As the men’s lacrosse team gears up for the heart of their season, the focus is on maintaining a strong, cohesive unit with high energy.
A strong team dynamic will be crucial to their success in conference play. At the root of that bond is an admirable trio: Casey Bane, James Proodian and Trace Muylle — the team’s only seniors.
This year’s roster features a majority of underclassmen, with 10 freshmen and 10 sophomores on a roster of 27. Naturally, the three oldest players have stepped into leadership roles.
Defender Casey Bane said that, though the team elected him as captain, he does not view himself that way.
“When you say ‘captain,’ you’re like, ‘Oh, we feel like you’re a leader on the team,’” he said. “But I don’t know if I really feel like that. I think my role on the team is just to show up every day, give my best, and be a consistent presence.”
Bane spoke highly of his teammates, noting their willingness to put in extra work to improve. He said that they will be the part he will miss most about the sport.
“I think the relationship side of (lacrosse) is definitely going to be the heavy hitter after I leave,” he said.
Bane’s teammate James Proodian echoed this sentiment. He values the team culture, their shared goals and the alignment of their morals. More specifically, Proodian highlighted the roles of his fellow seniors Bane and Muylle.
“Specifically for Trace and Casey, I admire their commitment and persistence,” Proodian said. “They saw the team when it was not in a good state, and yet they decided to stick around to see it, probably at its best state it’s ever been in. And I really admire their tenacity not to quit and to see where it really could have gone.”
Proodian’s college lacrosse career has been far from ordinary. After missing his freshman season due to an ACL tear, his sophomore season was cut short with a second ACL injury, followed by another setback his junior year.
Now, he is unable to play his final season as a Trojan.
“It’s like these constant reminders that I’m not a lacrosse player, right? I’m a child of God,” he said. “Lacrosse is kind of a vehicle to bring me to where I am today. And I like to think of it that way,”
Nonetheless, his college experience has been extremely valuable because he has met the people he will know for the rest of his life. All three seniors agree that the team culture has significantly evolved since their freshman year.
Long-stick midfielder Trace Muylle reflected on this transformation, noting the shift from a challenging first year to a culture centered on honoring Christ—a shift he considers a highlight.
As the team atmosphere has changed, Muylle has stepped into a leadership role along with fellow upperclassmen.
“It seems like the underclassmen really drive the team culture with their energy,” Muylle said. “Given that we have very few upperclassmen, we kind of let them (the underclassmen) drive it and then we kind of just bring them back on the path to make sure they’re channeling that energy and passion into the right spots.”
Bane, Proodian and Muylle each have a strong presence on the team, playing significant roles in its success so far this season. Their leadership both on and off the field has helped shape a team that is not only competitive but also deeply connected by a shared sense of purpose.
For the final time, the three seniors will lead a Taylor team through a challenging Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference schedule full of ranked teams, with Christ at their core.
