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The Daily OrangeMLAX | Complete package: Mike Leveille's quiet focus and all-around skill have made him SU's deadliest scorer
By Andy McCullough
Posted: 5/7/08, 7:54 PM EST Section: Sports
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"Look at him," the fifth-year senior midfielder said. "If you saw him, you'd never think that he was like, so good at lacrosse, you know?"
Brooks was just busting Mike Leveille's chops, gentle ribbing for the senior attack from Delmar, N.Y.
But he had a point.
Figuring out Mike Leveille isn't easy.
Defenses can't: he's one of five finalists for the Tewaarton Trophy, lacrosse's Heisman, and scored a team-best 38 goals and 26 assists this season for the Orange, which heads into the first round of the NCAA tournament Sunday night against Canisius. He's scored in 53 straight games and started every game of his SU career.
His teammates don't always have a handle on him either. Brooks knows a few ways to bring Leveille out of his shell: calling him "Grandpa," making fun of the guys on the team from Watertown, N.Y., Kenny Nims and Greg Niewieroski.
Besides that?
"I don't know," Brooks said. "You just got to crack some good jokes. Hopefully he'll laugh."
George Leveille, Mike's dad, knows what that's like. Both Mike and his other son, Kevin, who is five years older and played lacrosse at Massachusetts, grew up playing together. The Leveille backyard was a hockey rink in the winter, a lacrosse field in the spring.
George played at Niagara University and kept playing up until a few years back, when he needed a hip replacement.
Even now, he finds himself learning things about Mike he didn't know, little bits and pieces Mike lets slip in interviews.
"He's just a very focused guy," George said. "He's got a sense of humor and everything, but he's a very serious and focused guy."
Mike plays things close to the vest, but George knows there's more there than he lets on.
"Between the ears, there's a lot going on," George said.
Take his game. Leveile doesn't excel at one thing. But he's able to do most everything.
"He's just so well-rounded," said head coach John Desko. "He's getting goals off of rides, he's getting goals off of dodges, he's getting goals off the ball."
"I think he's also a very smart player, too," fellow captain Kyle Guadagnolo said. "He knows where to shoot, what to do in what-type of situations, when to drive, not to drive. His total package makes him a very good player."
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