Penn State men’s lacrosse coach Jeff Tambroni admitted he’s never seen a stretch like this before — especially from a freshman.
Mac O’Keefe, a 19-year-old attacker, leads the NCAA in goals scored with 24 in four games, his first four games at the collegiate level.
For context, Penn State’s goals leader all of last season was Nick Aponte with 30 over 15 games. If O’Keefe keeps to his six goals per game average, he’ll tie Aponte’s 2016 mark when the No. 5 Nittany Lions host No. 8 Penn at noon Saturday.
So, it begs the question: How has O’Keefe taken the lacrosse world by storm?
Tambroni said he’d be stretching the truth to say he predicted O’Keefe would be atop the nation’s scoring list — but the former national coach of the year always knew the potential was there.
“He has the skill and, as a freshman, it’s whether or not you have the confidence,” Tambroni said. “Do you have the poise to make those plays when the lights are on? At this point, Mac has answered the bell every single way.”
O’Keefe, who earned his fourth straight Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor after an eight-goal performance last weekend at Villanova, has humbly played down the hot start.
“I just have to do my thing and have fun with it,” O’Keefe said. “I can’t look too far into what people are saying or talking about, and just play my game.”
http://www.centredaily.com/sports/college/penn-state-university/article135894358.html
Mac O’Keefe, a 19-year-old attacker, leads the NCAA in goals scored with 24 in four games, his first four games at the collegiate level.
For context, Penn State’s goals leader all of last season was Nick Aponte with 30 over 15 games. If O’Keefe keeps to his six goals per game average, he’ll tie Aponte’s 2016 mark when the No. 5 Nittany Lions host No. 8 Penn at noon Saturday.
So, it begs the question: How has O’Keefe taken the lacrosse world by storm?
Tambroni said he’d be stretching the truth to say he predicted O’Keefe would be atop the nation’s scoring list — but the former national coach of the year always knew the potential was there.
“He has the skill and, as a freshman, it’s whether or not you have the confidence,” Tambroni said. “Do you have the poise to make those plays when the lights are on? At this point, Mac has answered the bell every single way.”
O’Keefe, who earned his fourth straight Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor after an eight-goal performance last weekend at Villanova, has humbly played down the hot start.
“I just have to do my thing and have fun with it,” O’Keefe said. “I can’t look too far into what people are saying or talking about, and just play my game.”
http://www.centredaily.com/sports/college/penn-state-university/article135894358.html
