Growing up in the nearby suburb of Penn Yan, NY, the hour-long drive to The Blue Cross Arena became a Saturday treat during winter break for the Fingar family. Conner, his two brothers, and parents watched stars like Pat O’Toole, Shawn Evans, and Paul Dawson play for legendary Knighthawks teams.
“It was the best,” said Fingar. “I always thought it was so cool because I grew up playing field lacrosse. Sometimes we would play box in the summer at the Penn Yan box, but seeing it that high of a level and just being a part of that atmosphere was always awesome.”
Conner’s room was filled with Knighthawks stickers, memorabilia, a championship banner, and purple hair. His dream was to one day play for his hometown team. This fall, he will make that same commute to Rochester to try out for his childhood team, the Rochester Knighthawks.
“I’m just super excited for the opportunity,” said Fingar. It’s going to be really high-level (of lacrosse). Throughout my entire life, I have wanted to play professional lacrosse and reach the next level. I’m obviously a little nervous, but I am going to go out there and enjoy my time and not take any of it for granted.”
He joins an organization revitalized by the announcement of its new ownership group on Aug. 5, when the Seneca Nation was officially welcomed to the National Lacrosse League. More than 200 people filled the Blue Cross Arena floor for the celebration.
Fingar was selected in the second round (27th overall) of the 2024 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft, becoming the latest Knighthawk to come through the University at Albany pipeline. He joins a group that includes reigning NLL star Connor Fields along with Graydon Hogg and Jake Piseno. In fact, Fingar, Hogg, and Piseno were teammates with the Great Danes.
Fingar spent six years and played five seasons at the University at Albany (2020-25), appearing in 69 games with the Great Danes and posting 13 goals and 12 assists. In his final season, the defensive midfielder played in a career-high 19 games and gathered up a career-best 41 loose balls. Fingar earned First Team America East Conference short-stick defensive midfielder honors his final two seasons at Albany (2024-25). In 2025, he helped Great Danes win their second straight America East title.
It was his play in the Upstate Collegiate Box Lacrosse League (UCBLL), however, that caught the attention of NLL general managers and scouts. Fingar competed for the Hawkeyes over parts of four seasons and captained the team to an undefeated season in 2024, culminating with the team’s first-ever NCBS National Championship.
Fingar played in the first season of the UCBLL in 2021 and participated in three of the following four seasons, missing the 2023 campaign due to a knee injury. For three of those seasons, he was coached by Rochester Knighthawks captain and defenseman Dan Coates. The Hawkeyes’ bench also included Knighthawks players Thomas McConvey, Ryland Rees, and Taylor Jensen.
“Once he got back from Albany, he seemed like he took on this leadership role right away,” said Coates. “The first thing that jumped out to me was his athleticism. You could tell this kid was built differently. Right away, you could see that he was kind of the alpha back there. He was a big part of the reason we won that year (2022) and got to play in San Jose. He was arguably one of our best players. Fast-forward (to 2023), that’s the year where he was injured and then the year that we came, he was our captain and brought us to a national championship.”
Having NLL vets as coaches and mentors really paid off for Fingar, especially in 2024 when the Hawkeyes captured the NCBS title.
“I thought it was awesome. I think it meant a lot because of the amount of time we put into it,” said Fingar. “Coates was dialed in. We were doing two practices a week. We watched film, and we had a scrimmage against Team Puerto Rico. It was nice to have such a successful season knowing that all the hard work we put in paid off. It felt good because I knew everyone put in that same amount of work. It wasn’t just one guy doing everything. It was top to bottom, from the best players to the guys who were getting scratched.”
Fingar was one of 13 players from the UCBLL to get selected in the NLL Entry. Current UCBLL players in the National Lacrosse League include Piseno (Rochester), Luke Pilcher (Las Vegas), Austin Blumbergs (Halifax), Christian Watts (Halifax), and Kaleb Benedict (Georgia). The league, based in Buffalo and Rochester, has served as a launching pad for NLL prospects.
“He’s a big, athletic guy, so you knew once he started learning the game, he was going to pick it up really fast,” said Rees. “He ended up being one of our best defensemen and one of the top guys last season. The way he prepares for his games and his season in Albany, I think it’s going to be really exciting to see him at training camp. The things we were teaching in the UCBLL were not too far from the way we play in Rochester. He always knows what to ask, and he consistently strives to improve. I think that’s the best part about him is that he wants to be in the NLL and play for the Knighthawks.”
This summer, he helped the Hawkeyes get within one win of returning to their third straight NCBS National Championship Game. Fingar appeared in five games and posted two goals, one assist, 29 loose balls, and seven caused turnovers. He earned a spot on the All-Tournament First Team, joining teammates Zach Terry (First Team), Mason Jacobs (Second Team), and Bear Martin (Honorable Mention).
“We had a condensed season at RIT, and that’s the best lacrosse I have seen him play,” said Coates. “Mind you, he’s a little older and you know he’s 24, but you know he’s ready to take that next step into the professional game. He was the best defender in that tournament against some of the top athletes around the country. From start to finish, I have seen his progress on the right path. He has continued to grow every single season.”
