When Pride coach Seth Tierney spoke minutes after his team's 10-4 loss to Johns Hopkins in an NCAA tournament first-round matchup earlier today, his voice was thick with emotion, and at times, he apologized for getting choked up.

Part of that emotion stemmed from watching his team's season come to an end and the eventual farewell to three departing seniors. But a good chunk of Tierney's sentiment had to do with Nick Colleluori.

Colleluori, who would have been a senior this spring, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and passed away on Nov. 28, 2006. But before his death, Colleluori envisioned the creation of a foundation that would help raise awareness and funds to battle the disease -- a vision that became reality when the HEADstrong Foundation was formed. He even drew the foundation's logo while waiting to undergo a procedure.

"The only hard part is saying goodbye to a couple of seniors that have given everything they had to a program that's been through an awful lot with losing a young man," Tierney said. "It's been tough for them."

The team participated in the inaugural HEADstrong Foundation Nick Colleluori Memorial Classic last October, helping to raise $75,000. Plans are under way for a second lacrosse tournament, and the players wore patches with the No. 27 (Colleluori's jersey number) on their uniforms this spring.

"You wake up, you think of him," said junior attackman Tom Dooley. "... You walk into the locker room, and you see him. I don't think anybody in the past has meant more to this program than he has. He's the heart and soul, and he continues to be the heart and soul of this program. He was looking out for us a lot this year. We got him a [Colonial Athletic Association] conference championship, and every day is for him."

For more information, please visit www.HEADstrongfoundation.org.