UMBC student-athletes are devoted to giving back to both the campus and neighboring community. These young men and women make significant contributions to society as often as they can. Teams as well as individual student-athletes are involved in numerous charity and community organizations. This fall has been a busy semester for the Retrievers, as they raised money for various fundraisers, collected shoes for the less fortunate, and even met with younger children to discuss the importance of education and physical fitness.

When Dan Louisignau was nine years old, he asked his mom for gloves to wear during his chilly fall soccer games. A forward, Louisignau intended for her to get him winter gloves with grips. Instead, she bought him goalkeeper gloves.

Before UMBC freshman Zach Linkous arrived on campus last fall, his older sister, Meagan, a senior, prepared a list of suggested courses for her younger brother to take. But Zach was able to benefit from another shared bond with his sister – UMBC lacrosse. Meagan is a co-captain and four-year starter on defense for the Retriever women’s team, while Zach, a midfielder, is in his first year on the men’s squad. Believe it or not, the Linkouses are not the only UMBC lacrosse brother-sister combination, as they are joined in that distinctive group by J.D. and Jessica Harkey.

UMBC head men’s lacrosse coach Don Zimmerman watched Scott Jones play a pickup basketball game during the 2010 offseason and was impressed with his attackman’s ability to get up and down the court and understand team defense, qualities that could be useful on the Retriever midfield in the upcoming season.

He had his chances to walk away. There were six games left in his junior season when Justin Fry suffered a knee injury that required surgery, but he missed just five contests and returned in time to make a huge impact in UMBC’s run to the 2009 America East championship game, scoring 19 points in the Retrievers’ quarterfinals upset victory over Boston University.