Quintin Arnett provides a local presence for the Marquette University men鈥檚 lacrosse team
MILWAUKEE (BVM) — Junior defensemen Quintin Arnett provides a local presence to the Marquette聽 men鈥檚 lacrosse team.聽
In lacrosse, the East coast has always dominated player production. Athletes from hotbeds like Maryland and Long Island fill up Division I rosters across the country. As for the Marquette men鈥檚 lacrosse team, they found a member just twenty minutes away from Milwaukee in junior defenseman Quintin Arnett.聽
Arnett grew up in the nearby city of Waukesha, just 20 minutes away from the Marquette campus. Arnett attended Arrowhead High School where he lettered in both football and lacrosse. He grew up playing lacrosse after he was introduced to the sport in 7th grade by his older brother Ethan, who went on to play lacrosse at the University of Indianapolis. Back then being a kid playing lacrosse was not like playing other sports.
鈥淚t was different than you may expect,鈥� Arnett said. 鈥淓veryone around me didn’t really understand what the sport was at a young age and that was tough. But during high school the sport gained some popularity鈥�.聽
Though lacrosse is not yet a state sanctioned sport, Arrowhead fields a club team that competes within the Wisconsin Lacrosse League. But colleges do not recruit through Wisconsin high school leagues.聽 For that reason, Arnett found his club travel team Amplify Lacrosse to be the most influential.聽
鈥淗igh school lacrosse was fun, but to get college looks you have to go to the East coast. There鈥檚 no way around it and Amplify helped me with that,鈥� Arnett said.聽
Little did Arnett know, he would end up just one town over playing for coach Joe Amplo and the Golden Eagles.
鈥淚 remember talking with my club team coach about it and I was already pretty close with the Marquette coaching staff from camps and stuff,鈥� Arnett said. 鈥淚 honestly had no interest in Marquette at first but once I went on my first visit it was a no-brainer.鈥澛�
Being the first Wisconsin native on the roster has provided a pathway for other local recruits as players from nearby states and cities announce their verbal commitment to play for Marquette. Arnett sees this as progress for Midwest lacrosse as a whole and he鈥檚 used his story to give back to the sport.聽
鈥淚 remember being told it was a dumb idea to try to play lacrosse in college,鈥� Arnett said. 鈥淵ou know everyone thinks it鈥檚 only the east coast kids but I thought differently. When coaching these kids I see myself and I want to use my platform to give them some hope. I mean why shouldn’t they?鈥澛�
Arnett is going into his senior year with the Golden Eagles as they look to capture their third Big East Conference Championship. His journey to get where he is today may not have been orthodox but he wants others to see it鈥檚 possible.聽
