Just a few days after the regional tournament, the NYU women’s lacrosse team received the phone call — a call which earned them a wild card bid to the national tournament. This is the first time in history that the team made it to nationals, which will be held May 6-9 in Round Rock, TX. 

“Once we got the call, everyone was screaming and crying,” team president sophomore Camelia Vonica said. “We have all worked so hard this semester — from team involvement to commitment. Everyone was giving it their all at every practice, every game.”

Leading up to the tournament, the team is working on coordination, communication and personal skill development — going back to the basics, making sure their stick skills are down pat. 

“We want to make sure that when we’re thrown on the field, we can depend on our own skills and on each other,” said Vonica. “We just hope to play our hearts out. We’re here to play good lacrosse. It’s not about winning or losing.”

Getting to this point of high success has been a long and rocky journey for the women’s team. The team, founded several years ago, started with five girls, with no coach and nowhere to practice — the team would coordinate with men’s lacrosse to have a space to play. Now, despite the men’s team forming 30 years ago, both teams are on the same level.

“I remember sitting on the bus at 6 a.m., and we would constantly have to forfeit games because we didn’t have enough players show up,” coach Alex Du, graduate student and former team member, said. “The level that we reached today is such a big jump — it really is amazing.”

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the team completely rebuilt, enhancing organization, structuring leadership, obtaining permits, developing requirements for game day and selecting captains. 

Despite organizational changes, the team still faces challenges like finding a consistent practice space. It doesn’t have its own field and has to purchase permits to use space in parks. The athletic department doesn’t provide transportation, resulting in lengthy commute times on public transit. 

“Despite these setbacks, we were able to figure it out to our best ability, and in my opinion, it’s what makes our team so special,” Du said. “The more dedication you put in, the more you value this thing you’re building.”

The team is looking at the possibility of becoming a varsity sport. Captains have already brought up this prospect with the athletic department, which spoke to the NCAA. However, concerns surfaced about limited practice space and available funding from NYU. Even if the team is approved to become a varsity sport now, it could take as long as five years to become official. 

“Getting some press attention will be the first step towards that direction,” Du said. “The department and school need to recognize that this would be a brand-building opportunity for NYU.”

Contact Isabella Bickenbach at [email protected].