NOTRE DAME — After the best regular season in program history, the Notre Dame lacrosse team is hoping for the best post-season in school history follows.

"Our goal every year is to play for the national championship," head coach Kevin Corrigan admits without reservation.

It's a goal that Notre Dame has a chance to achieve this season for the first time in program history. Notre Dame is the 7-seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament, and will host a first round game on Sunday against Maryland at noon.

The Irish men's lacrosse team stands alone as the only team in the country to complete the regular season undefeated!

"We're happy with the record," says Corrigan, "but there's more to it than that for us."

Mainly ... winning the national championship.

A goal once considered unthinkable when head coach Kevin Corrigan came to South Bend two decades ago, is now very realistic for a program that's taken strides year after year to put itself among the nation's elite.

"We've gone from being in the Top 20, to being in the Top 15, to being in the Top 10," says Corrigan. "That last step is the hardest ... being a team in the Top 5 and competing for championships yearly."

Part of being a top program means developing the top players and Notre Dame certainly has.

Goalie Scott Rodgers has the top save percentage, and goals against average in the nation, and has been nominated for the national player of the year!

Senior attacker Ryan Hoff is an All-American, averaging two goals per game!

And junior Grant Krebs' 31-game scoring streak, which has spanned TWO full seasons, is the 7th best mark in the nation. But he's not satisfied.

"There's room to improve," says Krebs. "We're a top three team, but I think we can be the best team in the country!"

As the NCAA tournament approaches there's only one more step for the Irish program to take, and Corrigan knows what that is.

"Winning the national championship! If you wanna be in that conversation, you have to do it."