Three Is More Than A Jersey Number To Goucher Men's Lacrosse

By: Angad Ahluwalia (Athletic Communications Student Assistant)

A heartbeat continues to breathe life into the No. 3 jersey for the Goucher College Men's Lacrosse team. Although he was lost, Matthew Gabriel is still with us all today. His heart has been beating in another man's body for the past five years and his corneas have given someone better sight.

During the early hours of April, 13 2014, Gabriel, a 19-year old sophomore from Austin, Texas, was returning to campus from a late night trip to McDonald's when he was hit by a drunk driver. This happened right in front of the college entrance and he passed away the next day. 

It is an emotional topic for those who lived the tragedy, but through their strength, the lessons of that horrific night and the memory of Gabriel continues to live on with the Goucher men's lacrosse team. 

The first thing that visitors of the Decker Sports and Recreation Center see are the retired jerseys hanging up, showing reminders of Goucher's prestigious athletic history. However, you won't see a men's lacrosse jersey. The men's lacrosse program has a unique tradition to carry on Gabriel's legacy.

Since the 2017 season, a men's lacrosse player has had the honor of wearing the No. 3 jersey starting with Ruel Ellis, a midfielder from Austin, Texas who attended the same high school as Gabriel. 

"Matthew and I were high school teammates at Westlake," said Ellis. "I looked up to him a lot and my decision to play at Goucher was heavily influenced by him. He passed about a month after I gave Head Coach (Brian) Kelly my verbal commitment. It was a hard time for me, but I never thought twice about changing my commitment.

During Ellis' junior year at Goucher, Kelly came to him asking if he wanted to be the first to wear the No. 3 jersey. He took it without hesitation. Ellis was the first to don the jersey and start a new tradition in his Gabriel's honor.

"Nothing has been more special to me than wearing that jersey while competing with my teammates," added Ellis. "Matthew was the coolest guy ever and all I ever wanted to do was be kind of like him. So for me to wear the number at Goucher that he had championed was amazing."

Ellis cherishes his time that he spent at Goucher.  "Going to Goucher and playing on the lacrosse team was one of the most special parts of my life," said Ellis. "The things that made it so special to me are all of my teammates during my four years, getting to be best friends with Matthew's best friends, wearing No. 3 and continuing Matthew's legacy."

After Ellis graduated in 2018, the responsibility and honor of wearing the No. 3 was bestowed to then senior, Robbie Carrigan.

"When Ruel passed down No. 3 to me, I was so excited and honored to be able to follow in both Matthew and Ruel's footsteps," said Carrigan. "Although I had never met Matthew, I was inspired by the stories that I heard and tried to be the best teammate I could be during my time at Goucher."

The characteristics that Carrigan exemplified would make Gabriel proud and is one of the main reasons Ellis selected him.

"Matthew was a great friend, always saw the good in people and lived his life to the fullest," said Ellis. "Robbie has those same characteristics and that's why it was a no brainer for him to be the next guy wearing the number three. Now passing the number down continues to be a special tradition with Robbie giving it to Justin (Arriaga)."

Arriaga is a sophomore defender on the men's lacrosse team from South Brunswick, New Jersey. As a sophomore, he had to overcome a rough freshman year to develop into a leader on the field and an integral part of the defensive core. Arriaga has certainly come a long way since his freshman year to donning the special number for the Gophers. 

"To me, it shows that Matt Gabriel is here in heart and spirit," said Arriaga. "It shows leadership to the younger guys and having answers to questions they may have about his legacy."

When asked by Carrigan if he wanted the jersey, Arriaga said yes without hesitation. 

"He said I deserve it, especially as an underclassman, with the work I have put in on and off the field. (It) really shows what Matt Gabriel was like as a person," said Arriaga. 

"There is no one more fitting or deserving to breathe life into that jersey than Justin," added Coach Kelly. "His journey and character exemplifies the qualities that Matt Gabriel lived by."

Before Arriaga arrived on campus in the fall of 2018, he had experienced loss the same way the whole Goucher community did in spring of 2014. His father passed away the summer before starting his college career. 

"I lost my dad coming into Goucher so getting that number meant a lot more to me because I do know what loss feels like and (to lose) a great person in your life," said Arriaga.

When loss occurs, people come together for support. Arriaga's community supported his family during the time that he needed it most and the Goucher community unified when Gabriel's tragedy occured in 2014. When people heard the news, Goucher's campus stood still and everyone came together regardless of their backgrounds.

"There was no distinction between people on campus," Kelly recalled about 2014. "No athletes vs non-athletes, no students vs faculty. We all came together and felt like a family. It was a tragedy that we all experienced but through his selflessness he is still giving back today. Strong faith led the community out of this dark time together. If we can continue to tell the story of Matt Gabriel we can bring awareness to issues like driving under the influence and alcohol abuse. (It can also) bring light to the importance of being an organ donor." 

Every Wednesday, Gabriel would wear a hawaiian shirt to help people get over the hump of the week and to start thinking about the fun that could be had during the weekend. It is just another reason why his vibrant character stood out at Goucher. His parents, David and Vicki Gabriel, started another tradition by bringing all first year players their own hawaiian shirt during the annual Matt Gabriel Memorial Game every fall. In addition, the team picks one road game each year that everyone will don their hawaiian shirt on the trip. 

"Gabriel's spirit will not leave the program," said Kelly. "In the immediacy of the tragedy his teammates and the community came together and we weren't separate. We were one big community. One Family."

At times people wonder what it truly means to support another human being. Is it how we help those in our close circles? Or is it how we unite in times of grief as a whole community? Whatever it may be, Gabriel exemplified the best characteristics of a human and his heart and spirit will live on forever. 

Ellis, Carrigan and Arriaga have the honor to wear the No. 3 jersey, but since the Gabriel tragedy, every player that puts on a Goucher uniform will have a piece of Gabriel's spirit with them on the field. That is what makes the Goucher men's lacrosse team heart beat.