LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bellarmine University Coach Andrew Whitley announced on Friday that four players will serve as team captains this season:  JC Higginbotham, Denton Macdonald, Benny O'Rourk and Harrison Pate.
 
"I'm extremely excited to announce this group as our captains for the 2023 season," Whitley said.  "They are extremely accomplished on the field, but their collective presence in the locker room is amongst the best I've been associated with.  They represent all that we want a Bellarmine Lacrosse player and ultimately a Bellarmine student to be."
 
Higginbotham, a senior goalie from Plano, Texas enters the 2023 season ranked No. 2 on BU's all-time list for saves with 343.  Last season, he appeared in 16 games with 15 starts amassing 155 saves, 18 ground balls and four caused turnovers. He notched four wins and logged 827:42 of playing time in goal.
 
Macdonald, a junior midfielder from Victoria, British Columbia, was named second-team ASUN All-Conference a year ago after ranking fourth on team with 12 caused turnovers.  He also was a solid producer on offense with 17 points on 12 goals and five assists. Macdonald also was named to the ASUN Academic Honor Roll last season.
 
O'Rourk, a senior offensive midfielder from Hilton Head, South Carolina, earned first-team ASUN All-Conference honors last season while also being named to the ASUN Academic Honor Roll.  Last year, he led team in shots (77) while ranking second in assists (12) and shots on goal (40), tied for third in points (29) and fourth in goals (17).
 
Pate, a short stick defensive midfielder from Louisville, appeared in all 17 games a year ago, racking up 21 ground balls and eight caused turnovers.  He was a consistent performer for the Knights, recording at least one ground ball in 11 games and notching at least one caused turnover in six games.
 
"I couldn't be more thrilled to empower this group to direct the Bellarmine Lacrosse vision for the 2023 season," Whitley said. "I look forward to building on our second post season appearance in program history in 2022 and challenging for an ASUN championship this spring."
 
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