Hoary Old University of Notre Dame Stickmen (aka The HouNDs)

2011 HouND's Grandmasters

The HouNDs Grandmaster’s Lacrosse Team was founded in 2000 by Tom (TD) Paulius ’76 in attempt to continue playing lacrosse long after graduation.  Over the past 11 years, a total of 42 different alumni have strapped the pads back on.  From Vail, CO to Lake Placid, NY, from Rhode Island to Florida, and several places in between, the guys have communed and competed as proud ex-domers .   In additional to the alumni, the first varsity coach at Notre Dame, Rich O’Leary, was active on the sidelines from 2001 to 2008. 

It’s not all play.  The HouNDsmen also have a charitable directive.  In honor of some of their teammates and their coach, whom all passed from cancer in the past few years, the HouNDs have dedicated trees on campus to Matt Dwyer, Nick Gehring and Rich O’Leary in what they call the “lax grove” at the entrance to campus between the Law School and Alumni Hall.  Their plaques were blessed by Frs. Hesburgh and Doyle after Memorial Masses were held in Dillon Chapel. 

 

Kevin Campion '81

Profits from HouNDs’ tournaments, as well as contributions from their players, further supports the Irish lacrosse program on campus in the form of the Matt Dwyer Endowment for Lacrosse Excellence.  This endowment is presently 83% funded and Mr. Paulius believes that it will be fully funded sometime in 2012.  Earnings from the Endowment support the current Irish lacrosse team’s various community service initiatives. 

 

The HouNDs favorite tournament is the Florida Lacrosse Classic, held every year in January in Weston, Florida, near Fort Lauderdale.  Visit www.floridalaxclassic.com for all the details.  My crack research department suggests they’ll compete against teams named Elder Statesman, The Reapers, Slo Moes, and other, I assume, appropriately named squads.  That tournament is just a couple of days before our boys kick off the 2012 scrimmage season in Orlando.  Should anyone plan to be in Florida in advance of our boy’s trip, please reach out to TD Paulius at southsidelaxman@aol.com  for all the details. 

 

Mr. Paulius reports they will be celebrating the life of Jack Tate, who founded the lacrosse program in 1964 and who passed of a heart attack on his way home to New York after the 2010 Final Four.

 

Speaking of which, the HouNDs do attend the Irish lacrosse games.  It isn’t organized and they mostly attend away games when we are visiting their area.  My guess is that these trail blazers follow our boys closer than we’ll ever know.   Just another thing, in a sea of reasons, that makes Notre Dame so special. 

 

Schedule Change for Denver Game

Men’s lacrosse game versus University of Denver has been changed to Sunday March 18th @ 1:00 PM.  The schedule change is due to ESPNU televising the game.  This is last day of Spring Break for the students and hopefully between St. Patrick’s Day the day before and the arriving students, we have a good house full of fans.

The Pipers Piping

2010, 2011 and 2012 Piper Colt Power

One of the most treasured traditions at Notre Dame – for us lacrosse folks anyway – is the ritual of the bagpiper leading the team onto the field.  Colt Power will serve as the team bagpiper again this year, his third playing the pipes.  He joins a special fraternity –  musicians with some serious talent and commitment, and oh yeah they play lacrosse too. 

By tradition the “12 Days of Christmas” start today, and what better way to connect Christmas and Notre Dame Lacrosse than a post about our very own pipers.  Quick, anyone know just how many “pipers are piping” in the classic Christmas carol?

Piper Royalty Regis McDermott, Dan Hickey and Chad Debolt

According to the Notre Dame Lacrosse Wikipedia page (who knew?):  At the beginning of its games, the Irish team is traditionally led onto the playing field by a teammate playing the bagpipes, a tradition that began in the late 1990s by Sean Meehan and has since been passed down to other players including Chad DeBolt, Daniel Hickey, Regis McDermott, and Colt Power. 

Regis McDermott circa 2008

The tune the piper’s play before each game is titled “Scotland the Brave” which is where this Yuletide ditty takes a decided turn.  Can anyone say brand conflict?  But its our tradition and we don’t have to explain traditions.   Plus we don’t have anything against the Scots do we?

And for a special treat this morning, click on the following link to be serenaded by Colt.  I see an ESPN commercial in his future.

http://television.insidelacrosse.com/tag/bagpipes

And the answer is 11 by the way – as in 11 piper’s piping.  Merry Christmas everyone.

Notre Dame voted second in Big East Poll

Senior Sean Rogers

The Big East Coaches have voted Syracuse the favorite to win the Big East this year.   The pre-season rankings:

1. Syracuse
2. Notre Dame
3. Villanova
4. Georgetown
5. St. Johns
6. Rutgers
7. Providence 

Senior Kevin Randall

Junior John Kemp

In addition, the pre-season All Conference team has been announced.  A total of 5 Irish players are on the squad including seniors Sean Rogers and Kevin Randall, juniors Quinn Cully and John Kemp, and sophomore Liam O’Connor.  Congrats to all the boys. 

Junior Quinn Cully

This marks the third season of the currently configured Big East lacrosse.  Change, as you no doubt know, is in the air as Syracuse will be leaving the Big East to join the ACC (date remains a little cloudy), while Marquette will join the Big East in 2013.   Thankfully, Boise State doesn’t have a lacrosse team so we will be spared the experience of playing on that blue field. 

Sophomore Liam O'Connor

Many thanks to TD Paulius of Midwest Photography who has agreed to allow us to use some of his images of Irish lacrosse for this blog.  Double click on the photo to get a full page.  I know you will enjoy them.

Face-Off Yearbook Preseason All-Americans

 

John Kemp will direct the Irish defense again in 2012

Four Notre Dame players have earned preseason AA honors in Inside Lacrosse’s Face-Off Yearbook.  John Kemp garnered a 3rd team slot while Sean Rogers, Liam O’Connor and Kevin Randall secured Honorable Mention.  Congrats to all four guys – and the others that are sure to join this list at the end of the season. 

For the full article and list of Division I All-Americans:  http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2011/12/06/2012-face-yearbook-division-i-preseason-all-americans

Assistant Coach of the Year

The Assistants of the Year: Gerry Byrne (DI- Notre Dame), Joe Catalonotti (DII- Adelphi) and Tucker Kear (DIII-Union). (Photo: Zach Babo)

Gerry Byrne was recognized as the Division I Assistant Coach of the Year at the recent IMLCA convention.  For those of us watching the Notre Dame defense since his arrival, long overdue doesn’t begin to describe the sentiment.  For the story appearing in Inside Lacrosse click on the following link:   http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2011/12/02/news-and-notes-imlca-convention-day-1

 

Irish 9th in Inside Lacrosse Rankings

The just released Inside Lacrosse Faceoff Yearbook rankings has Notre Dame at #9.   The 2012 Irish schedule features a total of seven Top 20 teams including four in the Top 10 – #2 Duke, #5 Denver, #7 Syracuse and #10 Villanova.  Rounding out the ranked opponents is #11 Hofstra, #17 Drexel and #20 Penn State.    In addition, should the Irish advance to the Big East Tournament, they will likely play another ranked opponent, and hopefully two. 

Of course it is all a beauty contest before the season starts.  They don’t play these games on paper.  Speaking of the season, Bob Rogers is working out the details for us to stay at the Marriott Residence Inn in the Eddy Street Commons development and more details will be out soon.