After a run of seasons that came to a close too soon for their liking, the Augustana women’s lacrosse team was able to redirect the trend of previous years, notching their first winning record since the 2018 season and securing their first postseason berth since 2017. While their College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) title drought remains, to call the 2026 season anything less than a success would discredit the steps the program has made.
That sentiment rings out at Thorson-Lucken Field, as many involved with the team have spoken at great length about just how proud they are of the season they had. That includes junior and All-Conference First-Team member Colleen Chiavola, who said that the mentality the Vikings have had since her first season with the program in 2024, a season where they finished 2-11, is what has made the steps they’ve made possible.
“2-11 is hard, it’s not the most encouraging setting … but what kept me going was the people,” Chiavola said. “My freshman year, we saw where it was going, and after every game we were like, ‘We got this next year.’ Last year we lost to Beloit [College] and Cornell [College], and we walked [off] the field and weren’t upset, we knew exactly where we were going to capitalize next season.”
Capitalize they did, as the Vikings would see two early-season wins against both of those programs, opening up the season with a 6-2 record, their best start since 2018, when they held the same record through the first eight games.
In that early part of the season, the Vikings would face their fair share of adversity. In their win against Cornell, the Vikings would lose senior captain and perennial top-three scorer Elena Bechard, who suffered a season-ending injury.
While some players would take an injury in their senior season as an opportunity to check out early, Bechard is not one. Sophomore All-Conference First-Team member Becca Lacina said that even after her season ended, Bechard remained a positive force on the sideline, not only to Lacina, but to the team as a whole.
“I’ve known Elena since my sophomore year of high school,” Lacina said. “I’ve played against her, I’ve played travel with her and I got to play with her again. She’s like an older sister to me. I look up to her a lot, and she always has this really good mindset all the time. She’s probably one of the most positive people I know on the field, and she’s always uplifting everyone out there.”
Alongside Bechard, a huge reason for the success of this team came from the senior class. Whether it be on the offensive side with All-Conference Second-Team member Madison Langewisch or on the defensive side with four-year starter Rachel Wylie, the loss of the Vikings’ six seniors will surely be felt next season.
That isn’t to say that there isn’t a lot of excitement as Augustana prepares for 2027. With three returning all-conference members, as well as a highly touted recruiting class, the Vikings are looking to make a lot of noise next season as they look to avenge some losses from this previous season and find their way back to the dominance they showcased over a decade prior.
“Everyone has to be committed to the vision, everybody has to want more and be hungry for those wins,” Head Coach Jordan Tice said. “Next year, I know that [beating] North Central [College] is going to be our big goal; we want some revenge in that game. We want to continue to beat Elmhurst as they continue to grow … I know that my team loves to be an underdog, and that mentality is going to have to change a little bit. We won’t be able to go into every game thinking that teams will underestimate us. They know we have skill, and we’re continuing to learn.”
That recognition is something not only taking place across the conference, but nationally as well. As a team, the Vikings closed out the season ranked eighth in caused turnovers per game (14.75) and 11th in ground balls per game (26.88). Individually, both Chiavola and Lacina ranked nationally, Chiavola in caused turnovers per game (35th) and Lacina in assists per game (71st).
Concluding the season with a 9-7 record, just two years removed from a 2-11 finish, the expectations for the Vikings have certainly changed. While the process stays the same, Augustana will get ready for yet another step forward, hopefully shining light on a program already entering the main stage.
“It’s exciting to see people turning heads towards a program that’s never turned heads before,” Chiavola said. “I finally feel our team is getting the recognition that we spent three years building up to. That’s why I think it’s so important that we continue on with our streak, because that’s getting people’s attention.”