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The start of Fall Signing Week on Wednesday has been the focus of our coverage the last 24 hours, but if you’ve been following along on our Lacrosse Insider premium coverage section, you know there’s also been plenty of recruiting news beyond the Class of 2015.
University of Notre Dame fans know this by now.
The Fighting Irish continued their recruiting pipeline to Pelham HS in Westchester County (NY) by landing a huge verbal from 6-foot-5 Class of 2017 attackman/midfielder Davis Allen, a decision first reported when it was made by Joe Lombardi on Insider.
Notre Dame, of course, is where former Hudson Valley All-American and Pelham graduate Matt Landis calls home. Landis is a starting defender for the Irish. Now a junior, Landis is a returning starter on defense for UND.
“Over the past few months I have gotten to know Matt pretty well,” Allen said. “We have been in contact a decent amount as he was able to provide good insight on Notre Dame.”
The right-handed Allen uses his tremendous size to create scoring opportunities. He is also a skilled player with a tremendous upside.
Now, here’s a Q&A with Davis on his commitment.
What were the main factors in your decision?
One of the main factors in my decision was that I had an extremely high comfort level with Notre Dame.
From the moment I stepped on the campus, I realized that if was the right fit for me both from a lacrosse and academic standpoint. One of the many things Notre Dame prides itself on is the character and culture of the students, these two ideas were clearly recognizable when I was there on campus. I knew that as a student first without lacrosse, I would love to attend Notre Dame.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
Syracuse, Princeton, Penn and Cornell. The other schools I visited were Princeton, Penn and Syracuse.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I believe that one of the most important parts of my lacrosse game is my size. At 6-5, it allows me to shoot and dodge from all different areas on the field. My size also allows me to shoot from different angles on the field.
I would describe my type of play as more of a size and strength game apposed to that of a speed game.
Is that fact that Matt (Landis) is doing well at Notre Dame a factor in your decision?
Coming from another Pelham kid, Matt was able to share what a positive experience he is having at Notre Dame. Over the course of time that we spoke Matt was able to explain the unique and wonderful aspects of Notre Dame. As I learned and saw all of the information he shared with me, I knew Notre Dame was the right place for me.
The fact that he is doing well at Notre Dame definitely had an impact in my decision.
How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
I first moved to Pelham in second grade and in fourth grade I was introduced to lacrosse because I heard about a youth program that was being put together. I heard that it was a fast physical game and I knew from the first day I strapped up to play this was a special sport. I also participate in basketball, soccer, golf and tennis.
What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
I play for the Westchester Predators out of Westchester NY. In the fall of 2013 I participated in the Philly Freshman Showcase (Individual) and then this past summer I participated in Maverik Showtime (all-star team).
What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
Throughout my lacrosse career there are so many people to thank and acknowledge.
I would first like to thank my mother, father, and brother. These three people have experienced both the good and the bad but have always supported me in a positive way. Secondly, I would like to thank my main coaches Mike McCall (summer coach) and Mike Solazzo (varsity coach) along with James Rodgers and Rob Anderson. These coaches have gone above and beyond to help me in the recruiting process. They have provided me with great knowledge both on and off the lacrosse field. These coaches have proven not only to be coaches but also to be mentors. I would also like to thank Matt Tolan and Garth Ainslie. Mr. Tolan and Mr. Ainslie started the youth program in Pelham and without them I wouldn’t have been introduced to the sport. Finally I would like to thank Mike Diaz for pushing me in the gym. He has worked with me on both physical and mental aspects of life. He is a true role model and he has always been a strong supporter of mine.
Fall 2014 Signing Week coverage
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Posted In: Hudson Valley, Recruiting Rundown, Section 1
