Joseph Lapira

	Class: Senior
	Hometown: Lake Charles, LA
	High School: Saint Louis Catholic

	Height / Weight: 5-8 / 150
	Position: Forward

The 2006 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner • became the program's first unanimous first-team All-American in 2006 • a candidate to earn both of those honors again during his senior season • trained with the Ireland National Team during the summer of 2007 • able to play with the team because his mother is Irish • earned a cap with the Ireland team on May 23, 2007 in a match against Ecuador at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. • first amateur to play for Ireland National Team since 1964 • trained with the Glasgow Rangers of the Scottish Premier League and Derby County of the English Premier League during the summer of 2007 • three-time monogram winner • brings a spark to the Fighting Irish lineup at the forward position with his energy and enthusiasm • quick and fast • able to take players on and hit the ball well • an exciting player as he makes things happen • has played in 65 career games, making 41 starts • has 77 career points on 32 goals and 13 assists.

AS A JUNIOR: Recorded arguably the greatest season ever for a Notre Dame men's soccer player • won the Missouri Athletic Club (M.A.C.) Hermann Trophy as the top male soccer player in the nation according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) • also received national player of the year honors from Soccer America • became the program's first unanimous All-American • led all NCAA Division I men's players with 50 points and 22 goals • his 22 goals tie him for second all-time on Notre Dame's single-season list behind Kevin Lovejoy's 29 tallies from the 1979 campaign • his 50 total points are the third-highest single-season total in Irish history • notched six assists • named the BIG EAST offensive player of the year • first team all-BIG EAST and All-Great Lakes Region • copped Sports Illustrated on Campus Male U Award • two-time consensus national player of the week (Sept. 4 & Oct. 9) • named College Soccer News national player of the week on Oct. 2 • tapped as the BIG EAST offensive player of the week on three occasions • Notre Dame Monogram Club Team MVP • adidas/IU Credit Union Classic Offensive MVP • played in all 23 games, making 20 starts • had a seven-game goal streak from Sept. 23-Oct. 14 • recorded seven multiple-goal games, including a stretch of five straight two-goal matches from Sept. 23 - Oct. 7 • attempted 106 shots • tore his left lateral meniscus against UAB in the first match of the season, yet opted to postpone surgery on his knee until the offseason • scored Notre Dame's final goal in a 4-1 victory over No. 8 Creighton in the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament • exploded with a four-goal outburst in a 5-4 triumph of No. 8 Indiana in the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic • one of his tallies was the game winner, which came in the 98th minute • the four scores established an Indiana Classic record and was one shy of the Notre Dame single-game record of five • picked up an assist in a 3-0 victory over DePaul • tallied both goals in a 2-0 win against Louisville • scored Notre Dame's final two goals in a 3-1 triumph of Pittsburgh • notched team's first two goals in a 4-0 win over Marquette • registered another two-goal effort in a 2-0 victory against Seton Hall • continued his streak of two-goal matches in wins over Michigan (2-0) and Georgetown (4-1) • scored a goal and collected an assist in a 3-0 victory over Providence • dished out an assist on game's lone score in a 1-0 triumph at No. 14 Connecticut • notched three points on a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over DePaul in the first round of the BIG EAST tournament • scored the lone tally in a 1-0 victory over Illinois-Chicago in the second round of the NCAA Tournament • netted a 'golden goal' in the 107th minute of a 1-0 third-round NCAA Tournament win at No. 7 Maryland • his 50h and final point of the season came on an assist in a 3- 2 setback at No. 4 Virginia in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship • earned a monogram.

AS A SOPHOMORE: All-BIG EAST third-team selection • named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll twice (10/3 & 10/31) • posted team-high totals in points with 19 and goals with seven to go along with five assists, which was tied for the team lead • played in all 23 games, making 16 starts • scored a goal in the 4-1 season-opening victory over No. 7 SMU in the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic • named to the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament all-tournament team as he scored the game-winner in overtime (108th minute) to push the Irish past Saint Louis, 1-0, and give Notre Dame the tournament title • recorded a four-point game in a 3-3 tie versus West Virginia on one goal and two assists • that performance earned him a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll • collected an assist in a 2-1 win at Providence • notched a career-high five points on two goals and an assist in leading the Irish past No. 16 Seton Hall, 4-0 • named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll and Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week for his efforts against the Pirates • put Notre Dame on the board in the 20th minute in a 2-0 triumph over Western Illinois in the first round of the NCAA Tournament • scored a goal in the 62nd minute against No. 3 Indiana in the second round of the NCAAs to put the Irish up 2-0 en route to the upset victory • earned a monogram.

AS A FRESHMAN: Played in all 19 games, while making five starts • responded well once he was moved into the starting lineup due to an injury to Tony Megna • tallied three goals and two assists for a total of eight points, which tied him for fourth on the team • all three of his goals were game-winners • came off the bench to score his first-career goal in a 4-1 win over Georgetown in the Irish's BIG EAST-opener • took a pass and beat the Hoya goalkeeper one-on-one in the 72nd minute • assisted on a goal versus Pittsburgh as the Irish defeated the Panthers 3-0 • assisted on the Irish's second goal in a 3-0 win versus No. 22 Michigan • first-career start came in a 1-1 tie at No. 10 St. John's • started the following game as well and netted Notre Dame's lone goal in a 1-0 victory versus No. 17 Seton Hall in the 81st minute • earned BIG EAST offensive player of the week honors on Oct. 25 thanks in part to his tally versus the Pirates • put the Irish on the board at the 84:54 mark against Connecticut as Notre Dame would go on to win 2-0 • earned a monogram. HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: 2004 Gatorade Louisiana player of the year, and an '04 Southwest Louisiana High School Hall of Fame inductee • ended stellar prep career by picking up All-America, all-state and all-district honors, while leading his nationally-ranked St. Louis Catholic squad to conference and state championships • named state, district and team MVP as a senior • two-time all-state selection, district MVP and state champion • three-time alldistrict selection • honored as State Championship Finals game MVP in both '03 and '04 • member of the '01 regional Olympic Developmental Program (ODP) pool • led club team Cajun Burn to three consecutive state titles in '01, '02 and '03 • also a two-year letterman in swimming and track and field • senior class president, as well as a member of the National Honor Society and the Latin Club, while at St. Louis Catholic • uncle Lou Ferrello is a 1973 Notre Dame graduate, while cousins Melissa Ferrello ('03) and Alex Ferrello ('07) are also Notre Dame graduates • born August 13, 1986 • son of Paul and Kate Lapira • enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business as a management major.

AWARDS & HONORS:
M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Winner (2006)
Soccer America National
Player of the Year (2006)
All-America First Team (2006)
All-BIG EAST First Team (2006)
BIG EAST Offensive
Player of the Year (2006)
All-BIG EAST Third Team (2005)

Lapira's Career Statistics