Maryland men’s lacrosse’s Louis Dubick took advantage of his long-awaited moment vs. Towson

For Louis Dubick, the saying “patience is a virtue” has never been truer.

After a prolific career at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Maryland, where Dubick set state records for points (506), goals (254) and assists (252), he had to start at the bottom of the totem pole in College Park. Joining an attack group with the likes of Matt Rambo, Colin Heacock and Dylan Maltz in 2016, Dubick took the opportunities he got as an extra-man specialist.

It was on the extra-man unit that Dubick would remain for the next two years as well, totaling just 13 goals during his first three seasons as a Terp. But with an opening at starting attack entering the 2019 season, head coach John Tillman opted for Dubick, who had started just one game in his career at Maryland.

“We have a place here where we have a lot of talented players, so being patient is not easy for competitive athletes,” Tillman said. “He never makes it about him, it’s always about the team.”

Dubick has rewarded Tillman for his decision, entering the NCAA Tournament with 27 goals and five assists, good for the fifth-most points on the team with 32. A starter in all 16 games this season, he’s become a staple of Maryland’s offense and a threat to score whenever the ball finds his crosse.

Although not one of the team’s more talented dodgers, Dubick has thrived playing off the ball. He’s found success on cuts to the net all season, a role he wasn’t necessarily accustomed to until coming to Maryland.

“Coming in here from high school, it wasn’t really my game playing inside,” Dubick said in April. “You kind of have to pick your spots and find where you’re best at and where you fit in, and you also have to be mature enough to see the guys around you. ... It’s something I’ve gotten used to this year, and it’s something I’ve kind of worked on the last couple of years, but I’m just enjoying it and having fun with it.”

His teammates have taken notice as well, citing the extra work Dubick has put in behind the scenes as the cause for his breakout season.

“I think the biggest thing is his leadership, on and off the field,” junior Tewaaraton finalist Jared Bernhardt said. “It’s also his hard work, staying after practice and working on shots.”

But Dubick is also playing for more than himself. His father, Marc, and his grandfather, Harry, are both Maryland lacrosse alumni, making Louis a third-generation Terp. With the Dubicks having been around the program for so long, the active heir knows how much his play means to those who came before him.

“It’s pretty special, to be honest,” Dubick said. “You come here growing up as a little kid, you come to all these games, you see guys like coach Jesse [Bernhardt] play and now he’s our coach here, you see guys like Joe Walters play and all those great players and next thing you know you’re playing on that field. It’s been a part of my identity growing up.”

His ability to move off the ball culminated in the game-winning goal in Sunday’s NCAA Tournament game against Towson, when the Terps snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Dubick had been waiting for his moment for the previous four years, and reflecting back on his time leading up to it has made him appreciate the grind.

“I think it just has to do with patience, being around this program for four years now you see a lot of things happen, good and bad,” Dubick said. “Just staying patient, knowing you have to come into work every day and be ready to grind and work hard and prepare and just try to do all the little things right and hopefully you get an opportunity, which I’ve been lucky enough to have this year.”

“I’m thankful to all my coaches and my teammates for giving me the opportunity and trusting me, and I’ve just been trying to pay them back all year.”