Leading by one goal against North Carolina on April 22, 2017, then-junior Notre Dame attack Mikey Wynne patiently waited near the net.

With a flurry of Tar Heels defenders surrounding him, he watched calmly as his teammate, then senior midfielder Sergio Perkovic, swam move to separate from the Tar Heels defending him. Wynne, noticing the opportunity for a possible attack, moved slightly toward Perkovic. The bait worked; the UNC defender took a step forward, to cover the passing lane while Wynne slid back, faking out the entire Tar Heels defense. Perkovic slung the ball to Wynne, who slotted away his second goal of five on the day.

Ever since his freshman season, Notre Dame senior captain Wynne has taken on a large offensive role for the Irish. The Maryland native totaled over 30 points in each of his first three years. Now as a senior, he directs the team on and off the field. In seven games this season Wynne has poured in 13 goals, tying with Syracuse attack Brendan Bomberry. On Saturday, the two will play at opposite ends when No. 7 Notre Dame (5-2, 1-0 ACC) takes on No. 10 Syracuse (4-3, 2-0 ACC) in the Carrier Dome.

“I always have looked up to (former Notre Dame seniors) like Jimmy Marlatt, Jack Near, and Conor Doyle for examples to how to lead,” he said. “I just want to be the best example for the guys younger than me.”

Entering college in 2013, Wynne was not afraid. He had been prepared for intense competition since a young age.

Wynne grew up in a family with three older brothers, all of whom played lacrosse. The Wynne brothers routinely practiced in his backyard. Whether it was two-on-one, horse, or shooting drills, Wynne’s brothers pushed him to get better, he said.

As he grew older, his preparation with his family translated into success. In his final two seasons of high school, he totaled 141 goals and 45 assists. He captained St. Paul’s (Maryland) School in his senior season to the championship game of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs.

“I learned the game at a quick rate,” he said. “I always have played for coaches who played the game so that helped a lot.”

In his first game for ND, Wynne totaled six goals in a 14-12 win over Georgetown. He followed that up with a four-goal performance the next game against Michigan. He ended his first season with 33 goals and four assists.

To the other Irish players, his success was a result of his work in the pre-season.

“The way he played early on was great to see,” former Notre Dame midfielder Near said, “We had seen him play well all throughout fall so I don’t think it was really that surprising when the season came around.”

During his freshman season, it was obvious to most on the team that Wynne had natural leadership qualities, Near said.

As he progressed throughout college, he grew more into that commanding role.

“He does more things now with distributing the ball and understanding the flow of the offense,” Notre Dame head coach Kevin Corrigan said. “Now, he’s capable of of doing a lot of other things as well. His game has continued to evolve as he’s matured.”

Now, his job is to set the tone for the next generation of Fighting Irish lacrosse players, just like the upperclassmen did for him.

“As a captain, I get to represent all the guys before me who were in my position,” Wynne said.

Published on March 29, 2018 at 1:30 pm

Contact Adam: adhillma@syr.edu | @_adamhillman