Jake Higgins

From Underdog to Waterdog: Jake Higgins’ journey from a small school to the PLL embodies the Philly sports spirit (Interview)

One year after their opening season as a franchise, the Philadelphia Waterdogs drafted Jake Higgins, a defensive midfielder, with the 22nd pick in the 2022 PLL Draft.

Joining the Premier Lacrosse League was a significant achievement for Jake, considering only 32 collegiate players were selected. Not only did Jake Higgins secure his place professionally, but he also became a linchpin in one of the league’s top teams.

Jake Higgins’ stats speak volumes about his contributions: 21 groundballs, 14 caused turnovers, two goals, and an assist in his first two years.

With teams starting training camp in Albany over the weekend, I caught up with Jake Higgins to discuss his inspiring path to the highest level of professional lacrosse. Two things stood out during our conversation: his never-quit, grind-it-out mentality and appreciation for his teammates and coaches throughout his career.

Jake Higgins Interview

Matt: Besides lacrosse, what were your other favorite sports to play?

Jake Higgins: I played football all growing up, but my high school (Gerstell Academy in Maryland) only had around 130 co-ed students, so we needed more people to even field a football team. My best friends played soccer and finally convinced me to play during my junior and senior seasons, even though I never played.

Matt: Going from a football background to soccer is quite the adjustment. What position did you play at Gerstell?

Jake Higgins: I was a center back and got a ton of yellow cards. Apparently, you can’t hit people in soccer. But I had fun because of the team’s camaraderie and enjoyed being the last wall of defense where you have to operate as a unit. I only scored two goals, but they were both game-winning headers. It was a shocker that I never scored the traditional way with my feet.

Matt: You can take a kid out of football but can’t take away those football instincts. Despite Gerstell being a small school, your lacrosse team made the conference championship game, and I saw you won 22 faceoffs. How many kids were on that team, and did you have to play multiple positions?

Jake Higgins: Our lacrosse team had about 18-25 players. I rarely came off the field with my younger brother (Seth), Mike Ippolito, who went to High Point, and Noah Bentz, who played defense at Steveson. I played midfield just so I could be on both sides of the field, played some long-pole on man-down defense, and took faceoffs to gain possession. I enjoyed facing off; I just turned it into a one-on-one battle. Due to the size and talent of my school, I was always just more of an old-school athlete and did it all.

Matt: That’s an incredible “Band of Brothers” type run, I love that. So, coming from an undersized program, your offers obviously were limited despite your skillset. Was Cleveland State recruiting you a ton, or did you have other offers?

Jake Higgins: They were literally my only D1 offer. When they started the program, they were still playing high-level teams like Virginia, Duke, Penn State, and Denver, so I wanted a crack at them. I saw it as an opportunity to get on the field immediately and play the best of the best. Cleveland State was similar to my squad in high school: a young team that grew together. I was a two-way middie, primarily focused on defense, transition offense, and wing for faceoffs. In 2017, we (Cleveland State) had the best percentage against opposing teams’ clears and ranked in the Top 20 for scoring defense and man-down defense.

MM: That’s a fantastic accomplishment for a team like Cleveland State, especially when playing UNC, Denver, and Penn State that year. How did the transition from a tiny school in Maryland to playing Division 1 lacrosse go for you?

JH: In high school, that was when many kids started to hold back to the younger class, but I just kept going. I was already young for my class. The week of my first college scrimmage, I was still 17 and had to get my mom to sign all my college forms. Then, I just really grew into my body even more. I was a boy playing grown-ass men my freshman year, so it was like do or die. I just figured it out and naturally got bigger.

MM: That’s the attitude that Philly fans admire for sure. After two seasons there, what was the process like transferring to a blue-blood program like Maryland?

JH: So, my sophomore year, my dad was diagnosed with lymphoma. I wanted to go home to help my family and mom. Our head coach (Dylan) Sheridan took an assistant role at Ohio State. Cleveland State was not getting into a conference, so I entered the transfer portal. I went home and had no idea where I wanted to go. I just needed to be home with my family and figure it out from there.

Kyle Bernlohr (a former Maryland goalie) coached me at CSU during my freshman year. He saw that I went into the portal, called me, and asked what was happening. I told him I needed to go home, and he asked if I wanted to be a Terp. I was stunned. I tried not to get my hopes up at first. I responded, “Of course, but is that even possible?” Bernlohr told me, “I’ve seen you play. I know you can play with them, and you deserve this. I already told Coach Tillman and Jesse Bernhardt about you. Just email them.” So I put some clips together, sent them, and eventually talked to them on the phone. I drove home from Cleveland on a Friday to visit Ohio State. Then, I went to see Maryland on Monday and officially committed on Tuesday. I told them I didn’t want to be elsewhere if it all worked out academically. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and gave me a fair shot despite where I played previously. Battled my way to a starting spot and never looked back.

MM: It’s crazy how life works sometimes, and I have so much respect for you for putting family above everything else. The road to Maryland was a quick one. Was it overwhelming showing up to that first practice?

JH: I definitely had the never-quit attitude. But when I got to Maryland, so did 50 other players. Everyone needed that attitude every day to not get their ass kicked in practice. I quickly realized that just effort would no longer bring me places. I had to work smarter. Learning the defense, watching more film, nailing down my footwork, nutrition, and other little details came into play that I had to focus on more.

I was just a good athlete. I wasn’t at a prestigious program, so I didn’t really have the coaches until college. I am so grateful for the confidence I built at CSU, but when I got to Maryland, I was finally properly coached on playing defense. Coach Bernhardt is so innovative and helpful. Half the stuff I was doing needed to be corrected. So, being taught how to play defense the right way made everything so much easier and ultimately made me a better player.

MM: You guys had a special group of players during your time with the Terps, and you finished your final year with a national title. So now you go from one legendary coach in Tillman to Bill Tierney as the Waterdog’s new head coach. How has it been learning from him and Coach Sheridan during camp?

JH: Super exciting. Coach Tierney has accomplished more than any player or coach could imagine. Every day, I want to pick up or learn something new. Just be a sponge and learn from one of the best coaches in the game. I hope to learn some life lessons along the way and continue to be a better person, teammate, and friend.

It’s funny how life comes full circle. Coach Sheridan was the only one to recruit me out of high school. He was the head coach at Cleveland State before going to coach at Ohio State when I hit the portal. We had a great relationship, and it’s been a blast reconnecting. I learned a ton from Coach Sheridan, who developed my game’s foundation. Not only is he a great coach, he’s an even better man. I’m grateful to be around many talented coaches and even more thankful to learn from great leaders off the field.

The Waterdogs open the PLL season this Saturday at 1:00 PM EST against the defending champion Utah Archers during the league’s first week in Albany. Unfortunately, after this interview, Jake Higgins told me he suffered a Lisfranc injury and will be recovering for 8-12 weeks.

But if you’ve learned anything about Jake Higgins, you’ll know he’ll battle through this and come back stronger than ever.

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