The women’s lacrosse team ended their 2024 season with a 2-11 record. Now, halfway through the 2025 season, they have already beaten their win record from the previous season. With a recent win against the University of Wisconsin Stevens-Point, their record now sits at 4-3, with losing one home game so far.
The team has attributed its success to finding the right team culture and increased team chemistry. They are more dedicated to wanting to win and fighting for their team. Everyone wants to be there and put in the work to win. They know that they are one team and that it does not take one person to do everything.
“We’re all pretty good friends,” sophomore Taylor Ackland said. “Even in hard situations during games or practices, we work really hard to make sure that we are not getting upset with each other. Instead, we are lifting each other up and giving each other helpful tips. I just feel like this is a really good group.”
Part of their success also comes from being more organized. Better organization leads to a more consistent practice-to-game performance. Practices are more structured with more game-like scenarios–the team even has a team handbook with everything that a player on the team needs to know for the season, including campus information, team contact information and even how practices are run.
“The coaching staff kind of upped it a little bit this year,” junior captain Elena Bechard said. This is Bechard’s second season as one of the captains of this team. “Practices are for sure two hours and it is, go, go, go, go, and it is not necessarily more structured, but it is. She also has literally everything out in [the handbook]. It’s a lot, but it is all laid out there.”
Even though the team is off to a great start, they still have room for improvement, especially being three games away from conference play. They aim to make small improvements in their overall stickwork and passing, especially during transition in possession.
To aid in furthering those improvements, the team has started to implement hitting the ball on the wall for 15 minutes before practices and games. The constant practice in small amounts may help in the long run.
“It shows the commitment to the game and to your team,” junior captain Rachel Wylie said. “I think it’s the small stick work that’ll make a rig for conference because the teams that we’re playing already have, or are already trying to perform at that level. We might be playing a team that might be at our same little stick level, but once we get to conference, I feel that it gets even a little bit higher.”
With conference play coming up, there is an emphasis on the importance of teamwork and the need to win and do well. The team’s improved work ethic and closer bond have contributed to their success this year, which will help with conference coming up.
“[For] non-conference, coach always expresses that she just wants us to play Augustana lacrosse and have fun while we’re doing it,” junior Madison Langewisch said. Langewisch recently earned 100 career points, contributing a lot to the team. “Yes, we are playing a lot of harder teams and more aggressive teams, but having the mentality of just being a team, and using that mindset. We want to win. We[‘ve] got to do good. Yes, have fun, but at the same time, work hard so we can win.”
