[Men's Lacrosse] Senior Spotlight: Overton Captains Cavs On Field, In Classroom

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. (June 25, 2020) – Senior captain Kyndell Overton is one of the longest-tenured Cavaliers in the program's history, beginning his career in 2017 as a freshman and set to play his final season in 2021 after COVID-19 abruptly ended this year's campaign prematurely.

The 6'5" Overton was recruited by the program's founder, Will McMinn, and arrived on campus in the fall of 2016 from his home in Baltimore. In the sport of lacrosse, the Baltimore and Long Island areas have historically an abundance of top talent, and Overton was the first recruit for the Cavaliers from either locale.

Overton played his prep lacrosse at Maryland's Lansdowne High School, where he excelled at three sports (soccer, basketball, lacrosse), after starting as a freshman at the city's St. Frances Academy – a national power in both basketball and football that doesn't offer lacrosse or soccer at the varsity level. He was voted his area's Athlete of the Year following his senior season in 2016.

"Will did a great job recruiting Kyndell, and I went up and saw him play in Baltimore in the spring of 2016 and knew right away we were getting a special player," said current director of lacrosse, Tom Flynn. "The program was still just getting started, and adding a player of Kyndell's caliber and character to its original players was going to be a big part of taking the next step – that was clear." 

As a freshman in 2017, the team saw its first-ever AAC win when it defeated St. Andrews, a game in which Overton had two scores and two assists as the team put up a program-high 19 goals. It also heralded the full arrival of fellow freshman Chris Jackson, who scored seven goals and will also return this upcoming spring to conclude a stellar career. 

Before the start of his senior season last fall, Overton was named a captain by his peers and returned to campus from summer league lacrosse in Maryland in shape – and with a visibly faster shot. He quickly took on a leadership role away from the field as well as on it, proctoring the team's study hall twice weekly while working to complete his degree in psychology.

As the Cavs made their way through the fall of 2019 and into the 2020 season, Overton was well on his way to his best season to date. He registered his first career hat-trick against Concordia (Mich.), just a week before the season was abruptly halted. 

The end of the season also marked the end of the in-person semester at Montreat, as students going home for spring break ended up transitioning to online distance learning, as did students across the country.

Continuing at home where he left off on the field, Overton registered his best academic semester of his undergraduate career, posting a perfect 4.0 GPA and earning his diploma in May.

As of a result of his leadership on the field and in the classroom, he was offered a graduate assistantship under head coach Austin Ambrose, making him the first Cavalier in the five-year history of the program to take on the role. He will pursue a master's degree in Management & Leadership while utilizing his last season of eligibility in 2021.

It's a natural extension of a career that has helped the team bridge the gap from start-up to established NAIA program, and seen Overton blossom into a leader at the collegiate level.

"I'm beyond blessed and excited to be able to come back and compete again with my brothers next season," said Overton. "This opportunity is unique because I'm able to serve as the GA and pursue my masters degree in leadership and management. Being able to finish what I started here at Montreat is very important to me and I can't wait to be back on the field with my brothers soon." 

(Photos: Nathan Brown)