In 2019, wide-eyed freshman defender Brett Funk stood on the sidelines of Lincoln Financial Field, waiting for his number to be called in the NCAA Semifinals against Yale. In 2023, Funk will make his return to the biggest stage in a different way.
A two-year captain who donned the signature No. 11 inspired by former Nittany Lion Michael Jacober for overcoming adversity, the graduate student entered his fifth and final season in Happy Valley with big aspirations. However, after multiple injuries, Funk made the difficult decision to medically retire from the sport.
A regular starter his sophomore and junior campaigns, Funk missed nine games his senior season. Following a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, stomach issues that led to weight loss and several concussions that led to complications with balance and vision, the Medford, New Jersey, native decided to prioritize his health and step away from the game.
"I had no implications of jumping into this coaching role so stepping back, it was the hardest decision of my life," Funk said. "I felt the weight of just not being there to support my teammates, essentially. I'm a fifth year senior, I'm a captain. My entire life, I feel like I've always put the team first."
Despite unlacing his cleats and taking off the Penn State jersey for the final time, Funk has spent his final season in a coaching role, balancing his life as a student athlete while working alongside head coach Jeff Tambroni and his staff.
With the Nittany Lions looking to reach the pinnacle of college lacrosse in Philadelphia and secure the program's first national title, Funk, who grew up 35 minutes away from Lincoln Financial Field, is preparing for No. 1 seed Duke with the lens of a coach after being advised by doctors and trainers to stop playing.
In a meeting with Dr. James Wilkes of the Penn State concussion lab, Dr. Wilkes shared a bike ride analogy that forced Funk to swallow the most difficult pill and realize his playing days had come to an abrupt end. However, with his family, coaches and teammates by his side, Funk knew his future and his health transcends lacrosse.
"Would you rather go on that bike ride with your kids and get up off the couch or risk the potential of just sitting there showing them highlights of your final few months of lacrosse here but not be able to go get up on that ride," Funk said. "For me, as hard as that decision was, it was like, I kind of have to think about the next 50 years of my life here as opposed to the short term."
With Funk looking to stick around while Penn State embarked on a special campaign, Tambroni offered the Shawnee High School product a spot as a student-coach, allowing him to rehab, recover and workout with the team while coaching and continuing to lead as a captain.
As Funk continued to share his wisdom and experience with his teammates and coaches, the graduate student has found his voice in coaches meetings, composed practice plans and learned first-hand the level of preparation and preparedness it takes to be successful in a daunting Big Ten slate.
"I've just kind of learned that no matter what your role is, you have value within this organization of Penn State men's lacrosse, you have a role and you have a responsibility," Funk said. "You can pull weight within an organization no matter where you are and personally, if you bring the correct attitude and effort every single day, you can make an impact."
As Penn State surpassed its preseason expectations with three consecutive top-20 wins against a trio of Ivy League opponents and four top-20 wins against Big Ten foes, Funk has been one of the several focal points in a leadership group that's been the catalyst for a historic turnaround of a 3-11 team in 2022 to a national championship contender.
Returning to the Final Four with what Funk called, "the closest team I've ever been a part of," the former defender who played in 27 games with 20 starts in his career recognized the special run is far from over.
"We're not there for the media attention, we're not there for the X's and O's, we're there to complete our mission of winning a national championship," Funk said. "We've been playing lacrosse our entire lives. At the end of the day, if you cancel out the sights and sounds and fans and stuff, it's just another lacrosse game and we're just really confident in our group."
A poised and confident leader who has been a key participant in the Friends of Jocelyn Foundation and THON, Funk's journey from freshman year to his final year is rooted in his everlasting love for the game, something he hopes to share with his kids one day.
A three-time Academic All-Big Ten player and an Eagles fan who will once again grace the grounds of the "Linc" on Saturday, Funk's next step in life is a medical devices salesman and while lacrosse will remain firmly engraved in his DNA, Funk continues to live out his dream with Penn State.
"It's honestly a childhood dream come true," Funk said. "My father and I, we've gone to Final Four's for as long as I can remember. We went to M&T Bank Stadium down in Baltimore when I was really little, we went to the Final Four in Philadelphia… It's honestly a dream come true and the fact is, this is my fifth and final year here and this is how we're going out. I couldn't have asked for a better story."