It was just that past Saturday when Cherney had stood as the lone attacker left to force a turnover by Connecticut College defenders at the end of another close game as the Camels tried to wind down the clock. Cherney darted back and forth between defenders with the speed that has characterized his success and eventually reached out to slash the long pole of a Conn. defender, sending the ball out of bounds and giving the ball back to the Jeffs to set up the winning goal. There is a way about Cherney that when he has the ball or is involved in the play, no one doubts he will get the job done.
But it didn't always come so easily for the star player. Cherney started playing lacrosse in third grade, following his brother's lead, traveling a few towns over to Yorktown, N.Y., to participate in a league because his native Chappaqua did not have a developed lacrosse program. Nevertheless, a few years later, Cherney's father took over the Chappaqua program and introduced Derek's friends to the game as well. Cherney never let up his love of lacrosse, although his dedication to the game was tested after he was cut from Hudson Valley's Empire Team set to compete at the prestigious Empire State Games: an event prized on every lacrosse player's résumé. "Everyone said I was too small and wasn't developed enough," remembered Cherney. "I said this wasn't going to happen again." As Michael Jordan used getting cut from his high school basketball team, Cherney used his disappointment as motivation to improve his skills and build up his strength and size.
The hard work paid off. In his senior year of high school, Cherney led his section in scoring and took his team to the conference championship game. He also garnered the attention of college coaches throughout the NESCAC and the Ivy League, as well as Georgetown University. Cherney settled on Amherst early in the college search, following his older brother Josh '05, who played both hockey and lacrosse. After Cherney committed to Amherst early decision, coaches at other colleges tried to convince him to find a way to get out of his agreement and enroll at their schools. "But I was happy and excited about coming here," said Cherney, reluctant to give into any outside pressure.
Cherney made an immediate impact at Amherst. In his first season, he earned Second-Team All-New England and First-Team All-NESCAC honors, impressive for a player of any age, but especially a first-year. As successful as his first year at Amherst was, Cherney called his sophomore campaign "some of the most fun I've ever had playing lacrosse," as he helped lead the highly ranked Jeffs along with a core group of seniors that included his older brother. The highlight of that season was beating archrival Williams College on their home turf by over 10 goals. For his phenomenal efforts, Cherney raked in repeat Honorable Mention All-America and First-Team All-NESCAC nods, as well as First-Team All-New England and Co-NESCAC Player of the Year accolades as he led the conference in points and goals.
It is no surprise that coaches of the nation's powerhouse programs took interest in Cherney once again. The Jeffs' star player was admitted to Georgetown and was set to play on the highly ranked Div. I team on his junior season as a transfer student. "I had the opportunity to play at the highest level of college lacrosse," recalled Cherney. But the day he was to go to Georgetown and become a Hoya, car packed and ready, Cherney changed his mind and decided to return to Amherst and stay true to the Jeffs. "As it got closer, I just realized I didn't want to abandon my friends and my coach," Cherney said. "It wasn't worth making a purely lacrosse decision when I realized I liked it here so much."
Cherney has not regretted his decision to return to Amherst and he has enjoyed leading the Jeffs as captain the past two seasons. Although the team has not been as successful, Cherney has focused on "trying to help rebuild the program and trying to help the younger guys after we lost so many seniors my sophomore year." While the Jeffs lost several one-goal games and finished with a disappointing under-.500 record, Cherney still welcomed First-Team All-NESCAC honors, among others. And it certainly seems as if he's on track to repeat this year.
Off the field, Cherney is a dedicated student and an active member of the community. He chose a political science major because he finds the discipline to be a "good mix between history, theory and current events." Derek is the epitome of understated brilliance," explained Professor of Political Science Javier Corrales. "He is one of the most unassuming students I have had, which is rare among gifted students like Derek."
In addition to his studies and lacrosse, Derek has served as a co-director for two years for the student community service organization Difference for the Developmentally Disabled (3D). "Every Sunday we play basketball, play board games, sing karaoke, draw pictures or do whatever else the buddies want to," explained Cherney. "3D has been an extremely rewarding experience … Every Sunday, no matter how much work I have or how many things I have on my mind, I am completely focused on the 'buddies' for that hour and a half because it is so important to them." Cherney hopes to stay in touch with his buddies after he graduates.
Graduation will bring Cherney to New York City, where he will work for CIT Group, a finance firm. However, post-college life will not mean no lacrosse as the NESCAC superstar hopes to employ his talent by playing professional lacrosse on the weekends. "It will definitely be time-consuming, but it's something I want to do," he said. Cherney will enter the draft at the end of the college season and if he is not drafted, he will try out for professional teams.
But for now, Cherney is focused on helping lead the Lord Jeffs to a successful final leg of the season. At 3-4 (2-2 NESCAC), the Jeffs look to turn things around in an exciting week of Little Three match-ups.
"The frustrating thing is we feel like we still have the talent," he said. "We just don't put whole games together." If the team could assemble "the flashes of greatness that we show [for a whole game], we'll be a a dangerous team," Cherney noted. "The thing about the NESCAC is anyone can beat anyone on any given day." The Jeffs play Wesleyan University at home today and travel to Williamstown, Mass., to take on the Ephs on Saturday.
Win or lose this year, Cherney has high hopes for the future of Amherst men's lacrosse. He cites the first-year and sophomore classes as "the best two recruiting classes in talent and numbers. They are full of hard workers and they'll be willing to do what it's going to take," he predicted. "I'm kind of jealous," Cherney admitted. Win or lose next year, Cherney will certainly be missed on the field, in the classroom and in the community.