Matt Madalon credits Palumbo with being a spark for the Tigers.

“He is a really tough cover for either a pole or a shortstick,” said Madalon of Palumbo. “He does a really good job of attacking his matchup, he is a skilled player. He is very unselfish but when it comes down to it, he has no problem finishing plays. We are really happy with his production. He is doing a nice job for us.”

While Madalon was happy to see his team get off to a 2-0 start, he acknowledged that the Tigers were definitely a work in progress.

“It is still sloppy with some clearing, substitution, and not great shot selection,” said Madalon, whose squad fell 13-7 at No. 4 Maryland last Saturday. “We had some sloppy defense, we gave up a couple of really ugly goals. Nothing to take away from Manhattan, they earned those. Those first two goals were just mental breakdowns from our guys.”

Princeton’s highly touted freshmen attackers Nate Kabiri and Colin Burns have made a great impact already for the Tigers as they have clicked with junior attacker Coulter Mackesy. Kabiri leads the Tigers in scoring with 13 points on 10 goals and three assists, while Burns is second with 12 points in seven goals and five assists.

“I would say the most impressive thing is how they are playing within themselves and within the framework of the offense,” said Madalon of the two freshman standouts who played together in high school at Georgetown Prep. “Their chemistry helps get them out of some binds more often than not. They are just really smart lacrosse players, taking good chances right now. There is going to be a lot of focus and a lot of heads turned when Coulter gets the ball. We have to make sure that we are working off ball properly.”

With No. 15 Princeton playing at No. 18 North Carolina on March 1 and at No. 1 Duke on March 3, the Tigers will need to work hard to come away with a pair of wins.

“I am happy that our team won two games in three days, it is always challenging,” said Madalon. “We hope to do that a couple of times throughout the year, the Ivy League tournament feels like that. As we are fatigued, we will have to play smarter.”

In Palumbo’s view, Princeton has what it takes to deal with the challenges ahead.

“We have got a ton of new faces, there is a lot to work through but we have done a good job,” said Palumbo. “We have a long way to go to get where we want to be. It is just all about unselfishness, chemistry, and loving each other.”

In getting back on the field after his bout with cancer, Palumbo knows how important those qualities can be.