......Fagan was an elite soccer player from Northern Ireland. He was working towards the Olympics and a professional soccer career someday. But he changed his priorities, and chose to focus on school. He came to ND for the academcis and then signed on to being one of the Leprechauns (there are more than one because there are many games to cover - in case you didn't know that).
Conal was asked to play with the varsity ND mens soccer team which is a perrenial top NCAA D1 power program, and I was told that he could have played for them if he wanted to do so, but after a few months on what must have been a very tight schedule, he decided to hang up the cleats and focus fully on school.
I was introduced to him once - very personable - and when I heard that the ND mascot had made an amazing kick, i knew immediately who it had to be.
PS - students from the smallest dorm on campus (St. Edwards Hall) refer to it as "Steds" and to themselves as "Stedsmen".
Link: https://und.com/conal-fagan-home-away-from-home/
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What an incredible storyline that would be for ESPN.
I grew up around elite D1 soccer, and great players from the Brish Isles is far superior to American players.
......my knowledge on his tryout is very limited, but I had heard that he easily would have been one of our best players.....but again, I only heard that second hand.