Jan. 15, 2004
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Irish men’s lacrosse head coach Kevin Corrigan announced recently that nine players will enroll at the University of Notre Dame in the fall and join his squad for the 2005 season. Next year’s freshman class will consist of D David Caperna (Fallston, Md./The Gilman School), M Taylor Clagett (Chesapeake Beach, Md./DeMatha Catholic H.S.), D Sean Dougherty (Malvern, Pa./Malvern Preparatory School), M Anson Fraser (Summit, N.J./Summit H.S.), G Joey Kemp (Potomac, Md./Georgetown Preparatory School), M Michael Podgajny (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley H.S.), A/M Sloan Smith (Concord, N.H./Phillips Exeter Academy), A Alex Wharton (Baltimore, Md./The Gilman School), and D Ross Zimmerman (Shelby Township, Mich./Brother Rice H.S.).
“As a group, this is a great class that really addresses our needs because it includes quality players at each position.” said Corrigan. “At the same time, it builds on the athleticism highlighting our last couple of classes. We’re very excited about these additions to our program.”
Caperna, a native of Fallston, Md., is a 6-0, 200-pound defenseman for The Gilman School. A three-year contributor on the lacrosse team, he helped the Greyhounds to an 11-5 mark in 2003. He attended the Top Star camp over the summer and was named to the Fab 40. Caperna also was a three-year starter at inside linebacker for the Gilman football team, which was ranked #14 in the nation in 2002. Caperna, as well as current and future teammate Wharton, played for three years with current Irish football freshmen DE Victor Abiamiri (Randallstown, Md./The Gilman School) and WR Ambrose Wooden (Baltimore, Md./The Gilman School).
“Dave Caperna is from a great program, The Gilman School, where you’re playing top-level lacrosse day-in and day-out,” said Corrigan. “Dave is someone who athletically has excelled and is really developing as a lacrosse player. As he continues to do that, I think he has the potential to help us.”
Clagett, a native of Chesapeake Beach, Md., is a 6-2, 175-pound midfielder for DeMatha Catholic High School. He earned first-team all-conference honors last year as a junior, while also being named the team’s MVP, leading the Stags with 110 ground balls. Clagett has helped DeMatha to a 47-11 (.810) record and three Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) titles. In two years handling faceoff duties, he has won 74 percent of draws. In addition to 185 ground balls, he has 12 goals and 25 assists through his initial three prep seasons. Clagett also was a starter for the varsity soccer team for two seasons, leading the Stags to a conference title. His brother, M Steve Clagett (Chesapeake Beach, Md./DeMatha Catholic H.S.), is a senior on the Irish lacrosse team, having served as a team captain in 2003.
“Taylor is a very good faceoff guy and a good athlete who will develop more offensively,” said Corrigan. “He has very good potential because he has good ability and some particular skills we need.”
Dougherty, a native of Malvern, Pa., is a 6-1, 180-pound defenseman for Malvern Preparatory School and will serve as team captain this spring. After not playing lacrosse as a freshman, he was a starter in each of the last two seasons, earning all-league honors as a junior. Dougherty has helped the Friars to a 38-6 (.864) record over the last two campaigns, including a pair of Inter-Academic Conference titles, a state runner-up finish (’02), and a trip to the state semifinals (’03). Dougherty is the first student in 10 years to play three team sports for Malvern, also being a key contributor on the football and basketball teams. A three-year starter at guard on the hardwood, he earned all-league honors as a junior. On the gridiron, Dougherty started for two years at defensive back and running back, earning all-league and all-area honors at the former this past fall, while helping Malvern to a pair of conference championships. Dougherty will join two of his high school teammates on the Irish next year: current sophomore D D.J. Driscoll (Downingtown, Pa./Malvern Preparatory School) and freshman M Bill Liva (Bryn Mawr, Pa./Malvern Preparatory School).
“Sean is a good athletic defenseman,” said Corrigan. “He’s been playing three sports in high school — and playing them very well — and I think when he concentrates just on lacrosse, his kind of athletic savvy is really going to help him become a very good player.”
Fraser, a native of Summit, N.J., is a 6-3, 180-pound midfielder for Summit High School who will serve as team captain this spring. He has helped the Hilltoppers to a 55-8 (.873) record over the last three seasons as well as conference titles and rankings among the top five in the state each campaign. Summit was the state runner-up in 2001 and again reached the final four in ’02 (finishing with a ranking of third). Last season, the Hilltoppers also were the Union City champions, falling in the New Jersey quarterfinals and finishing with a No. 5 state ranking. Fraser was the MVP of the Union City tournament in 2003 and was the team’s Most Improved Player in ’02. He has 18 goals and 11 assists over the past two seasons. Fraser also has played for the Tri-State Lacrosse Club and has been named to a number of all-star lists, including the Top 205 Camp All-Stars and the Top Star Camp Fab 40.
“Anson is an outstanding athlete,” said Corrigan. “He hasn’t been playing lacrosse that long, but has tremendous potential. He is a wonderful kid with a great attitude. I know he is going to become a very good player.”
