Senior day for the Penn State lacrosse team could not have been much better. Not only did the Nittany Lions top the Michigan Wolverines in overtime, but they did so with star Mac O’Keefe etching his name in the NCAA record books. O’Keefe became the Division 1 all-time scoring leader with his 213th career goal, but he went on to score four more times to bring his career total to 217. His 217th goal was the game-winner in overtime.
O’Keefe needed just one goal in the game to tie the Division 1 all-time record previously held by Duke’s Justin Guterding. O’Keefe wasted little time moving his name alongside the former Blue Devil with the record-tying goal coming just two minutes into the game. Five minutes later, O’Keefe moved into first place on the all-time career goal list.
Here's the goal that tied the NCAA career record! Goal No. 212 for Mac O'Keefe. #WeAre pic.twitter.com/BTyFtDQyxB
— Penn State Men’s Lacrosse (@PennStateMLAX) April 16, 2021
Mac Makes History!
With this goal, @PennStateMLAX's @MacOKeefe3 becomes the new D1 Men's @NCAALAX all-time goals leader with 213. pic.twitter.com/WrjUhK4Xk6
— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) April 16, 2021
New Penn State men’s basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry was among the many sending congratulations to the new scoring record holder.
Congrats to @MacOKeefe3 on his accomplishment 👏👏👏 https://t.co/sDkPcNTRj5
— Micah Shrewsberry (@Coach_Shrews) April 16, 2021
O’Keefe may have been taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted to all student-athletes by the NCAA after the 2020 sports schedule was thrown for a loop in the pandemic, but it should be recognized O’Keefe has set the all-time scoring record in 11 fewer games than Guterding.
O’Keefe was firing on all cylinders from the start as he continued to pad the record throughout the game.
Let's keep the count going. That's goal 214. #WeAre pic.twitter.com/khJuTBih8e
— Penn State Men’s Lacrosse (@PennStateMLAX) April 16, 2021
Goal 215 #WeAre pic.twitter.com/hJlN9xs0TQ
— Penn State Men’s Lacrosse (@PennStateMLAX) April 16, 2021
Foulds to O'Keefe and we're tied! #WeAre
Oh, and that's goal 216! pic.twitter.com/9Zz8X6CcQr
— Penn State Men’s Lacrosse (@PennStateMLAX) April 16, 2021
O’Keefe’s final goal of the game came down to the wire. After a big save at the other end of the field with just about a minute to play, O’Keefe rocketed one past the Michigan goalie in the final seconds of overtime.
Mac O'Keefe!
Goal No. 217 wins it in OT on Senior Day! What a game! #WeAre pic.twitter.com/5MUCh0u8bI
— Penn State Men’s Lacrosse (@PennStateMLAX) April 16, 2021
Congratulations to Mac O’Keefe of @PennStateMLAX on becoming the all-time goal scorer in NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse history! #B1GMLax pic.twitter.com/BMqY9C99Rl
— Big Ten Lacrosse (@B1GLacrosse) April 16, 2021
That's how you celebrate Senior Day! #WeAre@MacOKeefe3 scores 6 goals, including the game-winner in OT, and breaks the @NCAALAX career goals record! pic.twitter.com/z8WQxOU4zH
— Penn State Men’s Lacrosse (@PennStateMLAX) April 17, 2021
But wait! There could very well be more goals on the way for the new record holder. Penn State’s lacrosse will be played next Saturday, April 24 at Ohio State. OKeefe recorded three goals for the Nittany Lions in their previous game against the Buckeyes, a 15-13 win on March 6. After that is the Big Ten tournament.
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