Notre Dame lacrosse is a different kind of animal compared to the rest of the country. A lot of this is attributable to Kevin Corrigan's presence in South Bend: The head coach has been overseeing the program since the 1989 season, building a culture at Notre Dame for 25 years. That consistency in stewardship has helped the Irish build its identity, one that doesn't have a clear analogue at the college game's highest level. The results that Corrigan has achieved -- as a residue of his approach to program and individual development -- speak for themselves:
- One NCAA Tournament championship appearance (2010).
- Three NCAA Tournament semifinals appearances (2001, 2010, 2012).
- Eight NCAA Tournament quarterfinals appearances (1995, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013).
- 18 NCAA Tournament appearances (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013).
It all starts with Corrigan and his vision for Notre Dame lacrosse and what its constituency should experience, and the video really highlights that fact: His assistant coaches understand Corrigan's philosophies and give them life; Corrigan's players have bought into his ideologies; and there's sufficient institutional support to make the entire set of theories work. There are a lot of special places in Division I lacrosse, but Notre Dame remains unique.