By Tyler Aragao, staff writer.

When the Franklin Pierce University women’s lacrosse team departed Sodexo Field following its game on March 4, nobody expected it would be their final game of the season. Why would they? The lacrosse regular season runs all the way till late April and, although an upcoming road trip meant their next home game was not until March 28, nobody anticipated their season was over. If anything, it was just beginning.

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered life around the globe. Sadly, for college athletes around the nation, spring seasons were halted in mid-March and never resumed. The women’s lacrosse team saw its season end at 2-2, with eighth seniors who were unable to finish their final collegiate campaign. With the NCAA issuing eligibility waivers, some of them may come back to complete their careers as graduate students, but the experience of a true senior season was not to be. The team’s Senior Day ceremony was scheduled for this past Saturday against Southern Connecticut State, but instead Sodexo Field sat quiet.

In lieu of Senior Day, today, we will take a look at the women’s lacrosse senior student-athletes. We hope to showcase what they added to the program and the University community. This is the first part of a series which will run throughout the spring. Similar profiles of the seniors on other Franklin Pierce teams will follow at dates near their respective scheduled Senior Day ceremonies as well.

#1 Morgan Riley: Attack, Jamesville N.Y.

Morgan Riley has been a four-year member of the lacrosse program and is known by her teammates as “Big Mo”. In 40 career games played, including 28 starts, she picked up 30 goals, eight assists, and 38 points. She scored her first collegiate goal in her first career game, one of 12 goals she would score as a first-year player in 2017. That spring she was named to the Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, an honor she would also receive in 2018 and 2019.  “Having Morgan as a part of the program was a true honor,” said head coach Hilary Duda. “She has so much passion and love for the sport and her teammates. She is someone who did all that she could to help her team succeed on and off the field.” Morgan majors in psychology and criminal justice. She plans to attend graduate school for social work.  

#4 Bella Lima: Attack, Hudson Mass.

After a scoreless freshman season, Bella Lima scored seven times in nine games as a sophomore in 2018, and then broke out a year ago, with 36 goals (2.25 per game) and six assists for 42 points in 16 games as a junior. She was picking up where she left off this season, with four goals through the team’s four games in 2020. As a junior, Bella was a key component of the Ravens offense finishing second in goals (36) and points (42) as one of the team’s most effective offensive weapons. At Hudson High School in Massachusetts, she was named the best offensive player her senior year, and she brought that offensive pop with her to Franklin Pierce. “Bella was one of the first to reach out and welcome me,” said Duda. Leading by example didn’t come as a surprise to coach Duda either. “Bella showed me right away that she was here to give her all and do her best,” she said. A political science major, Bella’s plans post-FPU are to continue working in the property management business, where she hopes to get her real estate license, and apply to an MBA program.

#5 Sarah Heckman: Midfielder, Atkinson N.H.

A four-year member of the lacrosse program, Sarah Heckman provided the Ravens with a tremendous amount of energy and spark off the sideline. A reserve player, Heckman played in 24 games, chipping in 11 goals and two assists for 13 points. She fired 19 shots in her career with 78% of them landing on goal. Her junior season saw her score 10 times in 13 games, and she made her first career collegiate start that season too. That same season, she buried a hat-trick on March 30 against Southern Connecticut State. Her hard work made her an effective player and it did not go unnoticed. “When things weren't going her way, she would always come to me asking for extra help outside of practice,” said Duda. She was the type of player who was fully committed to her craft. Sarah is a biology major with a minor in chemistry. After school she plans on working full time as a pathologist assistant before going to medical school to study oncology.

#13 Ella Brownson: Attack, Albany N.Y.

An injury unfortunately meant she was unable to get on the field in her shortened senior season, but her positive energy was palpable. Ella was the type of teammate you would want to have, constantly supportive and bringing positivity to the field every day. “She supported her teammates 100%. That is hard to do when you are battling injury, but Ella didn't let that get to her,” said Duda. Ella played in 17 games for the Ravens in her career. She scored in her collegiate debut against Nyack in March of 2017 and played a career high nine games last season, as a junior. As a junior, she scored her second career goal, against Felician, while picking up her first career assist, against American International. Although she was unable to suit up in 2020, she brought the same energy as if she was playing. She is a player who goes beyond what a box score could tell. Ella is a biology major with a minor in chemistry. Her plans after FPU are to take an active gap year working, studying, and volunteering, before attending medical school.

