What a way to start my college lacrosse career! After years of hard work, practices, tournaments, and preparing for the next level, I finally got the opportunity to play collegiate lacrosse at Reinhardt University. I knew the competition would be tougher, the game would be faster, and I would have to prove myself all over again. Challenge accepted!

My freshman season started off better than I could have imagined. I quickly earned a starting position as a midfielder and became one of the team’s leading scorers, even though I was competing alongside experienced college players. One of my early highlights was scoring two goals and recording an assist against NCAA Division I Kennesaw State University. It was exciting to see that I could compete and make an impact at the collegiate level right from the beginning.

Unfortunately, just as things were getting started, my season took an unexpected turn. During practice the week after our fourth game, I suffered a serious knee injury that ended my freshman season. After playing in only three games, I suddenly found myself facing a completely different challenge. Instead of preparing for the next opponent, I was preparing for recovery and rehabilitation.

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement! I had worked so hard to get here, earned my place in the starting lineup, and was already contributing offensively. Having everything come to a sudden stop was heartbreaking. But if lacrosse has taught me anything over the years, it’s that challenges are part of the game, and how you respond to them matters just as much as what you accomplish on the field.

Although my time playing was cut short, I still got to experience something incredible. Reinhardt went on to win the 2024 NAIA Women’s Lacrosse National Championship and the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament Championship. I am proud to have been part of this championship team, even if my role changed after my injury.

This definitely wasn’t the freshman season I had planned, but those first three games proved that I belonged at this level. Now my focus is on getting healthy, coming back stronger, and picking up where I left off.

My freshman season may have ended early, but my college lacrosse journey is just getting started!