Her latest masterpiece was the James Madison defense last spring. The Dukes finished 11th in the nation by allowing 9.47 goals per game and overcame a 3-4 start to reach the second round of the NCAA tournament. Anchored by Durkin — who came to Harrisonburg, Virginia, as a midfielder but made the switch to defense thanks to the teachings of associate head coach Kateri Linville — James Madison held nine opponents to fewer than 10 goals.
The switch to defense didn’t fluster Durkin. A staunch competitor, she’d do anything to get on the field and impose her will on the opposition. Being on a team and not trying to win? That’s a mentality that Durkin simply can’t fathom.
It helps to have her athleticism, of course. Durkin is a natural in lacrosse, a 5-foot-10 “controlled tornado that comes through that you can’t stop,” as Holland put it. She was an all-state basketball player who excelled in soccer and dabbled in swimming and volleyball.
Durkin’s best sport, though, isn’t even offered at the Division I level.
Following in the footsteps of her father, Shane, who played Gaelic football in Ireland for County Sligo and for the national college team, Durkin excelled in the Irish sport that combines the skills and properties of soccer, rugby and basketball. She dominated against boys until she was 15, then led the U.S. women’s national team to a gold medal as a 16-year-old in 2016.
“He’s my dad in so many ways,” Durkin said. “I have his pale skin, too.”
Gaelic football laid the foundation for Durkin’s prowess as an all-around athlete and competitor. Fans, coaches and teammates alike can’t help but marvel at her on the field.
“Girls used to be like, ‘How can I be like Mairead?’ And I’d just say, ‘You have to be born like that,’” Holland said.
When everyone slows down, Durkin speeds up.
“It’s just incredible,” James Madison coach Shelley Klaes said. “She plays at a higher intensity level than anyone else, and what she can do at top speed, she can slow the game down at that level.”