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Somewhere in the back of Dan Guyette’s head, Dora the Explorer is playing on loop. If you’re inches away from Syracuse’s senior goalie, you might hear her murmur the words. But it’s subtle.

Wait. What’s she singing now?

Is that the theme song of SpongeBob, the comedic mischief recommended for 7-year-olds? No, hold on, now she’s muttering Amy Winehouse’s 2007 classic, Valerie.

If you ask Guyette why she hums — sometimes even sings — these tunes in front of SU’s net, she won’t give you a philosophical treatise. She’ll just tell you it makes her laugh. That’s kind of the whole point.

“I really try not to take myself too seriously,” Guyette said. “It’s really just staying loose, staying positive. If I can keep the energy up, my God, that’s what I’ll do.”

As the starting goalie on the sixth-ranked team in the nation, it’s ironic Guyette tries not to take herself seriously. Because being in net on a team like the Orange is far from easy.

She’s the Orange’s “last resort,” head coach Regy Thorpe said, and she’s been as reliable as they come, ranking second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 48.6% save rate while allowing just 7.02 goals per game. As SU aims to make a deep postseason run, Guyette’s calm presence — and her sidekicks, Dora and SpongeBob — could spell the difference.

“It’s truly trying to stay as childlike as I can,” Guyette said. “Because I find I have the most fun when I keep things simple, trying my best not to overthink things.”

Guyette knows goalie is one of the most mentally demanding positions in sports. She also knows how quickly things can spiral out of control. Once you go down that dark path, she said it takes “far too long” to emerge on the other end.

Just look at her back-to-back poor performances in detrimental losses last year against Boston College and Stanford, two games in which Guyette hovered around the 20% save clip.

Scan the statsheet this year, though, and those sort of showings have generally disappeared. Guyette credits her senior-year success to a mindset shift, which she said began on March 12 against Northwestern.

Entering that game, the Orange had flipped a discouraging 0-3 start to a 4-3 record. Guyette spearheaded the effort by allowing four combined goals in the previous two games. But that was against Virginia Tech and Cal. The Wildcats were a different animal.

Yet to Guyette, it doesn’t matter who’s on the other side. Northwestern’s Ryan Fieldhouse might as well have been Guyette’s Newbury Park High School field in California, and Guyette could be Asa Goldstock or Delaney Sweitzer, two SU goalies she emulated before joining the Orange.

Syracuse led 5-4 at halftime, tacking on two unanswered goals in the third quarter. Then, Guyette said, an internal flip switched.

“It was just, ‘Oh my God, I’m playing a game? This is awesome. I get to play the game I’ve always loved growing up,’” Guyette remembers thinking against the Wildcats. “‘This is my game. All I have to do is have fun. Treat it like any other game I’ve had in the past.’”

Guyette said she channeled her high school days, when she played a carefree, loose brand of lacrosse. She drew inspiration from former USC goalie Gussie Johns and UNC netminder Taylor Moreno. The Orange picked up a 9-6 win against the Wildcats, the largest victory of Thorpe’s nascent tenure.

Guyette finally felt she was reaching her maximum potential. In two years behind Sweitzer, Guyette said she appreciated every opportunity she received but didn’t fully grasp the nuances of the role.

Now, the vision is different. Lacrosse is a privilege. Guyette is prancing around in a helmet and gloves, getting a rubber ball pelted her way over 20 times per game. When that’s happening, she turns off her brain. The mindset shifts to: “As long as I can see the ball and save it, that’s what I’ll do.”

“If I have little reminders, like sing a song to myself, do a little dance, even if it’s really ugly, it’ll translate to all the other defenders as well,” Guyette said.

That playful mindset has worked wonders for SU’s defense. The Orange’s 7.31 goals surrendered a game ranks fifth in the nation, with Guyette behind the whole operation.

Take a closer look at SU’s goalie, and you’ll notice her go-to white cleats. Look closer, and you’ll see a smiley face. Guyette drew it to help settle her mind, and she looks down at it in times of crisis.

“I think it’s really helpful trying to keep our team as composed as possible,” Guyette said. “We’ve done a really great job so far, really being the anchor for this team, holding it down and limiting how much the opposing offense scores.”

Even in Syracuse’s quadruple-overtime win over Notre Dame, the longest game of her collegiate career, Guyette remained composed. She joked she lost track of which quarter it was. She was often yelled at by teammates and coaches when she trotted to the wrong side of the field after a team huddle.

But when she did find the correct net, she’d simply react to any shot as best she could. She said her brain was too tired to function. At that point, it was all habitual reflexes. She finished with 11 saves, seven of which came after halftime.

Syracuse goalie Dan Guyette leaps for a save in the Orange’s loss to Boston College. Although that game wasn’t Guyette’s best, she ranks second in the ACC in save percentage. Avery Magee | Photo Editor

“I don’t know if there’s another team in the country that’s been through the ups and downs and the challenges that we’ve been through,” SU midfielder Emma Muchnick said postgame. “Obviously a little close for our liking, but it’s an experience, and now going into May, those are experiences that we have under our belt.”

Muchnick brings up a good point. But when playoff lacrosse intensifies, Guyette won’t be thinking about the 80-minute game she played one month earlier. Instead, she’ll likely be thinking about Capri Suns. Yes, the aluminum pouch drink that peaked around third grade.

At this point, her affection for the beverage is well-documented. On the left side of Guyette’s helmet, the words “God Bless Capri Suns” are scribbled on athletic tape in a gothic font.

“She’s obsessed with Capri Suns,” SU defender Coco Vandiver said. “That’s her go-to. When I think of Dan, I think of Capri Suns.”

The teammates know the Capri Suns. Spectators might recognize the bleached hair, which started a few weeks ago when Guyette was “a little tired” and thought, “You know what, I’ll make the switch.” The goalie approached her teammate, Mackenzie Borbi, for advice.

Borbi also sports a bright head of hair. Before the Notre Dame game, the broadcasters mentioned Guyette’s orange hair, which infuriated the goalie. It was supposed to be blonde. The comments didn’t stop her from playing one of the best games of her career.

When she eventually rebleaches it, Guyette said she’ll turn right back to Borbi. Hopefully, this time, the color will be a little clearer.

“It’s just keeping it loose,” Guyette said. “Enjoying all the moments I can in my senior year.”

Expectations surrounding this Syracuse squad have only risen since the season began, and Guyette’s sat at the center of the noise. Virginia is over, but with No. 1 North Carolina on deck Friday, the pressure piles on Syracuse’s goalie.

But she doesn’t feel it. Every game is the same. Guyette is between the pipes, a spot she dreamed of occupying for years. She’s playing lacrosse at one of the highest levels, and she’s jamming out to her favorite childhood songs.

But don’t be deceived by her playfulness. Even if you get close enough to hear her tunes, good luck knocking her out of her rhythm.

Published on April 23, 2026 at 12:55 am
Contact Jordan: jordankimball28@gmail.com | @JordanKimball_