Edward Taylor Coombs Foundation scholarship award recipient Brian Corrigan was still reeling from the death of his father when he visited Marist College for the first time in 2011.
The college, and in particular the men’s lacrosse team, were also grieving the recent loss of Red Fox midfielder Edward Coombs, who had died the summer following his freshman year.
“What I was going through and what the program was going through, it was almost like a perfect match through loss,” Brian said. “Everybody in that locker room was all in the same boat. They were missing their teammate; I was missing my father. We were able to come together and represent Eddie in the best way, represent his family in the best way. It was the program that felt right at the right moment.”
Brian, who graduated from Westhampton Beach High School in 2013, was the first recipient of the ETC Foundation’s scholarship for an incoming Marist College freshman lacrosse player. In his senior year, Brian had the great honor of wearing Edward’s No. 34 jersey on the field.
“Once I got on campus the seniors who were there when I was a freshman were the last class to play with Eddie. I was able to learn a lot about Eddie from (Hatboro-Horsham High School graduate) Jimmy Murphy,” he said. “Everything was 34. When we work out it’s 34 reps, 34 seconds. It’s all over the lacrosse program.”
The team’s goalie, Brian, in his sophomore and senior years was the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year. As a senior, he played in all 15 games and received the Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American Honorable Mention, among other accolades. He finished his lacrosse career with 557 saves and ranked seventh in the NCAA career leaders.
Career goals
A 2018 Marist College graduate, Brian received a business administration degree with a concentration in finance.
“I was always good at math,” he said. “I wanted to end up in New York City. My initial goal was to be an equities trader or work at an investment bank.”
Instead, Brian accepted an insurance underwriting job at Chubb Insurance, working alongside his brother in the Big Apple. A private lacrosse coach in addition to an insurance underwriter, Brian sought to make an impact in his daily profession.
“I always loved coaching,” he said, adding, “it’s tough to work your way up to the top of the coaching carousel.”
Still, Brian “wasn’t satisfied sitting behind a desk” and opted to change his career trajectory.
“I want to do something where I wake up every day and not know what I’m getting into, but make a difference every day,” he said.
He enrolled at Touro University, where he will begin taking courses in summer 2024. Following the two-year program, Brian hopes to attain a teaching position in the special education field. “You get one-on-one attention with some of these students,” he said, noting it would be a “satisfying experience.”
Continuing a legacy
Brian received an athletic and an academic scholarship from Marist. The ETC Foundation scholarship was “the icing on top” that allowed him to further his studies without a financial burden.
More than money, the ETC Foundation made a lasting impact on Brian. He got a tattoo featuring the Foundation’s motto “Play Fast, Live Slow” and embodies leadership traits that would make its namesake proud.
“It’s not how long you live your life, it’s how you live your life,” Brian said. “Living your life to the fullest or living in a way that something traumatic doesn’t happen. It keeps you grounded when you do have a difficult decision.”
He credits the Coombs family – Edward’s father, Eric, mother, Tina, and sister, Erin – for creating a legacy through annual scholarship awards, as well as outreach to high school and college students about good decision making. Eric is a regular visitor at Marist College. During his time there, Brian had the opportunity to speak with him on numerous occasions.
“He’s doing something bigger than himself. He’s turning an unfortunate situation into a positive one,” Brian said of Eric’s commitment. “It’s impacted a whole university. We’re moving on 13, 14 years now and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.”
The family’s perseverance has helped Brian cope with the loss of his father.
“I couldn’t have asked for better people to be part of my life,” he said. “They lost their son, and I lost a family member. We’ve been through similar situations.”
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