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Kevin Higgins |
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One of four players to captain squad in 1999...primary short-stick defensive middie...will once again handle all of Notre Dame's faceoff duties...team's top ground ball leader...experienced defensive player with a strong sense of the game...clears the ball extremely well and has a good understanding of game...has become a more aggressive and confident player with the ball...knows how to create defensive possessions into offensive opportunities.
AS A JUNIOR: Notre Dame faceoff leader in 1999 as he took 258 of a possible 315 faceoffs and owned a .530 winning percentage (won 133)...led team with a single-season career best of 83 ground balls...also dished off three assists in '99...recorded first assist of the season against Denver on John Flandina's first collegiate goal...assisted on goals by David Ulrich and Chris Dusseau in 15-7 win over Army...tied his career high with 12 ground balls against Hofstra...had eight ground balls against Air Force and in first round NCAA tournament game versus Georgetown.
AS A SOPHOMORE: Played in all 12 games while handling most of Notre Dame's faceoff duties in '98...led the Irish with 79 ground balls...also dished off two assists on the season...collected a career-high 12 ground balls in both the Denver and Air Force contests...dished off his first career assist in the Denver game, feeding Chris Dusseau on his second goal of the game...also had an assist to Connor Pett in the final game in Notre Dame's upset of ninth-ranked Hofstra on a goal which put the Irish up 6-2...had nine ground balls in the season opener against Penn State and eight versus the Flying Dutchmen.
AS A FRESHMAN: Played in all 12 games in 1997...one of three first-year players to see action in every contest during the 1997 season...had a goal and 17 ground balls during the season... netted his first collegiate goal against Ohio State in final regular-season game...netted third-quarter goal with 1:26 remaining off a Stedman Oakey assist.
PREP AND PERSONAL DATA: Was a member of '95 Wilton High School team that finished the campaign with a perfect 23-0 as squad finished season ranked second nationally in '95 and finished 12th in final poll in '96...helped team to three straight regional titles and played on team that won two straight conference championships... lettered in both lacrosse and football...team captain of both teams in his final scholastic season...earned all-conference honors in lacrosse as a senior and was a two-time all-conference honoree in football...played on same high school team as current Irish players Ray Cross, Mike Pfeffer and Mike Adams...recipient of Wilton High Outstanding Senior Award which is presented annually by the school's booster club... chosen for Notre Dame's Academic Honors Program which pairs students who are successful in the classroom with faculty mentors...a Dean's List student, he earned a 3.417 grade-point average in the '98 fall semester and has an overall 3.414 grade index...born Feb. 23, 1978...enrolled as a history major in the College of Arts and Letters.
HIGGINS' Career Statistics
| Year | GP | G | A | Pts. | GB |
| 1997 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| 1998 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 79 |
| 1999 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 83 |
| Totals | 38 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 179 |
