Blue Ridge's Jack Charboneau changes lacrosse commitment to Johns Hopkins
Jack Charboneau grew up watching John Grant Jr. dominate on the lacrosse field.
Next year, the Blue Ridge School senior will have an opportunity to play for his favorite player after verbally committing to play lacrosse at perennial powerhouse John Hopkins. Charboneau is excited to play for Grant, who serves as the Blue Jays' offensive coordinator, but that was not the only reason he chose Johns Hopkins.
“Hopkins is the most historic program in college lacrosse,” Charboneau said. “Forty-four national championships and nine NCAA championships speak for itself. It is a Division III university with a men’s lacrosse team playing in the Big Ten. It’s the only NCAA lacrosse team with a television deal with ESPN. They have some of the best facilities in the country.
"Homewood Field is the most famous lacrosse venue in the world, often attracting the biggest crowds in college lacrosse. Baltimore is one, if not the, biggest lacrosse cities in America. Hopkins is one of the top programs in Baltimore.”
Charboneau has been an offensive dynamo for the Barons during his time in St. George. As a sophomore, he registered a team-high 47 goals and 47 assists. The team-high 94 points secured him Virginia Independent Conference and All Central Virginia honors.
Charboneau verbally committed to Cornell before the start of his junior campaign at Blue Ridge. One of the biggest reasons for his commitment to the Big Red was his relationship with Coach Peter Milliman. The three-time All-American at Gettysburg College spent two and a half years in charge at Cornell before leaving to take over the Johns Hopkins program.
That prompted Charboneau to re-evaluate his college options. The senior attackman reached out to Milliman at the request of Blue Ridge coach Michael Herring, and the two discussed the possibility of joining him at Johns Hopkins.
“At first, I was timid to talk to Coach Milliman, but Coach Herring convinced me to hear him out,” Charboneau said. “In our first conversations, with him as head coach at Johns Hopkins, we talked for an hour and a half. He answered all of my questions and I was beginning to become sold on becoming a Blue Jay."
During that process, Charboneau said the “best part of that day” was receiving a text from Grant. That exchange left a lasting impression.
“Coach Grant is one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time and my personal hero. I do not think I could pass up an opportunity to be with him,” he said.
Still, Charboneau admits the decision to change commitments was a difficult one.
“Switching from Cornell to Johns Hopkins was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made in my life,” Charboneau said. “When Coach Milliman left Cornell for Hopkins, I was shocked. They were the No. 2 team in the country and on the cusp of a national championship. Now, I am coming into a program that is changing with Coach Milliman. He wants to change the entire culture of the program. I am extremely excited to be a part of the process of bringing back the most historic program in college lacrosse back to its championship ways.”
Individually, Charboneau is excited to refine his skills under Grant, his lacrosse idol. A former All-American at the University of Delaware, Grant is recognized as one of the most accomplished lacrosse players in the history of the sport.
“Personally, I want to contend for a starting attack spot right when I get on campus,” he said. “I am really excited to be the first lefty attack recruit for Coach Grant. Getting his tutelage on playing the lefty wing position is awesome.”
The Blue Ridge senior is ready to leave his mark at John Hopkins.
“Winning is a major part of the lacrosse tradition at Johns Hopkins,” Charboneau said. “I would be kidding myself if I did not say winning a national championship was my goal. I also want to have an extremely positive impact on the university community, rather that be community service projects, campus service projects or just helping out in everyday life at Hopkins.”
Charboneau will become the second member of his immediate family to play Division I athletics. His father played college hockey at the University of Alaska-Anchorage in the mid-1980s. Charboneau is excited to follow in his father's footsteps.
“Being able to call myself a college athlete is amazing,” Charboneau said. “I have always had the image of a college athlete in my life with my dad being a former NCAA Division I hockey player. Being a college athlete comes with great responsibility, especially being a lacrosse player at Hopkins. They are held to a higher standard than everyone else within the university and in the community."