Completed Event: Men's Lacrosse versus Georgetown on May 10, 2025 , Loss , 12, to, 16
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Final
Men's Lacrosse
12
vs Georgetown
16
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Remembering Jimmy Regan
5/25/2020 9:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Whenever the Duke men's lacrosse team takes the field each spring, the players' uniforms bear a subtle yet powerful tribute to one of their own.
On the back of the Blue Devils' helmets, opposite the American flag, lies a small, black rectangular box with white font bearing the text "JR 10."
The insignias honor the late Sgt. James John Regan, or "Jimmy" as he was known at Duke. The Long Island native was a midfielder for the Blue Devils from 1999-02 and was killed in action in 2007 while serving in the United States Army's 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Iraq.
A native of Manhasset, N.Y., Regan was born in 1980 to James and Mary Regan. He graduated from Chaminade High School in Mineola, N.Y., and went on to play lacrosse and study economics at Duke. The midfielder helped guide the Blue Devils to a four-year record of 43-21 with a pair of ACC titles in 2001 and 2002 and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He was named to the 2002 ACC All-Tournament team after scoring a career-high four goals and adding an assist as Duke defeated then top-ranked Virginia, 14-13, in the championship game.
An Academic All-ACC selection, Regan finished his collegiate career with 22 goals and four assists.
"Just a terrific personality. Always a smile on his face. His teammates just loved to be around him," former Duke coach Mike Pressler told USA Today in 2007. "He was the kind of kid that every coach in America would be proud to call his own. I can't imagine a better teammate or a better friend."
Following his graduation from Duke in the spring of 2002, Regan turned down a job offer from UBS (a financial services company) and a scholarship to Southern Methodist University's law school to enlist in the Army. Surprising many of his friends and family members, he chose to enter the U.S. Army Ranger School, emailing his former teammates the explanation "This is what I have to do."
Regan went on to graduate first in his class in infantry basic combat training. After completing the basic airborne course and Ranger Indoctrination program at Fort Benning in Georgia, he became a member of the 3rd Battalion.
Regan served as a machine gunner, gun team leader and then fire team leader during two deployments each to Afghanistan and Iraq, as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His service in the Army was to end in February of 2008. He and his fiancée, Mary McHugh, had made plans to marry and move to Chicago upon his return to the United States, and he had hopes of becoming a social studies teacher and lacrosse coach.
Regan was killed Feb. 9, 2007 in northern Iraq when an improvised explosive device (IED) targeted his vehicle. He was 26.
Survived by his parents and three sisters, Regan was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart, in addition to a number of other decorations earned during his years of service. The Roman Catholic Church in Manhasset was packed beyond capacity for his funeral, including 600 flag-waving students from the local high school and many of the businesses nearby displaying his photo in their windows. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.
The Army Ranger Lead the Way Fund was founded in Regan's honor by his family and friends, and continues to assist wounded and fallen Army Rangers and their families through health and wellness programs, casualty and recovery efforts, transition to civilian life and several other services. To date the Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund has given over $7 million in financial support to the families of the 75th Ranger Regiment. "Through the Lead The Way Fund, his family and friends strive to honor his spirit, his patriotism and the way he lived his life by combining our efforts to give back to his brothers, the U.S. Army Rangers," reads part of the mission statement.
Although several classes of Blue Devils have come and gone since Regan's death, his legacy continues to live on within the program. A memorial display and his framed No. 10 jersey hangs outside the team's locker room. His initials and number remain on the players' helmets for every game.
Regan also served as an inspiration for another former Duke lacrosse player, Casey Carroll, in
his journey to serve his country. Carroll was a first team All-America selection for the Blue Devils as a senior in 2007. Following graduation that year, he decided to join the United States Army.
"It was my senior year when Jimmy Regan died," Carroll said. "That really moved me when Coach (John Danowski) told us about his story. I found that the best way I could honor him and also blaze my own way through life would be to try to follow in his footsteps. I just set my mind to it. Fifth year of eligibility, that went right out the window for me."
Coming from a family that had ties to military service as well, Carroll enlisted in the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment — the same unit Regan had served in.
After spending 2007-12 in the U.S. Army with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Carroll returned to
Durham to pursue an MBA at Duke's Fuqua School of Business. He spent much of the 2013 season injured, but helped Duke win the 2014 NCAA title as a 29-year-old veteran with a wife and two kids. He tended to shy away from the spotlight, but he was eager to share Regan's story and how influential it was in his life, even though he and Regan never met.
"As far as we saw, he was the toughest guy in the world," Carroll once said. "He's a guy that we all looked up to, whether guys knew of him personally or just knew of his story. I felt that would be a really great way to honor his memory."
