LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The lacrosse Knights are set to honor the winningest senior class in program history ahead of Saturday's matchup with Detroit Mercy at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium. Career Appreciation Day ceremonies for the 15 players are set to begin at 11:30 a.m. ET ahead of opening faceoff at 12 p.m. ET.
 
"We are excited to celebrate our seniors and fifth-years as they play their final home game on Saturday," said Bellarmine head coach Andrew Whitley. "The class of 2024 is a transcendent group of people and players."
 
The graduating group for Bellarmine (9-5, 5-2 ASUN) includes: attackmen Christian Della Rocco, Benny O'Rourk and Kyle Playsted; midfielders Pat Anderson, Jack Cunningham, Jackson Hammersley, Josh Healy, Denton Macdonald, Wilson Murphree, Tayo Oladunmoye, Harrison Pate and Lukas Sinon; defensemen Tommy Fialkowski and Max Coopman; and goalie JC Higginbotham. Manager Celeste McFarren will also be recognized.
 
The class has led an impressive transformation of the Bellarmine lacrosse program, winning 29 games since the start of the 2021 season, with two regular season games and at least one ASUN Championship game remaining.
 
"If we are able to win on Saturday, this will be the first class of Bellarmine lacrosse players to graduate with 30 Division I wins," Whitley said. "This group has changed the program in so many ways."
 
That win total is even more eyepopping when mentioning the fact that 20 (and counting) of their 29 wins have come in the past two seasons. The seniors helped turn a team that won five games in 2021 and four games in 2022 into a record-setting 11-win team in 2023. The 2024 team now has a chance to match and pass that total.
 
"The names of the guys who are concluding their career are imprinted all over the Bellarmine Lacrosse record book," Whitley said. "They have qualified for the conference tournament in three consecutive years and won the program's first postseason game, which is an unprecedented level of success for this program."
 
Perhaps the name most imprinted all over the record book is that of Playsted. The Calgary native will look to add on to his program-record 211 points in his final three-plus games as a Knight. Playsted has accumulated 50 points this season on 26 goals and 24 assists, currently good for the sixth-highest single-season total in Knights history. He owns BU's single-season record of 79 points in 2023 and is the program's all-time goals (107) and assists (104) leader.
 
O'Rourk is another prominent name taking the field at Frazier for the final time Saturday. He has posted multiple goals in each of his last five appearances and is still riding his 36-game scoring streak. He is second on the team with 27 goals this season behind sophomore sensation John Alie's ASUN-leading 39. His career total of 104 goals is second to Playsted.
 
Absent from competition, but on the sideline will be Higginbotham, the Knights' trusted goalie for the past five seasons. Bellarmine's all-time saves (664) and goalkeeper wins (25) leader suffered a season-ending injury against Robert Morris, cutting short his final season in the scarlet and grey. His encouragement will instead help Jack Bryant, a true freshman, who has taken the reins and will remain in-cage for the Knights after earning the first two wins of his career last week while posting a .595 save percentage.
 
Like Higginbotham, Pate and Sinon also recently suffered season-ending injuries and will provide their support from the sideline.
 
Ultimately, this class's legacy extends far beyond the field and into the community. It is their effort in helping others which sets them apart from their predecessors, having raised over $10,000 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation and The Headstrong Foundation.
 
"It is a group of people Bellarmine University will be proud to call its alumni," Whitley added.
 
Bellarmine clinched a spot in the ASUN Championship with their 14-9 win over Cleveland State on Saturday and will now play for seeding. BU is currently alone in fourth place and is still alive for a top-two seed, though it appears unlikely. The top two seeds receive a first-round bye.
 
Detroit Mercy (2-9, 2-5 ASUN) comes in having lost consecutive games against Jacksonville and Air Force, the top two teams in the ASUN. The Titans are clinging to their hopes of making the ASUN Championship field as they sit one game back of the final spot with two games to play.
 
"We are going to have to lock in mentally and play disciplined lacrosse to come out with a win versus Detroit Mercy," said Whitley. "Drew Kessenich and Luke Majick are dynamic offensive threats who are capable of taking over a game."
 
Majick leads the Titans with 29 points on 17 goals and 12 assists, while Kessenich is second with 25 points on 14 goals and 11 assists.
 
"UDM has shown an ability to stay in games, especially in conference play, and they are fighting for their conference lives on Saturday," Whitley added. "Any time you are playing an opponent who has their backs against the wall as they do, you can expect an A-plus effort and we will have to play well to come out with a win."
 
The Knights are 9-5 all-time against Detroit Mercy and have won two straight since snapping a four-game skid against them in 2022. The Knights dismantled the Titans 18-3 last April in the Motor City. Della Rocco scored five times and added an assist while Playsted and Jesse Roth each scored three times and handed out an assist. The Titans were only able to fire 10 shots on goal.
 
"Saturday will be an exciting day for our program and our players want to send our seniors out with a W in their final home contest," Whitley concluded.
 
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