#16 Sarah Waldrep: Defender, North Andover Mass.

A co-captain of the Ravens, there are perhaps fewer athletes tougher than Sarah Waldrep. The defender has played in 51 games across four years, including 49 starts. She has played in 49 consecutive games and has been the anchor of the Ravens’ defense. She scored a goal, the fourth of her career, in what would be the season finale against Stonehill. Not a noted goal-scorer, Sarah’s defensive career with the Ravens was impressive. She collected 85 ground balls and 28 caused turnovers across four seasons. A force to be reckoned with by opposing attackers, she was the type of player who always got it done, and who always lead by example. “Sarah is a great leader and captain,” said Duda. “I could always count on her to get the job done, and as a coach I couldn't have been more proud to call her one of my players.” A health science major, Sarah’s plans post-FPU will see her attend grad school to get her MBA in healthcare management. On the team’s Instagram she was asked for her favorite lacrosse memory. Her answer: “all four years.” Enough said.

#18 Casey Butera: Goalkeeper, West Milford N.J.

“CHEEEEEEEESE!” Sporting one of the better, more iconic nicknames in Franklin Pierce Athletics, Casey “Cheese” Butera appeared in 23 games, including nine starts, in the Ravens’ crease in her career. She amassed a 4-4 record with a 12.02 goals-against average and 102 career saves. She picked up both wins this season for the Ravens, including a 13-7 win over Colorado State-Pueblo. She stopped eight of 15 shots as the Ravens concluded their two-game Colorado trek with a win. Through good and bad she was the type of goalie, the type of teammate you’d want to have in between the pipes. Though she wasn’t officially a captain, Casey’s leadership qualities were evident and something that will be dearly missed by the team going forward. “She was always so supportive and a great leader to her younger goalie teammates. Her positive energy will be missed greatly,” said Duda. A sports and recreation management major, Casey’s goals after school are to move out to Arizona, where she hopes to work with a sports organization, along with starting up her own lacrosse club team. She hopes to help the game of lacrosse grow along with “spreading my love for the game to the next generation of girls.”

#21 Jill Koop: Defender, Youngstown N.Y.

Another key cog of the Ravens’ defense, Jill Koop played 48 games, including 44 starts over four seasons with Pierce. The definition of a “stay-at-home defender”, Jill scooped up 37 ground balls along with 26 caused turnovers. She never picked up a goal, assist, or shot, but was a tenacious defender who played the game tough. Jill’s athleticism isn’t restricted solely to lacrosse. She was a multi-sport athlete in both high school and college. She played three years of ice hockey and field hockey at Millbrook School in New York and, as freshman at Franklin Pierce, suited up for one season as a member of the women’s ice hockey team. Jill was named to the NE10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll three times in her career. “Jill would always come to my office just to chat and I loved that about her,” said Duda. A health science major, Jill will be attending grad school at Life University. There she’ll be studying to become a chiropractor.

#28 Lauren Hazelwood: Defender, Wallingford Conn.

Lauren had just joined the team for the 2020 season and appeared in two homes contests against Dominican and Stonehill. Make no mistake, this was not her first foray into athletics. Lauren was a two-year member of the women’s soccer team as a player, and then served as team manager her junior and senior year. Coach Duda was open minded when it came to a soccer player switching over to lacrosse. Lauren played two years on the back line for the women’s soccer team and, after chatting with coach Duda, her addition was a welcome one. “Her desire to get better and be a good teammate is so contagious,” said Duda. That comes as no surprise. Lauren is a relentlessly positive person who radiates terrific energy. She’s the type of person and teammate who can bring so much joy. A health science major and a minor in psychology, Lauren will be attending Bay Path University in Massachusetts as she pursues a master’s in occupational therapy.

Their senior season may have been lost, but the mark made on the program by these seniors remains. The old adage may be “it’s not how you start, but how you finish.” In the case of this group of Ravens, it may not be about where things started or ended, but about the memories they collected in between.