Sgt. Regan's awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart.
For more information on the Lead the Way Fund, visit www.leadthewayfund.org.
#GoDuke
On the back of the Blue Devils' helmets, opposite the American flag, lies a small, black rectangular box with white font bearing the text "JR 10."
The insignias honor the late Sgt. James John Regan, or "Jimmy" as he was known at Duke. The Long Island native was a midfielder for the Blue Devils from 1999-02 and was killed in action in 2007 while serving in the United States Army's 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Iraq.
A native of Manhasset, N.Y., Regan was born in 1980 to James and Mary Regan. He graduated from Chaminade High School in Mineola, N.Y., and went on to play lacrosse and study economics at Duke. The midfielder helped guide the Blue Devils to a four-year record of 43-21 with a pair of ACC titles in 2001 and 2002 and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He was named to the 2002 ACC All-Tournament team after scoring a career-high four goals and adding an assist as Duke defeated then top-ranked Virginia, 14-13, in the championship game.
An Academic All-ACC selection, Regan finished his collegiate career with 22 goals and four assists.
"Just a terrific personality. Always a smile on his face. His teammates just loved to be around him," former Duke coach Mike Pressler told USA Today in 2007. "He was the kind of kid that every coach in America would be proud to call his own. I can't imagine a better teammate or a better friend."
Following his graduation from Duke in the spring of 2002, Regan turned down a job offer from UBS (a financial services company) and a scholarship to Southern Methodist University's law school to enlist in the Army. Surprising many of his friends and family members, he chose to enter the U.S. Army Ranger School, emailing his former teammates the explanation "This is what I have to do."
Regan went on to graduate first in his class in infantry basic combat training. After completing the basic airborne course and Ranger Indoctrination program at Fort Benning in Georgia, he became a member of the 3rd Battalion.
Regan served as a machine gunner, gun team leader and then fire team leader during two deployments each to Afghanistan and Iraq, as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His service in the Army was to end in February of 2008. He and his fiancée, Mary McHugh, had made plans to marry and move to Chicago upon his return to the United States, and he had hopes of becoming a social studies teacher and lacrosse coach.
Regan was killed Feb. 9, 2007 in northern Iraq when an improvised explosive device (IED) targeted his vehicle. He was 26.
Survived by his parents and three sisters, Regan was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart, in addition to a number of other decorations earned during his years of service. The Roman Catholic Church in Manhasset was packed beyond capacity for his funeral, including 600 flag-waving students from the local high school and many of the businesses nearby displaying his photo in their windows. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.
The Army Ranger Lead the Way Fund was founded in Regan's honor by his family and friends, and continues to assist wounded and fallen Army Rangers and their families through health and wellness programs, casualty and recovery efforts, transition to civilian life and several other services. To date the Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund has given over $7 million in financial support to the families of the 75th Ranger Regiment. "Through the Lead The Way Fund, his family and friends strive to honor his spirit, his patriotism and the way he lived his life by combining our efforts to give back to his brothers, the U.S. Army Rangers," reads part of the mission statement.
Although several classes of Blue Devils have come and gone since Regan's death, his legacy continues to live on within the program. A memorial display and his framed No. 10 jersey hangs outside the team's locker room. His initials and number remain on the players' helmets for every game.
Regan also served as an inspiration for another former Duke lacrosse player, Casey Carroll, in
his journey to serve his country. Carroll was a first team All-America selection for the Blue Devils as a senior in 2007. Following graduation that year, he decided to join the United States Army.
"It was my senior year when Jimmy Regan died," Carroll said. "That really moved me when Coach (John Danowski) told us about his story. I found that the best way I could honor him and also blaze my own way through life would be to try to follow in his footsteps. I just set my mind to it. Fifth year of eligibility, that went right out the window for me."
Coming from a family that had ties to military service as well, Carroll enlisted in the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment — the same unit Regan had served in.
After spending 2007-12 in the U.S. Army with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Carroll returned to
Durham to pursue an MBA at Duke's Fuqua School of Business. He spent much of the 2013 season injured, but helped Duke win the 2014 NCAA title as a 29-year-old veteran with a wife and two kids. He tended to shy away from the spotlight, but he was eager to share Regan's story and how influential it was in his life, even though he and Regan never met.
"As far as we saw, he was the toughest guy in the world," Carroll once said. "He's a guy that we all looked up to, whether guys knew of him personally or just knew of his story. I felt that would be a really great way to honor his memory."
Sgt. Regan's awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart.
For more information on the Lead the Way Fund, visit www.leadthewayfund.org.
#GoDuke
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