Doug Shanahan, a Sachem alum from 1997, and arguably one of the greatest lacrosse players in the history of the game, will be inducted to Hofstra’s Athletic Hall of Fame in April 2013, according to a release from the university.
Shanahan, who won the inaugural Tewaaraton Award as the nation’s top lacrosse player and has his No. 26 retired at Hofstra and Sachem, is one of seven individuals representing eight sports for this year’s induction. There will be a luncheon at Hofstra’s University Club on Saturday, April 13 to honor Shanahan and the six other inductees. The inductees will also be recognized during halftime of that night’s men’s lacrosse game against the University of North Carolina.
“It is with great pleasure that we announce the Hofstra Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2013,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeffrey A. Hathaway, in a statement. “The seven individuals and two teams embody Hofstra Pride and further enhance an already-impressive Hall of Fame membership. The accomplishments of this group is something that all current and future Hofstra student-athletes should strive to emulate, as they truly represent Hofstra’s best of the best.”
At Sachem and Hofstra Shanahan was a two-sport athlete, staring in football and lacrosse. He was a captain and quarterback/defensive back on the football team and led the Flaming Arrows to a 9-1 finish as a senior. Their only loss was a county final defeat to neighboring rival, Patchogue-Medford.
“Dougie was a stallion,” said longtime Sachem football coach Fred Fusaro. “He was a very high strung kid and very competitive. He was our guy.”
An All-American in lacrosse as a senior in 1997, Shanahan was recruited to play at Georgetown, Delaware, Hobart and Hofstra, where he settled in close to home.
In college he was awarded the Tewaaraton Trophy and won the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award as the best Division I player in the country. If that wasn’t enough, he was honored with the McLaughlin Award as the nation’s best midfielder the same year.
“When you play with wise men you get wiser and Doug was certainly a wise man and he made everyone around him pick up their game,” said former Sachem lacrosse coach Rick Mercurio.
On the football field at Hofstra, Shanahan initially intended on playing quarterback, but he didn’t see eye-to-eye with offensive coordinator Rob Spence, who has since served in the same position at Clemson and Syracuse. So it was on to the safety position once again. That was fine for Shanahan, who enjoyed a good challenge.
His fondest playing memory came in 2000 against Montana, who was ranked No. 1 in Division IAA at the time. He blocked the extra point on a point-after attempt when Hofstra was losing 9-7. A penalty was called on the play, Montana re-kicked and Shanahan blocked it again. Hofstra had a drive later in that fourth quarter, kicked a field goal and won, 10-9. He led Hofstra with seven interceptions in 2000 (had 15 for his career), the same year he was selected by The Sports Network and The Football Gazette to its first teams, and by The Associated Press to their third team.
The most strenuous, yet exciting, time of his athletic career came in 2002 when he tried out for the New York Jets and came very close to making the club. He was the last defensive back cut on the last day of training camp. The Jets drafted Jon McGraw out of Kansas State in the second round and had high-pick money invested in him. McGraw lasted until 2005 with the Jets and was traded to Kansas City for a seventh round pick in 2006.
Shanahan received a call from Indianapolis prior to the draft, which saw nine Pro Bowlers selected in the first round, including the former New York Giant Jeremy Shockey, but nothing ever came of it. So Shanahan signed with the Jets, who housed their practice facilities at Hofstra, which was no strange site for him to perform his best. He played in preseason games against the Giants, Baltimore and Pittsburgh and put forth a valiant effort.
Shanahan was selected first overall in the 2002 MLL Draft by the Bridgeport Barrage. He won a title with them in 2004 (they moved to Philadelphia by then) and played there until 2006. He had a small stint with the New York Saints of the National Lacrosse League and was MVP of the 2002 World Championships where Team USA won the gold medal.
The Chicago Machine selected him in the 2006 MLL Expansion Draft with the fourth overall pick and he was there until 2009 when he was picked up by the Long Island Lizards.
Hofstra’s hall of fame class also includes Norman Richardson, who played in the NBA, and Lance Schulters, who played in the NFL.
Shanahan’s older brother Dave, a Sachem alum from the Class of 1987, and the head football coach at Elwood/John Glenn, is a member of the C.W. Post Athletics Hall of Fame for football.
Key notes from his Hofstra career
- Shanahan scored 95 goals and 44 assists during his career, ranking ninth and 12th, respectively, on Hofstra’s all-time lists. He also scooped up a school record 450 ground balls.
- On the gridiron, Shanahan posted 279 tackles and 13 interceptions from his free safety position. He returned five interceptions and fumble recoveries for touchdowns and earned All-America honors in 2000 and 2001.
- He was a part of six NCAA Tournaments during his tenure, three in football and three in lacrosse including a quarterfinals appearance in 2001.
Class of 2013 Hofstra HOF Inductees
- Lena Malinowski, volleyball
- Kathleen Durnski (Mikowski), soccer/lacrosse
- Greg Polli, baseball
- Norman Richardson, basketball
- Lance Schulters, football
- Doug Shanahan, football/lacrosse
- Alicia Smith, softball
- The 1959-60 Men’s Basketball Team
- The 1981-82 Women’s Basketball Team
-Words by Chris R. Vaccaro