Nate Barry '11 will Play at Division I Siena

New Hampton School two-year captain Nate Barry will play lacrosse at the highest collegiate level next season. The Plymouth native committed to Siena College this fall and was recently accepted to the school where he will continue his promising lacrosse career.  

Despite being hampered by an injury last season, Barry was a key performer for the Huskies. The midfielder scored 13 goals and dished out six assists for 19 points, scooped 36 ground balls, and won 47 of 92 faceoffs.

Barry will play for coach Brian Brecht and a program that competes in the Division I Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and routinely faces the top teams in the country. Siena—located in Loudonville, New York, a suburb of Albany—already has played Duke and Johns Hopkins this season.

“I felt like Siena was a perfect fit for me in all aspects academically and athletically,” Barry says. “Being in contact with the Siena coaching staff for over a year I really learned what their lacrosse program was all about, their coaching style and also the school. I look forward to being a part of their program next year.”

Barry is excited for the challenge of the college game.

“I think the biggest adjustment for me will be the speed of the game,” Barry says. “Everybody at that level is so much bigger, faster, and stronger than in high school.”

New Hampton School coach Bartolo Governanti, who also played lacrosse at New Hampton and Siena, thinks his captain is destined for success at the collegiate level because of his character as well as the speed, size, and skill he brings to his position as a two-way midfielder.

“Nate has shown incredible growth and development in his time at the New Hampton School,” Governanti says. “He has matured in his knowledge and understanding of the game, improved his physical strength and conditioning and grown into one of the more skilled midfielders in the Northern New England Lacrosse League. I anticipate that Nate will be one of our scoring leaders this season. …I am especially proud that Nate has chosen to bring his talents to my alma mater.”

According to Governanti, Barry has been a tremendous leader for the lacrosse program and a wonderful example to classmates of an unselfish athlete.
“It showed great character to play varsity Soccer this fall with fellow co-captain Frank Taylor,” Governanti says of Barry, who also played junior varsity hockey. “In an age of athletic specialization, Nate’s sacrifice, work ethic and willingness to participate are rare. Despite several injuries last season, Nate remained upbeat, supportive and involved in his team’s success.”

Barry received plenty of exposure to college programs while playing for Chris Cameron’s New Hampshire Tomahawks club lacrosse program the last two years.

“Playing with and against the best players in the country is the only way to get better and the New Hampshire Tomahawks gave me that opportunity,” Barry says.

With his four years at New Hampton nearly in the rear-view mirror, Barry recognizes the drive down Interstate 93 every day has provided him with so much on and off the lacrosse field.

“Going to New Hampton was the best decision of my life in that it helped me develop not only as an athlete but also as a young adult,” Barry says. “I and thankful for the opportunities that I had and the many people who helped me along the way.”

Barry’s years in small classrooms and playing on athletic teams certainly has resonated. As he considers a career path in the future, he thinks it will be working with student-athletes.

“I am still unsure about what I want to study at Siena College,” Barry says, “but I have been thinking about becoming a teacher and coach a lot. I could see myself as a high school or college coach.”