Credit: Photo by Meghan Lange / The Observer
Who's Going to Stop Notre Dame Lacrosse?
Published: Wednesday, June 5, 2024
by Kyle Ferreira
Even with Ajax Zappitello, the best defender in the nation, Maryland lacrosse had no answers against the ferocious Notre Dame.
The 2024 men’s lacrosse championship on May 26 brought a brutal loss for the Terrapins. Being the underdogs, many did not expect them to win; still, it was not ideal to lose 15-5. Their opponent, however, may be one of the best collegiate lacrosse programs at this moment, currently on a run similar to that of Georgia football and UConn men’s basketball.
Notre Dame has been known to be a lacrosse program that could never win a national championship. Now, thanks to a long-time coach, some generational players, and an outstanding culture, the Fighting Irish have flipped that narrative.
The success of the program was something that head coach Kevin Corrigan envisioned for years to come when he took the job in 1989. But while his first few decades of coaching saw multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, no hardware made it to the display case. 2010 and 2014 brought Corrigan and the Fighting Irish two chances at winning the national championship, but both came up just short in the finals. Even with numerous conference championships, and collegiate-turned-pro talent like Sergio Perkovic and Garrett Epple, nothing seemed to be enough. But his recruitment of Pat Kavanagh and Liam Entenmann, arguably two of the best players Corrigan has coached, was a step in the right direction.
Kavanagh and Entenmann made an immediate impact as freshmen in 2020 despite COVID-19 ending their seasons prematurely. After more experience and productive performances each passing year, their dominance was recognized in 2023. Kavanagh’s all-around playmaking ability helped him become a Tewaaraton Award Finalist, and Entenmann’s brick-wall goalkeeping solidified him as the best in college lacrosse.
After not making it to the tournament a year before, the two helped the Fighting Irish ride high in the 2023 tournament. In Corrigan’s third championship game, now up against fellow ACC rivals Duke, Notre Dame were able to contain the Blue Devils’ dynamic attack player Brennan O’Neill. Additionally, Entenmann’s 18 saves helped seal the deal; the Irish had finally won their first national title in men’s lacrosse.
A year later, their dominance over Maryland in the 2024 final showed that Corrigan’s unit has no plans of slowing down. Regarding player retention, Kavanagh’s brother, Chris, is one of the top returning attackmen in the nation; he had over 40 goals in the past two seasons. Faceoff and midfielder Will Lynch had a fantastic postseason and should continue his great play next season. New Jersey native Shawn Lyght was one of the best defenders in the country just in his first year, and will continue to grow in the coming years. Their incoming freshman class has two five-stars, and the transfer portal could also be at play to strengthen the program.
Even with Kavanagh and Entenmann heading to the Premier Lacrosse League, a three-peat is still a possibility for Corrigan. Similarly to Georgia’s coach Kirby Smart and UConn’s Dan Hurley, he has now won two national championships in a row. But unlike Smart, and potentially Hurley, Corrigan could lead his team to a three-peat, simultaneously immortalizing the Irish’s legacy in lacrosse forever.
Kyle Ferreira can be reached at kyle.ferreira@student.shu.eduPosted in: sports,