Kemp, a native of Potomac, Md., is a 5-11, 160-pound goalie for Georgetown Preparatory School and will serve as team captain this spring. In 2003, he posted a 3.56 goals-against average and stopped 71 percent of the shots he faced in helping Georgetown Prep to a 22-1 record, the Interstate Athletic Conference title, and a national No. 1 ranking by Inside Lacrosse magazine. In addition, the Associated Press listed the Little Hoyas as the top team in the state of Maryland and The Washington Post ranked them first in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Kemp was a second-team all-state honoree, while also gaining first-team all-IAC and all-county honors and honorable mention all-metro area. Georgetown Prep is 56-7 (.889) in Kemp’s three seasons. He also was a four-year varsity letterwinner in hockey, serving as team captain this season after helping the Little Hoyas to a league title in 2002 and to the state semifinals in 2003. Kemp additionally earned a pair of varsity letters for the Georgetown Prep football team, which was the top-ranked squad in the metro area by The Washington Post. Kemp comes from an accomplished athletic family, including two sisters with collegiate swimming experience, a father that played football at William & Mary under Lou Holtz, and a brother, CJ, who was a lacrosse All-American and the Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) Player of the Year as Fairfield’s goalie in 2002.
“Joey Kemp is one of the top goalie prospects in the country,” said Corrigan. “I couldn’t be more excited to have him. His brother was a great goalie for Fairfield. Joey was the goalie for the best high school team in the country last season, as a junior, and we are very glad to get him. He has tremendous potential to become one of the best goalies in college lacrosse.”
Podgajny (puh-GO-nee), a native of Ridley Park, Pa., is a 5-11, 182-pound midfielder for Ridley High School. He has helped the Green Raiders to back-to-back Pennsylvania state championships, leading the team in points (81), goals (52), and assists (29) in 2003. Podgajny was the offensive MVP of the ’03 Keystone Cup state championship game and earned first-team all-Central League honors. He was tabbed by Inside Lacrosse magazine as a “Young Gun” midfielder for this season. A year ago, Podgajny also earned second-team all-Delco honors and was the Most Valuable Midfielder in the Boys’ Latin Invitational. Ridley has won consecutive PSLA Conference titles and was 23-0 in ’02. Podgajny had 58 points (36 goals, 22 assists) playing for Monsignor Bonner High School as a freshman in 2001 before transferring. In his first prep season, he was a first-team all-Catholic League selection. Podgajny, who was a Top 205 Camp All-Star, played basketball for one year at Ridley after playing basketball and soccer at Bonner. He will join current Irish sophomore M Matt Ryan (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley High School) as former Green Raiders on the Notre Dame lacrosse team next season.
“Mike has great all-around offensive ability,” said Corrigan. “He has skills, savvy, and a sense of the game. All of those things should allow him to contribute early and become a very good college player.”
Smith, a native of Concord, N.H., is a 6-3, 195-pound attackman/midfielder for Phillips Exeter Academy and will serve as team captain this spring. He had 27 goals and six assists in ’03, helping the Big Red to a 10-6 mark while being named an Eastern New England Lacrosse All-Star by the league coaches. Smith spent his first two prep years at Bishop Brady High School in Concord, registering 102 points (52 goals, 50 assists) in helping his team to the New Hampshire Division II state semifinals in ’02. He played varsity golf for two years at Brady and was a member of the varsity basketball team at both schools. Smith also was a Top 205 Camp All-Star. His father, as well as older brother and sister all played college lacrosse.
“Sloan is a big, strong guy who really had an outstanding summer last year,” said Corrigan. “We think he has great potential, especially as a shooter. He is a wonderful kid who loves Notre Dame. We’re very excited to have him.”
Wharton, a native of Baltimore, is a 5-10, 160-pound attackman for The Gilman School. In two years on the varsity level, he has 45 goals, 50 assists, and 100 ground balls. In ’02, he won the Smith Cup as the top first-year player on the Greyhounds varsity squad. He was a Top 205 Camp All-Star and won a recreational state title with the Cockeysville Lacrosse Club. Wharton also played for the Gilman football team, taking over as the starting quarterback this past fall after being a member of the ’02 squad that was ranked #14 in the nation. Wharton played with Abiamiri and Wooden on the gridiron, as well as current and future teammate Caperna.
“Alex is an excellent feeder who comes from a strong program,” said Corrigan. “He knows what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. As he develops physically, I think he will become an outstanding college player.”
Zimmerman, a native of Shelby Township, Mich., is a 6-2, 205-pound defenseman for Brother Rice High School. He has helped the Warriors to a combined 46-5 (.902) record over the past two seasons, leading Rice in defensive points en route to the ’03 Michigan state championshp. He also had 60 takeaways, the top mark in the state, and was the Most Valuable Defenseman at the Boys’ Latin Invitational. Zimmerman gained second-team all-state accolades and was honorable mention all-Midwest League. The Warriors have won back-to-back titles in that conference and captured the Catholic League championship in ’03. Zimmerman has 123 ground balls in his two prep seasons. A three-year starter in football, he helped Rice to state runner-up finishes in 2002 and ’03.
“Ross is a big, strong, athletic defenseman from an excellent program with a long history of developing good defensemen,” said Corrigan. “He has a great athletic mindset. His dad is a coach, and he is a tough kid, a good football player. He is a guy we think has a lot of potential.”
This year’s Notre Dame squad, ranked 11th in the preseason, returns 20 monogram winners, including eight starters, from last season’s team that was 9-5, won a share of a fifth consecutive GWLL crown, and finished the season ranked 18th in the nation after being listed as high as ninth. The Irish open the 2004 campaign on Sunday, Feb. 29 vs. #17 Penn State at 1 p.m. (EST) in the Loftus Sports Center.