The Northwestern club lacrosse team is preparing for initiation into one of the school’s elite clubs – that is, becoming more than just a club.
Scheduled to become a varsity sport in spring 2002 for the first time since 1991, the undefeated Wildcats (7-0) are ranked No. 2 in the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse League poll, second only to Miami (Ohio).
The Cats continue to slaughter other club teams, ringing up lopsided wins over Bethel (15-0), Wheaton (20-1), and Washington (15-2) at the Northwestern Playday during Lakeside Field last weekend.
But the club team’s resurrection didn’t happen overnight.
“Last year we had two practices a week, if you wanted to call them that,” sophomore Jen Bernaz said. “Maybe six or seven people would show up and just sort of pass the ball around.”
Added senior captain Julie Lazarus: “We were like this motley crew when we started. No one really knew each other or how to come together.”
The pieces started falling into place with the hiring of coach Kelly Amonte-Hiller in July. Her job was to breathe new life into an average club team and ease the athletes into their “elevated club” status and eventually into varsity competition.
No one could be better suited for the job than Amonte-Hiller. As the Division I Lacrosse player of the year in 1995 and 1996 and a four-time All-American, Amonte-Hiller is prominent in the lacrosse world.
Amonte-Hiller came to NU from a coaching position at Boston University, where she led the Terriers to their first top 10 ranking and an NCAA tournament appearance.
“Kelly is really bringing us together as a team,” Bernaz said. “She brings so much knowledge and inspiration and really gets us excited to play.”
Lacrosse was a varsity sport at NU from 1983 until it was discontinued a decade ago. Amonte-Hiller, also known in the Chicago area as the sister of Blackhawks star Tony Amonte, is responsible for rebuilding the Cats before their debut next spring. Her players said she brings a valued combination of knowledge, skills and experience to the blossoming NU squad – as well as the connections to land 14 incoming freshmen in just six months.
“My assistants and I often will play with the girls in practices and help bring the level of competition up,” Amonte-Hiller said. “We also watch a lot of game videos of national championships to see what the top level looks like. It’s important because they get a vision of where we need to be.”
The visions are turning into reality as the Cats continue their winning ways. Earlier in the season, NU beat then-No. 2 Michigan 5-2 to snatch its ranking and turn heads among lacrosse enthusiasts across the country.
With their six other wins all blowouts of at least 10-goal margins, the Cats face their biggest test this weekend against Division III Wooster College (Ohio) – the first varsity team they will play this season – No. 6 Purdue and No. 1 Miami (Ohio).
“It’s going to be a challenging weekend – a really tough test against some of the strongest teams,” Amonte-Hiller said. “We just need to take one step at a time.”
For step one, Amonte-Hiller said her focus has been making her players believe that they can play with anyone, and it seems to be working.
“We play No. 1 (Miami, Ohio) this weekend,” Lazarus said, “but they’re not going to be No. 1 for long.”
Beyond this weekend, the Cats’ true challenge comes with the start of next year’s inaugural varsity season and the arrival of 14 recruits, who Amonte-Hiller said have all signed or committed to NU.
“The kids coming in are all really athletic,” Amonte-Hiller said. “I know the current players will bring the new girls along, and we’ll have a great balance of experience and new blood.”
In the meantime, NU plans to focus on bringing home the National Club Championships title. Before departing for their three showdowns this weekend, the Cats face Wheaton College’s club team today at Lakeside Field in a rematch of last weekend’s 19-point drubbing.
“We’re concentrating on the present right now,” Lazarus said. “The dynamics have meshed and we’re not the same players we were a couple of months ago.”
