ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — Luke Danna has played lacrosse at Orchard Park for one full season. But that was enough for their head coach to know he was pretty special.
"His offensive ability to shoot and score goals is elite," said Orchard Park lacrosse head coach Larry Catalano. "But his field
vision is really some of the best we’ve ever seen."
Penn State agreed with that line of thinking after offering him a scholarship. Ranked as one of the top players in the nation, Danna signed to play with the Nittany Lions last November.
"They run it like a pro program," said Luke Danna. "It’s something that I really took notice of. They’re a top 10 team pretty much every year. Just their intensity level and their attention to detail was all stuff that I grew up around with my Dad coaching."
If his last name looks familiar, that's because his father is Bills safeties coach, Joe Danna. Luke has been able to watch NFL players up close and study their work habits for years. But there is one player that stands out from the rest.
"It’s really Jalen Ramsey for the first time when my Dad was in Jacksonville with him," said Danna. "Just watching that dude practice. He’s in there jabbing with the receivers. Talking to them. Running his mouth and he’s backing it up too. I mean I just watch him and watch his attention to detail and him just flip into that mode."
The Orchard Park senior is also an honor roll student. His parents have always preached that he has to dominate on the field as well as in the classroom.
"I think it’s kind of tough to balance it," said Luke Danna. "But I’ve kind of always put them equal to each other. I know sports can only take you so far. You have to have a mind beyond that.
Luke plans on using that mind to study kinesiology at Penn State. ...read more read less