Towson men’s lacrosse senior attackman Brody McLean recently talked with PressBox about growing up playing lacrosse in his native Canada, who he looked up to when he first got to Towson and more. McLean, a native of Bolton, Ontario, scored 39 goals in 2019.
PressBox: How did you become interested in lacrosse?
Brody McLean: When I was younger growing up in Canada, obviously hockey’s the main sport. You kind of need something to do in the offseason. Eventually over the years lacrosse just turned into my passion. I decided to stick with that.
PB: When did you start playing hockey and when did the transition to lacrosse take place?
BM: I started both when I was about 3.5. [I transitioned to lacrosse full time] when I was about 14. Honestly, I just had more fun playing that than hockey. I was playing both at a pretty high level, so it’s kind of time to pick one once you get too busy.
PB: Why did you transfer from Stony Brook to Towson?
BM: I transferred out of there after my freshman season. I kind of just met with the coaches, just meeting with [head coach Shawn Nadelen], you kind of have that feeling that you want to play for this guy. That was a big thing for me, just feeling comfortable with the coaching staff. That’s why I decided to come here.
PB: What are some of your favorite memories at Towson so far?
BM: Definitely last year, the CAA championship. That was a big one for us, just kind of that group of guys, we just had a really good bond. It was good to get a championship out of it.
PB: What are some of your long-term goals for after lacrosse?
BM: I’m looking to be a wildland firefighter, actually. I’m going to try to get some experience with that after I graduate. I’ll probably end up moving back home and go out West and do that. That’s pretty much where I’m at right now.
PB: Do you have anyone in your family who’s in that field? Where’d that passion come from?
BM: My uncle, [Gary, is] actually a chief back home, and he used to be a firefighter. Just kind of hearing about that when I was younger and then thinking about what I wanted to do after, I kind of just had this idea that I wanted to help people and kind of led me to wildland firefighting. It just seemed like a good choice.
PB: What’s your favorite thing about Towson, both the school and the town?
BM: It’s a good spot. It’s not like a huge city or anything, but you kind of have that city feel at the same time, and I’m just a big fan of the campus. The school part, the academics part is all in one area. Sports is a separate area. You just kind of have this closeness, which is always good.
PB: Who’s your best friend on the team and what’s a story that underscores the friendship you have on and off the field?
BM: I’ve got a few, but definitely a couple of my roommates — James Avanzato, who transferred in this year, we’re pretty close. He’s a good guy. We’re playing attack together. On the field, we kind of developed that chemistry and in the house. And then Jake Stout’s been one of my boys for the last few years. I don’t know, we just sort of have the same sense of humor. We kind of understand each other. It’s just a good connection.
PB: Who were some of the lacrosse players at Towson you looked up to when you first transferred in?
BM: Definitely Ryan Drenner I would say is the big one. That was kind of the guy I knew coming in watching that Final Four run [in 2017]. Obviously I was in college already. You kind of look at who they’re going to have to replace and where am I going to fit into the offense and stuff. I saw a big-time player like Drenner and thought, “That’s someone I look up to. That’s someone I want to be like.”
PB: Who was the biggest influence on your game growing up?
BM: Colin Doyle. He’s a box guy back home, played pro in Toronto so I grew up watching him. Definitely had a big impact on my life.
PB: What advice would you give to young players?
BM: Honestly, just work hard. There’s little things you can do. It sounds cliché, but playing wall ball all the time is going to help you so much in the long run.
Photo Credit: ENP Photography/Towson Athletics