After four years of lacrosse, including three on the varsity team, Omar Pryor will continue his career at Howard Community College. Although he aims to play at the Division I or III level eventually, he chose to start in the highly ranked JUCO league to develop his skills.
Pryor began playing lacrosse as a freshman, after quitting football. Introduced by teammate Tommy Alloco, he quickly fell in love with the sport and continued playing through the summer.
As the starting goalie for three years, Pryor has been a key leader and watched the team evolve. He values the strong bond the team has built, especially after watching a talented senior class graduate.
“Playing a varsity sport is a huge honor because you’re not just representing the school, but the community of Evanston,” he said, adding that as a Black player in a traditionally white sport, it felt important to represent a more diverse town.
Pryor emphasizes team chemistry, saying, “Everyone is on this team for a reason. We focus on bonding both on and off the field.”
By the end of his sophomore year, Pryor knew lacrosse was his future. He started locking into the recruiting process and decided to focus on academics and take the JUCO route to eventually transfer to an NCAA school.
This summer, Pryor plans to train hard with other college players to earn the starting goalie spot at Howard.
“My training will be done at home, working with top players to prepare,” he said.