By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 11/28/09
Haverford School senior midfielder/face-off specialist Liam O’Connor has signed a National Letter of Intent to play Division I lacrosse at the University of Notre Dame.
O’Connor helped the Fords claim a share of the Inter-Ac League championship as well as the Inter-Ac playoff title last year when he earned US Lacrosse All-American and Second Team All-Phillylacrosse.com honors.
O’Connor, who also plays club lacrosse for Mesa Fresh 2010, chose Notre Dame over Yale, Penn and Villanova. He plans to major in Business and minor in Engineering.
“I always wanted to go to Notre Dame,” said O’Connor, a first-team all-Inter-Ac pick who scored 16 goals and won over 70 percent of his face-offs last year. “My mom went there and so did a bunch of my cousins.
“I went there for an unofficial visit and I loved the coaches. I waited a couple months and I visited Yale, Penn and Villanova and thought Notre Dame was the best fit.”
O’Connor is one of three senior members of the Fords to sign with a Division I college. The others are attackman Stephen Aitkin (Penn State) and midfielder Billy Annesley (St. Joseph’s).
There also are five Haverford School juniors that have committed to Division I colleges, and several more juniors close to committing. The recruiting hoopla has led many to believe the Fords will be a force in the region and beyond,
“I try to set my own goals, not listen to what anyone else says,” O’Connor said. “I am trying to be positive, to be a leader for the younger players. I want to make sure we have the best season possible.”
O’Connor will join St. Joseph’s Prep senior defenseman Stephen O’Hara as recruits at Notre Dame.
