jmckenna

Another Class of 2015 standout from the Garden State has decided on Holy Cross.

Oratory Prep two-way midfielder Jack McKenna is the latest New Jersey rising junior headed to Worcester, Mass. McKenna verballed to the Crusaders last week as first reported by Joe Lombardi on LaxLessons.com’s Lacrosse Insider special coverage section.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound lefty, a varsity standout the last two seasons, earned second-team all-state Prep B honors this past season, third team all-state freshman/sophomore class and second-team all-Union County and second-team Kimber Division.

Known as a groundball machine who combines speed and strength on both sides of the field.

“I like the physical play between the lines, scoring with either hand from outside or in the crease and the challenge of being a short-stick defender who has the ability to defend, get groundballs and clear,” McKenna said.

McKenna was also a lead attorney on the 2012 Oratory Prep Mock Trial NJ state champions.

Holy Cross received a commitment from Seton Hall Prep defender Matt Farrell last. (Here’s the follow-up Q&A with Matt on his verbal, published Aug. 20 here at LaxLessons.com/blog.)

recruiting_updateNow, here’s a Q&A with Jack on his commitment.

What were the main factors in your decision?
The academic and athletic opportunities available at Holy Cross were the main factors in my decision.  I liked (Holy Cross Head) Coach (Jim) Morrissey from our first meeting and he and Holy Cross (Assistant) Coach (Justin) Hager have an exciting vision for the lacrosse program.

What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
I was also considering Notre Dame, Dartmouth, Brown and Amherst.

What area of your game do you need to work on?
I would like to become a better wing dodger and a more accurate, on the run, distance shooter, which I am working on this fall.

How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports do you play?
The West Essex, N.J., youth lacrosse program. I also play varsity soccer as the center midfielder from my freshman year.

What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
I play for Building Blocks Lacrosse, the 2015 Black team. This summer, I attended Jake Reed’s Nike Blue Chip, Rising Juniors, NYLAX, MVP, Best of the Best and Hot Beds, where I was an all-star, and camps at Dartmouth, Brown and Holy Cross.

Any final thoughts?
I would like to thank my parents, my high school coach at Oratory Prep, Kevin Donnelly, who is not only a great coach, but also a mentor. and my coaches at BBL: Andrew Hubschmann, Dan Leidl, Neil Murphy and Kevin Dugan.

Have a recruiting commitment to report? Email us at info@laxlessons.com or joe@laxlessons.com or send a Tweet to @Joe_Lombardi or @LaxLessons.

Posted In: New Jersey lacrosse, Recruiting Rundown

If you liked this article, please take this time to share it with your Facebook friends using the Facebook button (see Facebook post button to the left) or retweet it using Twitter (see retweet button to the left). You may also want to follow us or subscribe to the site to stay up-to-date with this article. If you'd rather follow us from your Facebook account, join our Facebook fan page.

One Response to “NJ two-way midfielder McKenna headed to Holy Cross”

  1. N-Jay says:

    Very good job by Coach Morrissey to get this kid.

Leave a Reply to N-Jay