Dan McDougall was set to continue his lacrosse career at Marist College.
But when Scott Nelson left the Red Foxes to take over as head coach at Binghamton, the senior defenseman from Avon Old Farms had a change of heart.
McDougall (shown at right in above photo), who gained considerable notice on the summer recruiting circuit playing for the Boston-based Top Gun Fighting Clams, has changed his commitment to Delaware.
For more, here’s a Q&A with Dan:
What were the main factors in your decision?
The school itself. I went on my visit this past July and I just felt at home. The coaching staff was very welcoming and when I walked around campus I just fell in love.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
I had previously committed to Marist last February but when Coach Nelson left, I decided to explore other options. I also looked at UMass, Providence, Stony Brook, Fairfield, Bryant and Sacred Heart.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
My strengths as a player are my size and athleticism. I don’t like to rely on my stick because that’s usually how I get beat. I used to throw huge checks thinking I could take the ball away from anyone but once I started just running with the attackmen and using my feet I found I was a better player.
What areas of your game do you think you need to improve on?
One area of my game I think I need to improve on is stick skills.
When did you first realize you had the potential to play at the college level?
The first time I realize I had potential to play in college was the fall of my junior year. Justin Walker from the Fighting Clams asked me to play for him and after a couple tournaments, I got a ton of emails from coaches. I was almost overwhelmed and it made me realize that I had some serious potential.
What were some of the big summer showcase events you’ve competed in the last couple of years and how did you do?
I never really did any showcases but what really got me recruited was tournaments with the Clams. I played at UMass and Hofstra last fall and played at King of The Hill and Tri-State this summer. The number of coaches at these tournaments was ridiculous and its hard not to get seen.
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Yeh Dannyyyy
Shows what a good recruiter Scott Nelson is to target this kid and get him to initially commit to Marist.
Excellent point about Scott Nelson.