Athlete of the Week: Dan Lombard, SM '02

Hockey goalie Dan Lombard, SM '02, has been under fire since he was a kid. "I have a brother that's five years older than me, and he and all of his friends were forwards. If I ever wanted to play with them I had to play goalie," Lombard said. The pressure he felt playing with the older kids must have been similar to the pressure he felt last week as he stepped onto the ice against No. 6 Michigan for his first game as Yale's starting goalie.

Dan Lombard, SM '02  Hockey goalie  Height: 5'10"  Weight: 175 lbs.  Favorite baseball team: Boston Red Sox  Favorite hockey player: Mike Richter  Favorite candy: Snickers  Major: Political Science  After Yale: Hopes to teach and coach at his former high school

Last season, Lombard sat on the sidelines in his jacket and tie watching goalie Alex Westlund, SM '99, lead the Bulldogs in the net wondering if he would ever get a chance in the net. A second-team All-American and first-team all-ECAC player, Westlund set almost every possible record in his four years, and Lombard unflinchingly calls him "the best goalie at Yale—period." After Westlund graduated last spring, the task of defending the Eli net fell to Lombard, who splits time with Trevor Hanger, SY '00. Lombard worked toward a starting position by practicing and training all summer long with Westlund at Lombard's home in Andover, Mass., an opportunity he called "really helpful."

Westlund's guidance paid handsome dividends in the team's opener against Michigan. The Bulldogs were missing five suspended seniors against the Wolverines, including Captain and leading scorer Jeff Hamilton, SM '00. Lombard, however, stepped up in a big way, making 35 spectacular saves to keep the Bulldogs in the game, which they eventually lost, 3-2.

Lombard clearly showed he has the promise to be a major contributor in the weeks and years to come. "It's impossible to replace Westlund. You don't replace someone like that," Lombard said, deflecting praise for his Westlund-like performance last weekend. "In the game against Michigan, I was the beneficiary of an incredible team defensive effort. People have been giving me a lot of credit that should go elsewhere. We've got a very talented and underrated defensive corps and forwards who are concentrating on helping the defense."

Modesty aside, Lombard's continued progress will be essential for the Elis' success this season. This weekend, all the seniors except for Hamilton return to the team as Yale begins its ECAC campaign with games against Clarkson and St. Lawrence. "We know we might be able to get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament," Lombard said, "but we would love to win the ECAC and Ivy League and so control our fate and get an automatic bid." The Bulldogs will have to play well to achieve that goal, but if Lombard maintains his vigilance in the net, anything is possible.

Photo by John Yi.

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