The University of Notre Dame has received a gift to endow a men’s lacrosse assistant coach position. The gift was made by a former Notre Dame men’s lacrosse student-athlete and his family. The endowed position will be named the Corrigan Family Men’s Lacrosse Assistant Coach in honor of Gene and Lena Corrigan, the parents of head coach Kevin Corrigan.
“Coach Corrigan and his family’s imprints are all over the University, and especially Athletics. For one of his former student-athletes to give this gift speaks volumes of their impact,” said University Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua. “We are incredibly grateful for them to give back to the program in such a substantial way. Their generosity will have an immediate impact on the men’s lacrosse program and will support these student-athletes and coaches for years to come.”
Ryder Garnsey will hold the title of Corrigan Family Men’s Lacrosse Assistant Coach. Garnsey is a 2020 Notre Dame graduate who was a standout attackman on the Fighting Irish men’s lacrosse team. He currently is in his fifth season on the Notre Dame coaching staff. The endowment will help underwrite the salary of the position, provide stability and resources for the long term, and create funds for use within the athletics department.
“Coach Corrigan’s mission for the last 37 years has been to provide the single best experience in college athletics,” said Garnsey. “There are hundreds of Notre Dame Men’s Lacrosse alumni who have benefitted from our program, myself included, and this incredible gift allows us and myself personally the opportunity to continue to try and deliver on that mission.”
The Corrigan family has been strongly connected to Notre Dame for over four decades, beginning with Gene’s tenure as director of athletics from 1981-87. Kevin has been at the helm of the Fighting Irish men’s lacrosse program since 1988. He has amassed over 350 wins in his 36-plus years on the Notre Dame sideline, and elevated the Fighting Irish into one of the nation’s premier programs. Corrigan has led Notre Dame to the NCAA tournament’s Championship Weekend seven times, including six times since 2010. That incredible and consistent success culminated in back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024.
Kevin’s brother Boo ‘90 was an associate athletics director from 2004-08. Their brother Tim ‘86 was a member of the men’s lacrosse team from 1984-86. Kevin’s other brothers, David and Brian, served as assistant coaches under former Fighting Irish men’s lacrosse head coach Rich O’Leary in the 1980s.
Five of Gene and Lena’s grandchildren attended Notre Dame, including three who played lacrosse. Kevin’s son, Will ‘15, played for his father, while Lena ’07 and Maggie ’10 Zentgraf competed for the Fighting Irish women’s lacrosse team. Two other grandchildren, Jack ’17 and Finley ’23, graduated from the University.
Gene Corrigan departed Notre Dame in 1987 for a ten-year stint as commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference. He also was president of the NCAA from 1987-97. Corrigan passed away in January of 2020.
“This incredibly generous donation will allow Notre Dame Lacrosse and our staff to continue to compete at the highest level,” said Corrigan. “This selfless gift reflects the values that my parents worked every day to instill in our family and in the communities they were part of. It is so gratifying to see them honored and to preserve their memory at Notre Dame in this way.”
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