The women’s lacrosse team sees an eventful season ahead, as they have new dynamics this season along with big goals, plans, and expectations.
This year the team has a new head coach, Meredith Newman, who has been with the team since August.
Kelly Stelzer, one of the team’s captains, said Coach Newman brings a different perspective to the sport.
Newman says that this season the program’s first recruiting class are now seniors. Newman points out that it’s something special this season.
“There are 10 seniors that began here as freshmen, and I believe I speak for all of us when I say it’s an honor to have been able to help start what has become such a great program,” said Stelzer.
The team is also going to have a lot of traveling. This will help the team to see stronger outside competition in their new conference.
“This season is special because when we do as well or better than we have, we’ll really put Augie Lax on the map,” said Bridget Conniff, one of the team’s captains.
With the team’s special aspects this season, there’s also several goals they have in mind. The team had a dinner just a couple weeks ago in which they discussed goals they have for the season.
“We’re taking everything a step at a time, but our ultimate goals are to win the conference, get an at-large Pool B bid to the national tournament, and to make it past the Sweet 16,” said Conniff.
Conniff said the players have been working really hard with all the time and effort they have put into endless hours of lifting, conditioning, and practice.
In order for the team to achieve their goals, there are certain expectations they need to meet during the season and some obstacles to overcome.
“Expectations I have for my players is that they show up for practice every single day, ready to compete, to push each other to be better every day and to pursue excellence on and off the field every single day,” said Newman.
Newman describes the team to be “aggressively competitive” and says they compete every day, which drives the passion of the team to be as phenomenal as they are.
In terms of obstacles, Newman said the team is facing the toughest schedule in the history of the program since they don’t have an automatic in for the national tournament in the conference championship.
“We have to put in a good showing by going against nationally ranked Division III teams,” said Newman. “Yet, this drives us to work hard every single day by understanding we are going to have some tough matches on the road and what’s going to put us through is the true family dynamic on this team.”
Stelzer and Conniff also both describe the team to be a family in which they have each other’s backs on and off the field with support and being more than “just a team playing lacrosse.”
“Coach Newman has given us everything we have needed to be successful thus far,” said Stelzer.
The team has its first match on Feb. 21 in Minneapolis against Augsburg.