Loyola’s Pat Spencer, winner of college lacrosse’s biggest award, will switch sports and schools to play hoops at Northwestern.
Pat Spencer is not your prototypical college athlete. He didn’t redshirt, didn’t have to sit behind underclassmen and wait, and doesn’t play just one sport. He started in one sport at the D1 level–lacrosse at Loyola–and, now, he could be a starter in another, basketball, at Northwestern.
Courtesy: NU Athletics
So let’s give Spencer the respect he deserves!
Why? Well, look at Kyler Murray, who played and excelled at two sports–football and baseball–and got PLENTY of press for doing both. Spencer, on the other hand, is getting very little attention.
That’s sad!
On the lacrosse field, Spencer was a model player. He started immediately as a freshman and quickly became the unquestioned leader of his team. He would go on to be a multi-year All-America, consistently taking his team deep into the postseason.
And he evolved, too. A pure passer as a frosh, Spencer became a complete player by the time he was a senior–recognized as the best player in the game, too, winning college lacrosse’s Heisman, The Tewaaraton Award.
This week, Spencer announced that he’ll be heading to Northwestern as a grad transfer, where he’s expected to be (at the very least) in the playing rotation next year. No newcomer to hoops, Spencer averaged nearly 15 points a game in high school at Boys Latin (Md).
Don’t underestimate the magnitude of Spencer’s decision, either. Spencer was drafted 1st overall in the Premier Lacrosse League collegiate draft. But he’s gambling that a good showing at NU will give him a shot at the NBA or (at the very least) an opportunity to play pro ball overseas.
No matter what happens going forward, though, Spencer should be remembered as an exceptional athlete and leader.
If you didn’t know Pat Spencer before, then you know him now. He richly deserves to have his name in the conversation about being one of great multi-sport college stars.
Move over, Kyler Murray and make way for Pat Spencer!
