Updated June 17, 2016
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The end of the 2016 season had greater meaning for the Maryland men's lacrosse team, which shaved its heads during its NCAA Tournament run to support honorary teammate, Fionn, a 5-year-old battling cancer.
Fionn joined the Terps in the fall through Team IMPACT, an organization that assigns children battling life-threatening and chronic illnesses to sports programs.
Fionn recently had to shave his head due to chemotherapy treatment, so nearly the entire Maryland lacrosse team decided to support their young teammate by shaving their heads in solidarity.
“We are lucky to have what we have,” said junior captain Isaiah Davis-Allen earlier this season. “That's one thing with being a student-athlete. You get a lot of extra stuff, but seeing him — a person who maybe wasn't given a fair shake — makes all of us actually think and be more grateful.”
Fionn had been at the forefront of Maryland's thoughts all season, playing each game with the little one in mind en route to the NCAA Championship game.
When it was all said and done after a devastating overtime loss in the finals, it was Fionn who was able to provide perspective.
"There's definitely a reverse effect with him," said senior captain Bryan Cole. "We're trying to pick him up and keep his spirits up, but at the same time, when he comes in the locker room, when he's on the field … it just makes us tremendously happy and definitely gives us a different perspective when we're playing the game."
Maryland's thrilling overtime win against Brown in the NCAA Semifinals was extra special, as the victory came on Fionn's birthday. The team invited Fionn into the locker room and serenaded him with "Happy Birthday."
Earlier in the season, Maryland's captains and head coach John Tillman presented Fionn with a blanket made out of Maryland lacrosse t-shirts prior to their NCAA First Round game against Quinnipiac. The Terps would go on to win the game, 13-6, with Fionn and his family cheering in the stands.
Maryland opened the 2016 campaign with a 15-10 victory against High Point on Feb. 20, when it also honored Fionn by hosting a Team IMPACT Day. Fionn celebrated the victory atop the shoulders of freshman Louis Dubick after the game.
The relationship has gone far beyond the lacrosse field, however, as the Terps have taken Fionn bowling, among many other things.
Fionn originally joined the Terps back in October of 2015, meeting the team prior to their scrimmage with Bucknell. Shy and timid at first, Fionn quickly opened up and became one of the "guys" in no time. Fionn even joined the Terps on the sideline during their scrimmage.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That win was for Fionn! Happy 6th Birthday, buddy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllinForFionn?src=hash">#AllinForFionn</a> <a href="https://t.co/aUR6VdUppP">pic.twitter.com/aUR6VdUppP</a></p>— Maryland Lacrosse (@TerpsMLax) <a href="https://twitter.com/TerpsMLax/status/736688034331123712">May 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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