Conner Batjer Scored 100th Career Point in Cougars Season Opener

By Hector Morales | Published March 13, 2023

The Men’s Lacrosse season is underway and the Cougars have grabbed their first win in their season opener. They defeated Skidmore College 16-15. One player that made a milestone in the Cougars’ first victory is senior attacker Conner Batjer.

Batjer collected his 100th career point in the victory and finished the game with four goals and two assists, totaling six points. He didn’t realize that he was going to reach the milestone until his father reminded him a day prior. 

“I honestly didn’t know that it was going to be my 100th point,” Batjer said. “My dad told me the day before and it feels great to get the 100th point.”

He is currently the team leader in goals and is tied with sophomore attacker Nick Thorne with most points as he too collected 6 points to start the season. 

“It was good to play some good competition,” Batjer said. “I think it’s a great way to start the year with a big win like that. Offensively, we are doing great, I think we are matching together really well. Defensively we’re just picking off where we left off last year. We added a few new pieces together and I think we are going to be a really good team.” 

Sheiner, who is entering his 20th season as Head Coach for the lacrosse team, was delighted with Conner’s milestone and made sure Conner has something he will remember for the rest of his college lacrosse career. 

“It is a great accomplishment and I’m really proud of him,” Sheiner said, “The official asked me if I wanted the ball and I said ‘Yes, we are going to get the ball to him’ and it was a nice moment.”

The Cougars have a healthy roster coming into the 2023 season. Coach Sheiner explained that last year’s lacrosse team started out their season with some injuries and how it is important to have the players healthy so they have a good chance of playing good ball this spring.

“Last year we started off with some pretty bad injuries that kind of spiraled us into a tailspin,” Sheiner said. “We were just missing some key guys back then and now it’s a much fresher team.”

Batjer’s new teammate and freshman attacker Dylan Johnson, enjoyed playing with him in his first-ever college lacrosse game and looks forward to playing ball with him the rest of the season. 

“Conner is the best, number one on the field and number one in my heart,” Johnson said. 

The Cougars’ next game will be against Delaware Valley University Aggies on March 1. Coach Sheiner hopes the team’s defense can improve since there are new Cougars on the team and said that the more they get along with playing ball with each other, then the team’s defense will build on. 

“There are a lot of new guys on the team, so they just haven’t played enough together,” Sheiner said. “The more they play, then I think we are going to get a little bit more cohesive on defense, but I think they are going to be great.”

Batjer hopes he and his teammates will make the Colonial States Athletics Conference tournament at the end of the season and win it all in what may be his final season as a Cougar.  

“All I want to do is to win a championship and that is all I care about,” Batjer said.

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