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With a 3-0 record, a top five ranking in the national polls, and eyes set on a national championship, the Boston College men’s club lacrosse team is undeniably a talented and confident bunch.
But talent and confidence are only two of the qualities in this special group of young men who have banded together in the face of adversity, following the death of junior midfielder Michael Racanelli last November.
“Everything about this season is about playing for Mike,” explains junior goaltender Nick Shea. “This season is definitely in honor of him.”
Consistently working together to overcome the loss, Shea and his Eagle teammates have become nothing short of a family along the way.
“You just take a look at the person next to you,” says head coach Patrick McCavanagh, “and you realize that this isn’t just a teammate that I share a jersey with, but a brother of mine who can maybe help me with something, no matter how challenging it may be.”
McCavanagh speaks from the heart, as he knows all too well the challenge of losing a teammate: Welles Crowther, whom McCavanagh played alongside at BC in 1999, was killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. Widely known as “The Man in the Red Bandana,” Crowther has been memorialized for his heroism in aiding rescue efforts.
In honor of Crowther, McCavanagh started a new tradition in which he will award Crowther’s number 19 jersey to a senior leader to wear for the duration of the season. In its inaugural year, the “19” was given to senior captain Alex Prostano.
“Coach just explained to us what Welles represented, and what he did during 9/11,” Prostano says, “so when he said my name, I was honestly just choked up a little bit.”
With the memories of both Crowther and Racanelli present, there has been no shortage of inspiration for the Eagles, despite having every reason to complain. They practice from 11 p.m. until 1 a.m. on Thursday nights. Their first three games were scheduled on three consecutive days in two different states against some of the best teams in the country, yet the Eagles are still standing tall at 3-0. They have three more on the road this weekend, all against top 10 teams, including third-ranked Chapman University.
But through it all, they remain positive, understanding that there are greater challenges than those that happen between the lines.
“You just realize that life isn’t all about lacrosse and winning games,” explains senior captain Harry Anscher. “But it’s also about being a family, and being there for each other, and I think that brought us together both on and off the field.”
Prostano and Anscher credit the team’s bench players, some of who never even step onto the field, for helping to create a cohesive all-for-one and one-for-all environment under such difficult circumstances. It is another example of the profound lack of ego — rare at most any level of athletics — the players say speaks volumes about the team’s capabilities. They share a common goal in their minds, and a common name in their hearts.
Summing up a group of athletes like this would seem to be difficult, but McCavanagh — watching his team laughing together during a break in practice — needs just one word:
“Together.”
The BC men’s lacrosse team website is http://www.bceagleslacrosse.com