A Fresh Start for Women’s Lacrosse

Lynn Women’s Lacrosse Welcomes New Leadership Team After Inaugural Cohort Graduates

By Eleanor Bruce, Contributing Writer

It is a new chapter for the women’s lacrosse team at Lynn University. The team’s inaugural cohort graduated last May, so it enters the 2023/24 season with a new dynamic.

The women’s lacrosse team is a newer program on campus. Head Coach Mindy Richmond recruited the inaugural team in September 2019. After graduating, those founding players left a vacuum, as many of them awarded numerous accolades and recognitions while wearing blue and white.

To replace the eight women who graduated, Richmond recruited eight fresh faces who possess a lot of promise and talent. Sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Clagett spoke about the change saying, “It’s inevitable for it to not feel different, and the difference is good.”

The incoming class come from across the country, bringing with them both cultural diversity and individuality. As with any new team, each year brings a fresh perspective and opportunity to do better than the year prior.

Richmond and Assistant Coach Joe Tornetta emphasize a sense of family within the program. As eight new members are welcomed, it is up to the more seasoned members of the team to continue to impart core values and ensure they carry on within the new group.

The graduating cohort included all four of the team’s captains: Isabella Clark, Danielle Farinas, Ginger Stein and Lauren Dickson. Those four led Lynn’s women’s lacrosse to record-breaking results and were the glue that held the team together.

Entering this upcoming season, the program has an opportunity for fresh captaincy. New leaders Erin Reilly, Kristyn Johnson and Diane Dohler “are each very personable and good girls to look up to,” said Clagett. After watching the previous captains work together to create such a successful environment, they are well equipped to step up to the task.

The bond that the team had last year contributed to a lot of the team’s success. According to Clagett, “The seniors taught this program to hold on to each other and use our team’s closeness to our very best advantage.”

The returning women hope to maintain the legacy the graduates left behind. With an entirely new class joining the team, they are motivated to set a good example.

“They have impacted me to try and be a good leader for them,” said Clagett, “I was just in their shoes last year.”