Junior Quinn Carrigan of the Arizona men’s lacrosse team hails from Boulder, Colo. Carrigan sat down for an interview with the Daily Wildcat to discuss his role on the team and how this season has changed from past seasons.
Daily Wildcat: What brought you to the Laxcats?
Quinn Carrigan: I always loved playing lacrosse my whole life, and so when I was a freshman here, just trying to find community or something strong. This [community] of just playing this great game. You know, obviously once I was there, I made friends with everyone. Great community, and I just got drawn into it.
DW: Knowing that you would be part of a club team vs. an NCAA team, how did it feel different to you coming here?
QC: I mean, it’s definitely more relaxed. It’s really nice being on a level of play where the pressure on you is a little less. You have more time to your academics, because I mean, that is why I am here. I think that is why a lot of people are here. So, I mean, it is a perfect little balance of still getting to be competitive in athletic competitions while also being able to do your studies as well. Just because we’re not an NCAA sport doesn’t mean that talent isn’t there to be that way. I know some of my buddies back at CU just beat Colorado College, which is like a D3 school, 20 to 11. So, it’s not to say there isn’t talent in the MCLA [Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association]. It’s definitely there. So, it’s cool that you have these kids who love this sport. Play hard in this sport. Pressure isn’t quite on you like it would be if you were an NCAA sport.
DW: With Alec Moen returning this season, and team dynamic kind of changing with new guys coming in, how have these really factored into the team or your part in it?
QC: Stuff has really been shaken up this year. We had a ton of really good freshman come in. It was weird. I was actually abroad last semester, so it was definitely weird for me coming back and having a ton of new kids, a ton of new faces. Like half of the team is new faces, if not more. But you know, having Alec there, our senior, he came back this semester to play lacrosse. He’s an instrumental leader, a good role model obviously, a really great player and someone to look up to. Having him there to try to get everyone back up, you know he has a really great personality. You always see him being so nice to everyone, and he raises the level of play. He gets everyone in a fiery mood to go play. We can really rally around him and come together.
DW: Do you have any teammates that motivate you, perhaps more than others? Maybe one teammate that gets you going?
QC: Yeah there’s definitely a lot of leaders that can really fire people up. Exton Bassett sets it that way. Him and Barry Baker, when they say some crazy stuff, everybody’s ready to go out there and smack some heads and whatnot.
DW: Going off of that motivation, last game you scored multiple goals. How has motivation from your team helped your ability to score those goals?
QC: When I hear one of them say something that is inspirational or something outrageous that just gets people fired up, it just gets me ready to get in there and do my job, do what I can to help out the boys on the team.
DW: When it comes to conference games, how does your mental and physical preparation change?
QC: It’s definitely a lot more important these games. So I think we just get a lot more animated in practice and definitely in the locker room before these games. We just get more fiery in practice.
DW: You’ve known your head coach since you started, and you have come to see now how assistant coaches can come and go. How has that been good, and how has that been bad?
QC: I actually had a different coach my freshman year as well. It’s always weird having authority figures come in and out. It’s probably better to have systems that are much more set in stone. It definitely has been weird for the team, but I think this new coaching staff really knows what they’re doing. I think regardless of how long they’ve been there, I think you really just got to trust the assistants and do your job, do what they say. They’re there for a reason.
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