“I am very excited to see what Connor can bring to the team,” said Jensen, who coached Fingar this summer. “He’s extremely athletic, a great player, and I’ve observed him as a great teammate. He is always willing to go the extra mile to hone his skills and be the best he can be for the team, and I know he’ll bring that same energy at training camp.”
Coates has helped local defensemen get ready for a shot at the pro level in back-to-back years. In 2024, it was Jake Piseno’s turn to use his UCBLL experience with the Hawkeyes in his first NLL training camp. Now, it’s Fingar’s opportunity.
“I think he looks up to his teammate Jake Pasino to potentially fill the same shoes,” said Coates. “He is stepping in from the same school, being a Great Dane, and contributing to the Knighthawks next season.”
Piseno made the jump to the NLL last season, appearing in eight games and being a physical force on defense. He had some words of advice for Fingar.
“I would say, ‘Have confidence in himself. He’s been playing the game for so long and cares so much about it,'” said Piseno. “If he just brings his confidence and plays without too much pressure on himself, he’ll quickly get comfortable within the system.”
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound defenseman brings with him the work ethic instilled in his blue-collar hometown of Penn Yan, NY. Before Albany, Fingar was a three-sport standout at Penn Yan Academy, excelling in football, basketball, and lacrosse. His dedication in the weight room and his team-first approach are qualities he’ll lean on as he transitions to competing against established NLL veterans.
“I’m just going to play hard and enjoy the game,” Fingar said about his training camp mentality. “I’m going to do little things like picking up loose balls and communicating on and off the floor. Right now, I’m just trying to get in the best shape I can. I am trying to go into camp in the best shape and work as hard as I can and see what happens.”
Like many lacrosse players from the town of 5,100, Fingar is part of a proud family tradition with the Penn Yan Mustangs. A member of the Fingar family has suited up for the boys’ varsity program for the past 13 years. His older eldest brother, Austin, set the path and went on to play at Cornell. Conner followed, and his youngest brother, Braden, is committed to Towson after his senior season. Their cousin Teagan, who scored seven goals in last year’s state title game, is bound for Mount St. Mary’s, while Teagan’s sister, Kalliope, currently stars for the Penn Yan girls’ team.
The Penn Yan Mustangs are a Section V powerhouse, with the boys having won 13 of the last 14 Class “D” championships. Local Lacrosse Hall of Fame coach Harry Queener established the winning tradition in 1985, and it continues to this day under the guidance of head coach Brian Hobart, who stepped into the head coaching role in 2004.
In 2025, Conner’s brother, Braden, and cousin Teagan helped Penn Yan win the school’s second boys’ state title. Conner had a front-row seat as he volunteered to help coach after graduating from college.
“Conner’s presence was great this past spring,” said Hobart. “He brought in some fresh stuff defensively coming from Albany, but it was more about his passion for the program and his relationship with the kids. He was a ball boy in middle school who came right to varsity in seventh and eighth grade. He has a real heart and investment in the program. I think the kids see that. He’s a young, active guy who’s trying to be a pro. It gives them a little bit different perspective.”
For Fingar, it was an opportunity to give back to his school and community that helped launch his lacrosse career.
“It was really cool because of how much work and effort Coach Hobart, Coach Queener, and Coach (Christopher) Redington have put in for the past 20 to 30 years,” said Fingar. “Coach Hobart has been the coach for 20 years, and Coach Queener for longer. When I came home from college, I helped out with the last couple of regular-season games and then through sectionals and the state tournament. Just being a part of that, riding the bus, and attending every practice was an awesome experience. The state championship was held at Hobart College, a 20-minute drive from Penn Yan, so it was packed. It was really cool to see. We had the most fans there, and we were the smallest school there.”
As Fingar turns his attention to the NLL, he will have an entire town behind him, especially from the players and coaches at Penn Yan Academy. Hobart summed up what separates Fingar from other lacrosse players.
“Once he gets something in his head that he wants to do, he goes full speed. He puts everything he has into it to try to accomplish it. As a young kid, he wanted to be a Division I lacrosse player, so he worked hard and made that happen. He fell in love with the indoor game. He has committed to it and has played in the upstate college league for several years. If he makes it (with the Knighthawks), he would be the 10th player from Penn Yan to play pro lacrosse.”
The charming village in New York’s Finger Lakes region has produced numerous collegiate and professional lacrosse players. The list of notable pros from PY includes Mike Manley, Brett and Brice Queener, Pat Cougevan, Eric Carlsen, Bradley Voigt, Dana Wilber, Matt Karweck, and Austin Blumbergs. Fingar hopes to add his name to that list.
“Adding my name to that list would mean everything,” said Fingar. “Penn Yan has such a strong tradition of lacrosse. To be mentioned alongside some of the greats from Penn Yan who have gone to play pro would be an honor.”
“It means so much more because it is with the Knighthawks,” he added. “Being able to play pro would be a dream come true, but doing it with the Knighthawks would make it even more special. It’s close to home, the fan base is passionate, and I grew up watching them play.”