Marquette lacrosse team starts season carrying memory of teammates lost last year
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - Marquette University men’s lacrosse team began a new season moving forward after losing two teammates in a crash near campus last September.
Sophomores Scott Michaud and Noah Snyder died in the accident, leaving the team and community grappling with the loss.
Head coach Jake Richard said, “We are a better team, the world is a better place when they’re in it and we miss them so much.”
Richard described Michaud and Snyder as kind and inspiring young men. He said, “These guys never said a bad word about anybody. They were just loving, gentle young men.”
He said Scott was funny and eager to grow as a player.
“Just a pleasure to coach. He was the kind of guy that I was really excited to give more of that confidence and challenge more," he said. "Because I think he was just learning what he was capable of at this level.”
Richard said Noah brought energy and excitement to the field.
“Absolutely loved lacrosse more than anything, and you could just see it in the way he played the game. He played with a flash and a spark that caught people's attention," said Richard.
Before the season opener, Richard said he prepared the team to honor their lost teammates.
“Let’s remember what Noah and Scott were trying to accomplish here and let’s make sure we carry that forward with them, for them," said Richard
He said the players were ready to feel the emotions, enjoy them, but not let them dictate their actions.
“They were prepared to feel the emotions, enjoy feeling the emotions but not let their emotions dictate how they were going to act. They were excited to honor their teammates," said Richard.
Richard said the support from the community has been great, "They're putting jersey patches on the jerseys, having t-shirts, holding their jerseys and putting their arms around their families and telling their story any chance we get."
He said coaching Michaud and Snyder was a joy, and that loving them was an honor.
He said, “That to me is a gift to be able to love them was a gift. Still love them was a gift and they were fully loved here.”