Before the team has even played its first game, the Pride have been getting national recognition in multiple ways. Not only have Lily Johnson and Izzy Lalancette been tabbed as preseason All-Americans, Springfield is the No. 19 ranked Division III team in USA Lacrosse Magazine’s most recent poll. Although the team wasn’t able to secure an at-large bid last season, the returning firepower shows that head coach Jenn Thomas’ squad is bound for a bright future, and her former players have set her up well.
“I think [why we’re No. 19] is because of what we’ve accomplished and what this program has accomplished in the past,” Thomas said. “It’s great to get that recognition, but they have to use it as a motivator. We shouldn’t be satisfied. In order to be a top 20 team, you have to do top 20 things. We talk a lot about how awesome it’s been to see the alumni reaction. Because truly, that’s why we’re getting that recognition.”
Last year the Pride had one of the best defenses in the country, anchored by goalkeeper Kate Laico, who’s now a graduate assistant under Thomas. Along with Laico, several impact pieces of that defense graduated, leaving other players to step up, as Thomas has embraced that challenge.
“It’s definitely a tough hit,” Thomas said about Laico. “I joke around with her every day. I’m like, ‘You sure you don’t have a fifth year or six year? Let’s just throw you in. It’s definitely been hard.”
“It hasn’t felt like a huge gap with people leaving though, especially on defense,” Thomas said. “Elyse Altland is crushing it right now. She’s been a student of the game and she’s just ready for this moment, making a strong impact on our defense. Lindsay Vogt was the first one off the bench last year, but I’m excited for her this year. Emma Murray broke her ankle last year, but she got the ‘show up’ pinnie the first practice. It was so evident that she took the summer and fall seriously.”
Offensively, the Pride returns three of their five top goal scorers from last year: Claire Ognibene, Lalancette and Johnson. Lalancette had 35 goals last season, and can score through contact, as the junior looks to build off a strong 2025 campaign.
“We came out really strong in the first two scrimmages,” Lalancette said. “I think other teams are underestimating us right now because of how many people we lost last year, but I feel like that’s just giving us more motivation to want to win more this year. We have even more fight in us than last year because of it.”
Along with Johnson, Lalancette is pleased to earn All-American honors, and she knows where the credit lies.
“It shows the hard work that I put in,” Lalancette said. “I owe it all to my teammates. They push me every day, and they’re the reason that I keep showing up.”
Just like the men’s team, the women’s team also has aspirations of coming home with a NEWMAC title, as the Pride lost to MIT 9-6 in the semifinals last season, in a game plagued with self-inflicted mistakes.
“I think they just need to get over the mental hump,” Thomas said. “I think it’s great that we have MIT early on in March. We purposely scheduled our March to be really challenging. We’re facing MIT, Trinity, Amherst, Endicott — heavy hitters in March, and then I think it’s great that we have Babson early April, so that way we know what we’re getting into come postseason play.”
The Pride’s first matchup is against Skidmore, a team they defeated 13-11 last year. Springfield will host on Stagg Field, Feb. 25 at 4 p.m.