Medford Native Inducted into Manhattan College Hall of Fame

Medford native James Amandola, a former Manhattan College men’s lacrosse player, was inducted into the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame at its 34th annual ceremony on Nov. 10. 

Amandola, who graduated from Patchogue-Medford High School in 1998, made himself known immediately in his first season as a Jasper with 286 saves, good for a rank of fifth overall in Division I.

Averaging nearly 20 saves per game, Amandola received Rookie of the Week honors three times from the MAAC and served as the catalyst for the Jaspers’ first Division I victory. The following year, as a sophomore, he helped Manhattan reach the MAAC Tournament Championship game, and was honored with multiple Defensive Player of the Week selections and a spot on the MAAC All-Tournament Team.

In 2001, Amandola was selected as the team captain. During his senior year, the Jaspers went undefeated in the MAAC regular season and took their first MAAC Championship. He was the tournament’s MVP and was named to the All-Tournament Team once again. Amandola was also honored with the 2002 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year award.

After racking up a .685 save percentage, Amandola was selected to the USILA North/South All-Star Team at Johns Hopkins University, which honors top seniors in the country. His 1,043 career saves are second in Division I history and his average of 17.38 saves per game is fourth best.

Currently a social studies teacher in the South Orange School District, Amandola also serves as assistant coach in both lacrosse and football. In 2011, he was named the Rockland Country Assistant Coach of the Year. He currently lives in New City, NY.