SEASON PREVIEW
Fighting Irish
directions. That’s a pretty significant part of our game and if we can be better at all of those things I think our midfielders will be a huge part of that.” Exactly who will be the breakout offensive performers for the Irish in the midfield will be determined as the season goes along, but a more predictable situation might be Notre Dame’s shortstick midfield group. “I think our short-stick defensive middies are going to be a real strength for us,” Corrigan says. “I think Jack Near could be the best short-stick defensive middie in the country. He’s one of those guys who can do a little bit of everything. Ty Brenneman has been terrific there as well. He has shown great leadership and has really, really worked hard this year. It’s been impressive to me how he’s seized that position and is making a lot of plays at both ends of the field.” Defense has been the calling card for the Fighting Irish over the last several seasons and the team returns two starting close defensemen in seniors Brian Buglione and O’Hara. Sophomore Matt Landis figures to be the third starter down low after spending last season at the long-pole position. “I think Steve O’Hara has kind of quietly become one of the best defensemen in the country,” Corrigan says. “There’s just not a weakness in his game. He brings a physical presence, but it’s not like he’s some big hitter. It’s just that he’s a very physical kid. He’s very, very smart and knows our defense and communicates well and he takes a leadership role down there. There are very few guys who can do all the things as well as Steve can.” Handling the long-stick duties this year will be junior Henry Williams and senior Ryan Smith. Senior Chris Prevoznik gives the Irish valuable depth at both close defense and as a long-stick midfielder. A good way to not let opponents score is by not allowing them to have the ball and that begins at the faceoff X. Notre Dame returns all three of its faceoff specialists – Liam O’Connor, Nick Ossello, Trevor Brosco - from last season. Freshman P.J. Finley also could help in that role.
O’Connor, a senior, has been a valuable faceoff guy for the Irish over the last three seasons. He missed some time last year with an injury, but will bring a .523 career winning percentage into his final campaign. O’Connor has compiled eight career points on six goals and two assists. Ossello played on the team’s second midfield line last season and tallied five goals and four assists. The junior has a career winning percentage of .509. Brosco, a sophomore, went 23-of-47 as a rookie. “Liam O’Connor missed the whole fall and he was banged up last year and he kind of gutted it out to get through the year, but wasn’t as healthy as we would have liked him to be,” Corrigan says. “What he does at the faceoff X is part of it, but he’s also a very good offensive player and he’s a very smart defensive player who understands our game at that end of the field. He’s a guy who’s poised to have a really good year.” Possibly the biggest question facing the Fighting Irish in 2014 is how they will replace three-time All-American John Kemp in goal. Junior Conor Kelly, who has played a total of 12:35 during his career, will get the nod. “We’re not replacing John Kemp, we have a new team and a new goalie,” Corrigan says. “You’re not going to replace John
Kemp, but I have great confidence in Conor Kelly, who has been in the program for three years. I also have great confidence in freshman Shane Doss, who has played very, very well. We don’t have any huge concerns in goal at all. It’s quite the opposite. We’re very confident that we’re going to get good goaltending.” That confidence is a reason why Notre Dame has been able to produce an unprecedented run for the program over the past eight seasons. Players come and go and now conferences do as well, but through it all the Fighting Irish have been able to maintain a high standard of success. “I guess we’re just a reflection of changes all over the country with the conferences shifting the way they are. We’ve been right in the midst of that as much as anybody in lacrosse,” Corrigan says. “We’ve made big changes, but I feel each change that we’ve made has been one for the positive. Going from the GWLL to the BIG EAST was a big step for us and a good step for the sport. I think us and Syracuse joining the ACC is a good step for us and a great step for the sport. It’s been very positive, but it has been part of the shifting landscape underneath us as we try to battle our way to the top.”
Warrior Media Poll Preseason Top 20
USILA Preseason Coaches’ Top 20
1. Duke 2. Syracuse North Carolina 3. Denver 4. 5. NOTRE DAME 6. Maryland 7. Penn State 8. Virginia 9. Ohio State 10. Princeton 11. Albany 12. Yale 13. Johns Hopkins 14. Bucknell 15. Penn 16. Loyola 17. St. John’s 18. Cornell 19. Lehigh 20. Villanova
1. Syracuse 2. North Carolina 3. Duke 4. Denver 5. NOTRE DAME 6. Maryland 7. Virginia 8. Princeton 9. Penn State 10. Albany 11. Johns Hopkins 12. Loyola 13. Yale 14. Ohio State 15. Bucknell 16. Cornell 17. Lehigh 18. Penn St. John’s 19. 20. Villanova
Bold indicates 2014 Irish opponents
Bold indicates 2014 Irish opponents
2014 MEN’S LACROSSE |
11