UNC freshmen Conor Steidle and Marcus Holman are not only roommates in Chapel Hill, but also teammates on the Tar Heel lacrosse squad. I was able to steal some moments with them last week, and the duo went shot for shot with me, giving us a peek into the lives of two future NCAA stars.
Conor, also known as the Towel Prince of the Northeast, comes out of Malvern Prep, located outside Philadelphia. He was a standout attackman for the Friars, earning an impressive collection of hardware. His 1st-Team All State selection foreshadows success to come, and he's topped the ranks of every high school conference willing to unleash him. His father Ward and uncle Brett Steidle were standouts for UNC when short shorts only highlighted the hey-day of long hair. He carries himself with a cool confidence, and even at 6'3" and 200+, he exudes a calm presence. He's a laxer at first sight; his Nike and T-shirt collection are spanked with brotastic vibes. I think top right may have found its match.
Marcus arrived at UNC as a highly touted blue chip recruit. Inside Lacrosse tabbed him as a top 5 incoming attackman, nothing uncommon for a Gilman School standout, but Marcus is certainly spectacular in his own right. He was a ridiculous athlete at Gilman, harassing the less fortunate on the football, basketball, and lacrosse stages. 1st Team All Metro, 1st Team All Everything, he did everything you'd want to achieve in high school, and did so on the very public Baltimore Prep scene. As he mentions below, his entire family can go low to high, and there's little doubt he will make a name for himself in the ACC and Holman home alike. Marcus works hard and plays at an exciting pace; I would recommend using whatever stick he uses (also below).
90% of Lax: How's the transition to college life? Has it been different from home? Do you guys miss anything in particular from home?
Conor: The transition has been pretty difficult; at home my mom would buy extra soft toilet paper and here at UNC, they buy the "razorblade" brand. I'm almost accustomed to it. The thing I miss the most about home is my dog Griswold (despite our fight, which left me with more scars than my shoulder surgery gave me).
90% of Lax: What happened to the shoulder?
Conor: I tore my labrum halfway through last season and didn't get it checked out until this summer. I know what you're thinking, and yes, I am that tough.
Marcus: The transition has been easy considering I actually live 5 minutes away now. My dad is the volunteer assistant here so I get to see him everyday which is awesome.
90% of Lax: That's an interesting twist to the start of your career. I know it worked out for Danowski and some Tierney duo, but how do you feel about the close-circuited lax circus in the Holman home?
Marcus: Honestly it has been such a relief to go home on Sunday for a load of laundry and a home-cooked meal. And having my dad as a coach has been a dream and we have such a great relationship, so it's working out great.
90% of Lax: You are both far from where you played in high school: why UNC? What other schools were you considering? Keep Reading »