Andrew Kelly’s last ride leaves a legacy for Lehigh men’s lacrosse

For four years, senior Andrew Kelly has thrived inside the rhythm of Division I lacrosse at Lehigh University — a schedule consisting of early morning lifts, film sessions, long practices, bus rides and late nights with homework and studying still awaiting him after the day ends. 

It’s a steady routine. Almost an identity. 

But with his final season now complete, Kelly has had to reflect on how quickly those everyday moments passed.

“When I first got back to campus (in August), that definitely was a bittersweet feeling,” Kelly said. “But I’m just trying to stay present and take it one day at a time and do everything the right way, so at the end of the day, I won’t have any regrets.” 

That perspective shaped how he approached his final year. Rather than focusing on the ending, Kelly tried to appreciate the last chapter. He reflected on his growth as a player, which included maintaining discipline and finding consistency throughout his game. 

Kelly developed from being a reserve player his first year into one of Lehigh’s top offensive threats. He totaled 78 career points during his junior year season while assisting the Mountain Hawks to a Patriot League Championship and NCAA tournament appearance the year prior. 

Kelly’s lacrosse journey began when he picked up a lacrosse stick as a kid and quickly fell in love with the game. He was an all-around athlete growing up, also playing basketball, hockey and soccer. He loved the fast pace of lacrosse and the skills it demanded. 

As he got older, he chose to focus on lacrosse only, and he began to realize that the sport could take him to a level beyond simple fun. Making the varsity lacrosse team as a freshman in high school on a talented team full of future Division I players gave him confidence and a feeling that he belonged competing at a higher level.

“That definitely proved to myself that I could compete,” Kelly said.

That path of competitive club and varsity lacrosse during his high school years eventually led him to Lehigh. Even during a recruiting process complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kelly felt a connection to the Mountain Hawks program. The culture of the team stood out to him most. 

“It was like one big family,” Kelly said. 

However, he said adjusting to the college schedule wasn’t easy. Like many other first-year student-athletes, Kelly found it a struggle to balance his academic work with the demanding athletic program. As a finance major, he found that time management was an important skill to master.

Once he settled in, his role on the team increased. By his sophomore year, Kelly became a starter on a squad that put together one of Lehigh’s most memorable seasons since 2021 when they last won the Patriot League Championship. The 2024 Mountain Hawks won the conference championship for the fourth time in program history and advanced to the NCAA tournament. 

“That was definitely a surreal experience,” Kelly said. “That was a very back-and-forth game. During the game, I didn’t know we were going to come out on top but definitely had faith in the guys, and we ended up getting it done.” 

That championship run showed Kelly what a team could achieve when everyone bought in. It wasn’t easy getting there. Lehigh finished 10-7, struggling with an uneven regular season and close-game losses before finding their rhythm late in the spring. 

In his senior season this year, Kelly’s role on the team shifted. He became one of the leaders responsible for setting the tone. For him, he said that meant sprinting during every practice, engaging in the small things that add up to making him a better player, staying after practice every day to get extra reps in and showing up every day with that same mindset. 

“So, I really just like to lead by example right away, and definitely work hard every day,” Kelly said. “I take pride in just showing up every day and being consistent.” 

Senior teammate Bryce Pang said that growth was noticeable over the course of four years together in the program. 

“When we all came in as freshmen, Andrew was a little bit on the quieter side and didn’t have the confidence yet,” Pang said. “But over the years, he really grew as a teammate and put in all the work, whether that was in the weight room or out on the field, and really stepped up his game.”

Senior captain Peter Theodoropoulos, one of Kelly’s closest friends and teammates, described Kelly as someone whose hustle stands out immediately. 

“He really just sets a pace, you know, with him just running around everywhere,” he said. “You kind of have to follow a guy like that when he’s moving at that speed, just because you’ll stick out like a sore thumb if you’re not.” 

He also said Kelly’s work ethic extends long after practice is over, noting that getting in extra shots and putting in additional time and effort is a part of his routine.

Pang said Kelly’s preparation and lacrosse IQ stood out throughout his career. He pointed to Kelly’s understanding of the game as something that separated him from other players on the field. 

“He knows what he’s going to do before it actually happens,” Pang said. “Even before he has the ball, he knows where he’s going with it, just because he has such a strong IQ.

“It’s like that quote that Wayne Gretzky said, where it’s not about skating to where the puck is, it’s skating to where the puck will be.”

Away from lacrosse, Kelly enjoys spending time with friends, golfing and outlining his future after college. He plans to live in Philadelphia, but he knows his connections with his teammates beyond the program will last a lifetime. 

As his final year comes to a close, Kelly knows that the majority of the wins and losses will eventually fade, but the lessons and memories that came with lacrosse will remain. 

When he walked off the field for the last time, there were mixed emotions. 

“I would say, definitely sad that it’s over, but definitely grateful that I made so many great relationships along the way, learned so many life lessons that can’t really replicate in any other part of life,” Kelly said. “So I think that’s the biggest thing that I’ll take away from everything else.”