Yorktown Class of 2026 graduate Hunter Mezzatesta enjoyed a standout career as Husker goalie, which included All-American honors as a senior this past season, one that saw Yorktown win its 43rd sectional championship and reach the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Final Four for the 16th time.
“Being named an All-American is one of the greatest honors of my lacrosse career,” said Mezzatesta, who won three sectional titles and went to the state Final Four twice at Yorktown. “It represents years of hard work, sacrifice and dedication, but it also reflects the support I’ve received from my family, teammates, coaches, teachers and the entire Yorktown community. Growing up, I watched great players come through Yorktown, so to be recognized as an All-American while wearing the Yorktown uniform is incredibly humbling. It’s an honor that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”
Mezzatesta said that a lot of people contributed to this achievement.
“First and foremost, my family has supported me every step of the way,” said Mezzatesta, who earned the Con Edison Scholar-Athlete Award this spring.“I’ve also been fortunate to play for outstanding coaches who challenged me and helped me grow both on and off the field. My teammates deserve a tremendous amount of credit as well. Individual awards in lacrosse are often the result of team success and I was lucky to play alongside great players and leaders throughout my four years. Yorktown’s tradition, work ethic and commitment to excellence pushed me to continually improve and ultimately helped me reach this level.”
Mezzatesta finished his Husker career with 866 saves, a Yorktown career record, surpassing the previous mark of 703 set by Yorktown goalie legend Joe Colarusso in 1981. The record stood for 45 years before being broken by Mezzatesta.
“It’s an honor to have my name associated with Yorktown lacrosse history, especially considering all of the great goalies who came before me,” Mezzatesta said. “More importantly, I hope the record represents the success of the teams, coaches and teammates who helped make it possible.”
Mezzatesta said it’s hard to put into words what it meant to be a four-year varsity starter at a program like Yorktown.
“Yorktown lacrosse has one of the richest traditions in New York state, with decades of great players, coaches, championships and community support,” Mezzatesta said. “To earn the trust of my coaches and teammates as a freshman and start for four years is something I’ll always be proud of. Being part of that history, helping our teams compete for championships and leaving the program better than I found it means everything to me. More than the records or awards, I’m proud to have represented Yorktown and contributed to a program that has meant so much to so many people before me.”
Mezzatesta will next play at the University of Virginia, which has won seven NCAA Division I national titles.
“I’m incredibly excited to begin the next chapter at the University of Virginia,” Mezzatesta said. “It’s one of the premier programs in college lacrosse, with an amazing coaching staff, tremendous tradition, and a culture that fits who I am as a player and person.”
Mezzatesta said that his goal at Virginia is to compete every day and earn the trust of his coaches and teammates.
He said he hopes to compete for a starting role early in his career, contribute to national championships and help Virginia continue its tradition of success. With the new five-year eligibility window for college athletes, he added that he plans to maximize his time with the program and develop into one of its top goalies while helping the Cavaliers compete for titles.
“I’m setting my sights high,” Mezzatesta said. “I’m setting my goals on becoming one of the best goalies in Virginia history, competing for the Tewaaraton Award and ultimately chasing the all-time saves record while helping the team win championships.”
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