Oct. 12, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame’s 2012 national semifinalist men’s lacrosse squad will be honored on the field prior to Saturday’s football game versus Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium (3:30 p.m. ET). The ceremony will take place after the National Anthem.
The Fighting Irish went 13-3 last season and won the BIG EAST regular-season title with a 6-0 league record. Notre Dame topped Yale, 13-7, in the first round of the NCAA Championship and then defeated Virginia, 12-10, in the tournament’s quarterfinals. The Irish fell to eventual national champion Loyola, 7-5, in the semifinals.
Junior goalie John Kemp was named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team. He also earned first-team All-America honors as he ranked first nationally in goals-against average (6.27) and save percentage (.637). Senior defenseman Kevin Randall also received first-team All-America accolades, while junior defenseman Matt Miller and sophomore midfielder Jim Marlatt copped honorable mention accolades.
The Fighting Irish swept the major BIG EAST awards in 2012. Randall was named the league’s defensive player of the year, while Kemp was selected goalkeeper of the year and Kevin Corrigan received the coach-of-the-year award.
Randall was the men’s lacrosse recipient of the 2011-12 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sports Excellence Award in addition to being a finalist of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. The Irish team captain also was named to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Scholar All-America Team. He was selected in both the Major League Lacrosse (Charlotte Hounds) and National Lacrosse League (Philadelphia Wings) drafts.
Randall was a key cog in a Notre Dame defense that finished the season ranked first nationally by allowing just 6.31 goals per game. The Irish also boasted the nation’s top man-down defense (.892).
Prior to Saturday’s on-field recognition at the football game, the Fighting Irish men’s lacrosse squad will conclude their fall ball season when they play host to Navy at 11 a.m. (ET) at Arlotta Stadium. The contest is free and open to the public.
Last Saturday, Notre Dame faced Detroit and Bellarmine in exhibition contests at Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago. Following the games, the teams took part in a youth clinic and community service activities at the school. The Fighting Irish squad also did service work at St. Malachy School in Chicago.
The Irish have been mentoring students at Dickinson Middle School in South Bend this fall in addition to other community service projects, which are part of their Playing for Peace initiative that seeks to use the platform of sport to transcend boundaries and bring people together in the pursuit of peace, justice and human understanding. Notre Dame has been heavily involved in the Playing for Peace crusade to bring lasting peace to Sudan and now the men’s lacrosse program is looking to bring the initiative to a local level.
The Fighting Irish also have made a concerted effort to spread the growth of lacrosse in the state of Indiana. The team held an open practice/scrimmage in Crown Point, Ind., on Sept. 30.
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— ND —