Lawrence University men’s and women’s lacrosse athletes are soaking up every moment as they launch new varsity programs.
“I have been playing lacrosse since my sophomore year of high school,” said Dejah Phillips, a junior from Atlanta who is a member of the Lawrence women’s team that is set to debut their inaugural season on March 12. “I fell in love with the sport and even tried to create a club here at Lawrence my first year. I was super excited when they teased that they were going to be starting the new program, and I quickly wanted to know everything about it.”
Sena Hasegawa, a first-year athlete, handles the ball in practice for the women's lacrosse team. (Photo by Danny Damiani)
You’ll find similar energy with the men’s lacrosse team, which debuted Feb. 23 against Trine University and notched their first win on March 9 (24-8 over Northland College).
“What’s exciting about launching a new program is that we get to build a new culture and start something new within the Lawrence environment,” said Zak Sokolowski, a first-year student from Wales, Wisconsin, who is one of the men’s team captains.
As it is with all new programs, there will be growing pains. But building something from scratch and setting the table for a new generation of Lawrence student-athletes is an exciting opportunity.
Lawrence University Director of Athletics Jason Imperati first announced the addition of both men’s and women’s lacrosse to Lawrence's varsity sports lineup in early 2023. The sport, exploding in popularity in the Midwest, provides additional opportunities for Lawrentians to compete—Lawrence’s roster of teams now stands at 24. In the two years since, coaches have been hired—Michael “Mikey” Zadroga for the men and Ben Morhac for the women—and the teams joined the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) and recruited their initial rosters.
Phillips has loved seeing it all come together. She is one of 20 student-athletes on the women’s roster.
“I am hoping to just have fun with the sport and for it to be a reminder as to why I've fallen in love with playing in the first place,” she said. “Lacrosse was a great space that I enjoyed investing time in, and I loved reflecting on my growth as a player and as a teammate, which further affected how I interacted in my personal life.”
2024 was a busy year for both programs. The coaches not only pushed to bring in new recruits, but they also held tryouts for student-athletes already on campus.
Zadroga is thrilled at the opportunity to build a men’s program from the ground up. As a former player on a developing team, he brings important experience to the job. He has 28 student-athletes on his roster, 23 of them first-year students.
“Building culture, battling through adversity, and experiencing firsts builds relationships and a legacy that lasts a lifetime,” Zadroga said. “That is what we are looking to do here at Lawrence.”
While the program is new, Zadroga has high expectations for his student-athletes.
“The goals we have as a program is to be great men on campus and in the community, build deep relationships with each member of the program, overachieve every day, and, most importantly, bring our light wherever we are,” he said.
Morhac also has been hard at work to get his women’s team ready for their first season.
“I would say that anytime you can be a first in anything, it is special,” Morhac said. “This year is really about getting our name out there, being competitive within our conference, and getting a lay of the land to see how we stack up in our region.”
Morhac previously coached at Notre Dame College, a NCAA Division II institution near Cleveland, Ohio. The St. Norbert College graduate is now excited to create history at Lawrence.
“My hope for the players is that they learn a lot from me and each other to better themselves on and off the field while creating a bond through lacrosse,” Morhac said. “It should be a fun year with a lot of growth.”
The women’s team has the advantage of several dual-sport athletes on its roster, including senior Beth McArthur of Etobicoke, Ontario, who serves as one of the captains on the women’s hockey team. The women’s hockey team is the most recent new entry to Lawrence Athletics, debuting in 2021. McArthur is excited to be part of a new program once again, considering the experience a special privilege.
“I am looking forward to playing another college season with my friends and starting a legacy for this new program,” she said.
Women’s basketball senior Lydia Lueck of Long Grove, Illinois, can’t wait to play one final season of college sports and challenge herself in new ways with lacrosse.
“It’s exciting that we get to set a foundation and culture for the future of Lawrence lacrosse,” she said.
It’s all about setting the tone, then building on it in years to come.
“It’s exciting being part of launching a new program because we are making history in everything we do,” said junior Emma Perry of Beverly, Massachusetts.
Lawrence is about to learn what lacrosse is all about. For many on campus, it’s a new sport, a new experience. Home games will be played at Banta Bowl—the first for the men’s team on March 15 vs. Northland College and the first for the women’s team on March 29 vs. Edgewood College.
“We are ready to compete and grateful for this opportunity to create tradition in this first season," Zadroga said.
