PressBox recently chatted with Mount St. Mary’s men’s lacrosse senior Brian Bradley about playing on the same team as his brother, the art of the ground ball and more. The 6-foot, 185-pound midfielder picked up 21 ground balls and caused five turnovers in 2024. Bradley is a native of Garnet Valley, Pa., and graduate of Garnet Valley High School.
PressBox: How did you first become interested in lacrosse?
Brian Bradley: I became interested in lacrosse because my two older brothers got into it at a young age. I’m in a very lacrosse-heavy family. We were always around it growing up, so once they got into it, it became easy for me to jump right in, too, at a young age.
PB: Who was the biggest influence on your game growing up?
BB: My biggest influence was Matt Moore growing up. He went to my high school. He is a little bit older than me, but he’s in the PLL now, had a great career at Virginia. I would constantly train with him growing up. He was a big influence on me getting better.
PB: Why did you choose to go to the Mount?
BB: My two older brothers actually came here. My one brother Dan was a junior when I committed here, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to come play with him for three years because he had a fifth year of eligibility. It was a no-brainer for me and I’m glad I did it.
PB: What was it like playing with your brother?
BB: It was amazing. I have one distinct memory of me feeding him on a fast break and he finishes with a goal, so that was incredible. It was awesome to share the field with him.
PB: What’s the process been like to contribute the way you did as a junior?
BB: As the years go on, you learn more and more. The game starts to slow down in your head and you’re able to just play freely out there. My freshman year I got a good amount of exposure on the field and then sophomore year … I got hurt. I was out for the whole year after like the fourth game, junior year I played and [now] senior year, ready to have a big year.
PB: What’s the art of picking up a ground ball? How did you become good at it?
BB: [Head coach Chris Ryan] always puts us through ground ball drills, so I just tend to focus on the fundamentals of putting my two gloves to the ground and being gritty and being the bigger dog, I guess you can say, and picking up that ground ball. I always tend to do stuff on my own, too, as well.
PB: Why did you choose to stick around after Ryan took over ahead of the 2023 season?
BB: I committed here for four years, so when the coaching staff happened, I stuck to my promise and so did all the seniors. If I commit to something, I stick to it. I’m glad I did it. I’m looking forward to having a big year this year.
PB: What’s your favorite thing about Emmitsburg?
BB: Probably just the small-town vibe. You know everyone in the town, so it’s cool to see everyone around.
PB: Who is your best friend on the team and what’s a story that underscores your friendship?
BB: I don’t know if I have a particular one, but it would probably be Nathanael Merchant. He’s been a d-middie with me since freshman year, so we’ve always been together on the ride. It’s been great to share this experience with him.
PB: Who was a player you looked up to when you first got to the Mount?
BB: It has to be Noah Daniels. He was a senior when I was a freshman. He was a dog on the field. I don’t know how he did half the things he did on the field. He was incredible. He was also my roommate my freshman year. He went on to play at Rutgers and he was an All-American there for his fifth year. He was just an incredible player here.
PB: What advice do you have for younger players going through the recruiting process?
BB: I would say take your options. Explore the different routes that you have. Go check out the campus, see if it fits you, see if you can truly see yourself in this program. Actually talk to the players one-on-one to get a real sense of what it is to be a Division I student-athlete at that school.
PB: What are your goals for after lacrosse?
BB: My goal for after lacrosse is to work in finance and then take it from there. I’m not looking too far ahead, but work in finance and move back home for a little bit.
Photo Credit: Tyler Kraft
Issue 291: February / March 2025
Originally published Feb. 19, 2025