Last spring, Notre Dame men’s lacrosse All-American attacker Pat Kavanagh signed an NIL partnership with CityLax, a New York City-based nonprofit organization that focuses on introducing and expanding lacrosse into underserved areas in the New York City region.
According to the press release, Pat’s ground balls for New York City (#GBsforNYC) campaign raised nearly $8,000 last year for CityLax to provide equipment and other resources to the nearly 3,000 students participating on lacrosse teams in New York City public schools.
CityLax announced Friday that Pat will return as a CityLax ambassador in 2024, and that his brother Chris, a fellow All-American attacker for the Irish, will join him as an ambassador this time around.
In addition to the Kavanagh brothers — who grew up in the Long Island area — serving as ambassadors, the press release announced the return of last season’s successful #GBsforNYC campaign. In 2023, Pat pledged to donate $10 dollars for each of the 43 ground balls he picked up during the season en route to Notre Dame’s first-ever national championship.
This season, CityLax is aiming even higher, as both Pat and Chris will donate $10 for every ground ball and are “encouraging lacrosse fans from all over to join them by matching their donations.” Through Notre Dame’s first two games of the season, the duo has combined to pick up four ground balls and will look to continue raising that tally as the Irish seek a second consecutive national title. Last year, the Kavanaghs secured a combined 81 ground balls.
Since its founding in 2005, CityLax has “use[d] lacrosse to attract middle school and high school students and allow them to see a brighter future for themselves,” according to its website, and the organization’s partnership with the Kavanaghs has made a significant impact on its ability to continue doing so.
Per the release, “there will be nearly 70 teams representing New York City public schools this spring thanks to CityLax and its supporters such as Pat and Chris Kavanagh.”
The Kavanaghs’ next chance to add to their ground ball totals will come on Sunday afternoon in South Bend, when the No. 1 Irish look to improve to 3-0 as they play host to No. 19 Georgetown at Arlotta Stadium at 2 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU. The brothers have led the way offensively during Notre Dame’s strong start to the season and are currently tied for the team lead with 12 points each.
Lacrosse fans are encouraged to help support the cause by matching Pat and Chris’s donations to CityLax, either “on a game-by-game basis or [by] wait[ing] until the end of the season and mak[ing] one donation to match the Kavanaghs’ total.”
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