A Family’s Hat Trick in Lacrosse

As the state’s all-time high school leader in goals, points and assists, lacrosse phenom Louis Dubick ’19 was wooed by the likes of Johns Hopkins and North Carolina. But their recruiting pitches, no matter how enticing, couldn’t compete with a nudge from his grandfather, Harry Dubick ’51.

“He pretty much said, ‘I’m so happy that you’re getting all these looks and offers, but we really want you to go to Maryland,’” Dubick says.

“We” referred to the 10 members of the extended Dubick clan to attend Maryland. Louis is the third generation of his family to play lacrosse at the university: His father, Marc ’83, was a three-year letter winner who was part of the 1983 Final Four team. Harry was recruited to play football, but opted for a bigger role on the lacrosse team.

Back then, the eldest Dubick donned bulky, welder-like gloves to compete in the old stadium on what’s now Fraternity Row. Harry still has a place in the Terps’ locker room, where Louis uses a locker where his grandfather’s name is emblazoned as a team sponsor (above, second from left).

College coaches had been salivating over Louis since his freshman year in high school. He went on to lead Winston Churchill High in Montgomery County to the state semifinals twice and the finals his senior year and was twice named to The Washington Post’s All-Metro first team.

“He’s got some natural gifts, in terms of his athleticism and quickness,” head coach John Tillman says, “but a lot of his success comes from who he is and how he does things.”

Maryland has consistently ranked among the nation’s best teams, reaching the NCAA championship game four times in Tillman’s six years, including the past two. Despite an extremely talented roster, Dubick received ample playing time as a freshman and notched five goals and two assists.

He says he doesn’t feel any pressure to uphold the Dubick name. He’s more interested in sharing his pride in the program’s tradition with his teammates.

“I really appreciate being at Maryland because I’ve been around the program so long,” Dubick says. “I can truly understand how much this program means to people, to the state of Maryland, and to the guys that have come here before.”

Harry Dubick died in 2014, but the rest of Louis’ family, unsurprisingly, are fixtures at Maryland Stadium on Saturdays in the spring.

“As a father, you want your child to be successful and happy, but to be able to come and watch him perform for the school that we care so much about … it’s a great thing,” Marc Dubick says.