NORTHFIELD, Vt. – On June 25, 2020, the New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse (MLL) announced the addition of Norwich men's lacrosse alumnus Andrew Bracy '15 to the team's active roster as a face-off specialist.
Bracy will be wearing a familiar number as he will don #31, the very same jersey number he wore for the Maroon and Gold during a phenomenal four-year career as a Cadet. He will be one of three players on the roster hailing from an NCAA Division III program joining teammates Joey Panariello (SUNY Cortland) and Rock Stewart (Williams).
One of the greatest faceoff specialists in Norwich men's lacrosse history, Bracy makes his return to the MLL after playing for the Ohio Machine during the 2018 season where he saw limited action appearing in just one game.
Bracy appeared in 62 games and started 32 for the Cadets in his four-year career, retiring with his name littered across the all-time faceoff record book through the program's rich history. In his senior season, he posted a .743 faceoff winning percentage becoming the NCAA Division III statistical face-off champion in 2015, a mark that currently ranks 14th all-time in the NCAA Division III record books. The standard Bracy set remains as the highest single-season faceoff winning percentage in NU program history and his .669 career percentage is the third-highest of all-time just behind Nate Fortezzo '13 (.683) and Joseph Santangelo '19 (.674).
Along with those two marks, Bracy ranks in the top-ten multiple times in single-season totals for faceoff wins and winning percentage, and his name adorns the top-ten list for career totals in ground balls and face-off wins.
Bracy was a two-time All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) selection and was named to the 2015 GNAC All-Tournament team. He also received NEILA Academic All-Region honors and was selected for the NEILA East/West All-Star Game in his senior year.
In his four years in Northfield, Bracy and the Cadets made it to at least the conference semifinals each season and took home the title in 2013, the program's first conference championship.
Bracy remains the lone Cadet to have played under Norwich Head Coach Neal Anderson and Associate Head Coach Nick Fischer and play professionally.
"What makes Andrew different is his work ethic," revealed Fischer. "He has sacrificed a lot in order to focus on becoming better. He is one of the hardest workers we have ever had and he is always working to improve and develop. We are incredibly proud of his accomplishment."
To support his dream of playing professionally, Bracy coaches the game he loves having returned to Norwich in 2019 as an assistant coach to the men's and women's lacrosse teams as well as the women's soccer team. He also has spent three years as a volunteer assistant coach with the University of Vermont men's lacrosse program.
Bracy is excited to continue his professional career with the Lizards and realizes the community effort that played a part in him reaching his goal.
“It's an honor to be able to represent Norwich University and our athletics department in Major League Lacrosse. I've got a lot of people to thank for this opportunity, particularly Coach Anderson and Coach Fischer for their profound and incredible mentorship over the years. I would also like to thank Coach Faasse for her amazing support and leadership since my hiring this past August. Lastly, to the players on both lacrosse teams in addition to our women's soccer players. These guys keep me inspired each and every day with the hard work, dedication, and grit they bring to our athletics programs on a regular basis.”
