For the LSU club lacrosse team, 2015 was a big year.
The team had one of its best seasons in program history, finishing with a 10-6 record and a No. 37 ranking in LAXpower.com’s final power rankings, the highest since the rankings were established in 2006.
LSU achieved this in part because of the dynamic play of then-senior attacker Hunter Stinson and then-junior attacker Thomas Brown. The duo tied for the team lead in points with Stinson topping the squad in goals, while Brown led the MCLA, club equivalent to the NCAA, with 50 assists.
But after graduating, Stinson will not be on the field in 2016, and some players will need to step up to replace his production.
Stinson said Brown is in prime position to do just that.
“His ability to beat a defender almost anytime he wanted to creates opportunities,” Stinson said. “It will help the younger players adjust to the [college level]… by not having to do so much and getting feeds by Thomas.”
The senior attacker is beginning his fourth season with the program and is looking to build on his impressive past season.
Brown’s experience has third-year coach Jeff Echols wanting him to step up and become a leader on the field.
“He has to take that leadership role,” Echols said. “He doesn’t have to be the all-out scorer. There are guys that he’ll be able to complement, but it has to be his offense to run on the field.”
The younger players are looking for leadership, and Brown wants himself and the other experienced players to be there to help them learn — partially because he did not have the guidance when he was a freshman.
The Maryland native said during his first year, he got playing time right away but wasn’t taught much by the upperclassman as far as honing his skills.
Now the younger players, especially those from Louisiana, come in knowing the upperclassmen and understand they have much to learn from the veterans’ experience. Although the freshmen are talented, Brown said he wants to be there for them if they need help with their game or adjusting to college.
“If [the younger players] look to me, I want to be able to give them something to build on and something to learn from,” Brown said.
The former Georgetown Prep standout will have his first chance to lead the team on Friday when the team opens the 2016 season against Clemson at Olympia Stadium in Baton Rouge. If the team needs someone to look to, Brown is ready to take on that role.
The team from South Carolina will come to Baton Rouge hoping to start their 2016 campaign on a positive note after a losing season, 4-5, in 2015. But if Brown and the hometown Tigers have their way, the visitors will be sent back to Clemson with a loss.
Echols said his squad will take the season game-by-game as they go through the season.
“We have some tough games on the schedule,” he said. “We’ll know a lot more about who we are going to be [as a team] playing Clemson an incredible east-coast lacrosse school … we’re prepping for them and we’ll just go forward and play our best.”
For the LSU club lacrosse team, 2015 was a big year.
The team had one of its best seasons in program history, finishing with a 10-6 record and a No. 37 ranking in LAXpower.com’s final power rankings, the highest since the rankings were established in 2006.
LSU achieved this in part because of the dynamic play of then-senior attacker Hunter Stinson and then-junior attacker Thomas Brown. The duo tied for the team lead in points with Stinson leading the squad in goals, while Brown led the MCLA, club equivalent to the NCAA, with 50 assists.
But after graduating, Stinson will not be on the field in 2016, and some players will need to step up to replace him.
Stinson said Brown is in prime position to do just that.
“His ability to beat a defender almost anytime he wanted to creates opportunities,” Stinson said. “It will help the younger players adjust to the [college level]… by not having to do so much and getting feeds by Thomas.”
The senior attacker is beginning his fourth season with the program and is looking to build on his impressive past season.
Brown’s experience has third-year coach Jeff Echols wanting him to step up and become a leader on the field.
“He has to take that leadership role,” Echols said. “He doesn’t have to be the all-out scorer. There are guys that he’ll be able to complement, but it has to be his offense to run on the field.”
The younger players are looking for leadership, and Brown wants himself and the other experienced players to be there to help them learn — partially because he did not have the guidance when he was a freshman.
The Maryland native said during his first year, he got playing time right away but wasn’t taught much by the upperclassman as far as honing his skills.
Now the younger players, especially those from Louisiana, come in knowing the upperclassmen and understand they have much to learn from the veterans’ experience. Although the freshmen are talented, Brown said he wants to be there for them if they need help with their game or adjusting to college.
“If [the younger players] look to me, I want to be able to give them something to build on and something to learn from,” Brown said.
The former Georgetown Prep standout will have his first chance to lead the team on Friday when the team opens the 2016 season against Clemson at Olympia Stadium in Baton Rouge. If the team needs someone to look to, Brown is ready to take on that role.
The team from South Carolina will come to Baton Rouge hoping to start their 2016 campaign on a positive note after a losing season, 4-5, in 2015. But if Brown and the hometown Tigers have their way, the visitors will be sent back to Clemson with a loss.
Echols said his squad will take the season game-by-game as they go through the season.
“We have some tough games on the schedule,” he said. “We’ll know a lot more about who we are going to be [as a team] playing Clemson an incredible east-coast lacrosse school … we’re prepping for them and we’ll just go forward and play our best.”
You can reach Marc Stevens on Twitter @Marc_TDR