McClelland sees NLL draft dreams come true

MILWAUKEE - Draft night is an evening filled with lots of emotion for potential draft picks. For Marquette men's lacrosse midfielder Connor McClelland, the night of Sept. 17 was overwhelming.

"You have no idea where you're going to go, it's very nerve-racking," McClelland said. "Once you hear your name called, it's hard to explain the emotions that you go through during that time. It was awesome though to be able to experience that draft night with a lot of my close friends here at Marquette."

McClelland was selected 12th overall by the Saskatchewan Rush in the NLL Draft that night, becoming the highest draft selection in MU lacrosse history.

For head coach Andrew Stimmel, watching one of his players get selected to play professional lacrosse brought an immense sense of pride.

"We're just so proud of him and can't wait to see what he can do at the pro level," Stimmel said. "Knowing how important that was for Connor and seeing that come to fruition, certainly to no surprise of anyone on our team and staff, was an awesome experience."

Connor McClelland (72 — **McClelland played as a defensive midfielder in 2017**

McClelland, a native of Brampton, Ontario, has grown up playing box lacrosse, most recently with the Brampton Excelsiors of Major Series Lacrosse Senior "A" League.

"It's a lot different just because it's obviously a smaller field with less guys on the turf," McClelland said. "I'd say my favorite part about playing box is the high-intensity, fast pace, always up and down the floor. You get to play against some of the players in the world in box lacrosse, who are also amazing at field lacrosse, so it's a lot of fun."

McClelland plays the indoor game as a defender, but is also a star midfielder for Marquette, having begun freshman year as a defensive midfielder before transitioning to a first-line offensive middie.

For the redshirt senior, the box and field games are equally entertaining.

"Box lacrosse is awesome, but field lacrosse is just as good," McClelland said. "It helps to play both. Playing box really helps translate to playing field, and you can learn a lot from the field as well that can translate to box. They're both amazing, I love playing both."

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AN UNEXPECTED FIFTH YEAR

But for now, McClelland will put the box lacrosse game to the side and focus on his final season at Marquette. McClelland thought his college career was over after last season, but the NCAA's decision to grant spring athletes an extra year of eligibility gave him another chance.

"Right away, all of the seniors and a lot of the O guys decided this is an opportunity we can't give up," McClelland said. "You only get four years of college, so to get a fifth year is something that you cannot give up. There would be no other place you'd want to play lacrosse other than Marquette."

In addition to McClelland, P.J. Cox, Ryan Fazio and Peter Henkhaus all chose to don the blue and gold for one more year, which Stimmel sees as an outstanding starting point.

"It's a great foundation to build on," Stimmel said. "Those guys understand what the expectations are moving forward, and even through these first few weeks, you've seen their leadership shine through. They understand what we're expecting of them culturally, and those guys have done a great job leading in every aspect."

For even casual observers of Marquette lacrosse games, McClelland is hard to miss. The 6-foot midfielder scored 12 goals and added seven assists in the 2019 season, and serves as a major force on the inside due to the quick hands he has honed thanks to his experience in the box.

THE MARQUETTE STANDARD

Connor McClelland family — **McClelland with parents Glenn and Caryl**

While McClelland provides a crucial component of the team on the field, he also serves as an obvious leader in the locker room.

"These guys rally around (Connor), and he's kind of the central voice on the offensive end," transfer attackman Morgan Macko said. "With the other guys coming back like Ryan Fazio and Peter Henkhaus, those guys provide the steady force on the offense. As a new guy coming in, they're talking to me and letting me know what the standard is and holding me to it."

From a coaching perspective, McClelland's impact on the team is obvious.

"Connor sets the tone as what it looks like to be a great teammate within our program, and he does it every single day," Stimmel said. "It's important for anyone younger on our team to really look at that, a guy who was just drafted in the first round, and yet is going to try to do everything right on the field and is going to work incredibly hard day-in and day-out. He's a huge piece to our success now and into the future."

For the upcoming season, McClelland said the goal is bringing an NCAA Championship trophy to Milwaukee, but he is focused on the small things that will help the program get there.

"What we have to worry about the most is the next practice," McClelland said. "If you start thinking too much about just winning that national championship, odds are you're going to lose focus on what the next task at hand is."

Keep up with the Marquette men's lacrosse program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteMLax) and Instagram (@MarquetteMLax) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteMLax).

Players Mentioned

P.J. Cox

Ryan Fazio

Peter Henkhaus

Connor McClelland

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