Pitt Lacrosse Holds First Team Workouts
8/31/2020 3:47:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
PITTSBURGH – Building a program is a step-by-step process. Head coach Emily Boissonneault and the Pitt Lacrosse program took another step forward in that building process with the first team workouts in program history Monday morning.
Boissonneault and her staff put two groups of six student-athletes through fast-paced and energetic one-hour workouts at the Pitt Sports Dome as Pitt Lacrosse continues to lay the foundation for its inaugural season of competition in 2021-22.
"It was amazing to get out for the first day of practice with the girls," said Boissonneault. "We have been waiting for weeks for this to happen, really a year since I got here, for us to step out on the field. It was pretty awesome. The girls were energized and did exactly what we wanted them to do. Come out with confidence and excitement to get started."
Pitt's current roster features four transfers (Madisyn Kittell, Therese Pitman, Gabby Turano, Brittney Villhauer), three juniors (Caroline Lederman, Kierin Ratliff-Kailbourne, Payton Reed ) who played on Pitt's 2019 club National Championship team and an incoming class of six first-year freshmen (Emily Coughlin, Kate Elam, Madigan Lublin, Maureen McNierney, Riley Patrick, Abby Thorne). Thorne, a member of the U19 Australian National Team, is expected join the program in January.
"Today was a lot of fun and definitely a lot of running," said Villhauer. "I haven't been able to practice in the last six months so I was really excited to get out there with my new team. The coaches had a lot of energy, especially for 7:30 in the morning, which is really fun to see. The girls and I have never practiced together before, so the coaches were really excited to be out here working with us."
Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced the addition of women's lacrosse as a varsity sport at Pitt Nov. 1, 2018 with Boissonneault named head coach of the Pitt Lacrosse program June 28, 2019. The program will play its inaugural season against NCAA Division I competition in the 2021-22 academic year.
"The first day of practice was fun. It was energetic," said Kittell. "It was only six people but I think we did a great job of bringing the hustle. We have a great opportunity to build a legacy here."
Boissonneault and her staff put two groups of six student-athletes through fast-paced and energetic one-hour workouts at the Pitt Sports Dome as Pitt Lacrosse continues to lay the foundation for its inaugural season of competition in 2021-22.
"It was amazing to get out for the first day of practice with the girls," said Boissonneault. "We have been waiting for weeks for this to happen, really a year since I got here, for us to step out on the field. It was pretty awesome. The girls were energized and did exactly what we wanted them to do. Come out with confidence and excitement to get started."
Pitt's current roster features four transfers (Madisyn Kittell, Therese Pitman, Gabby Turano, Brittney Villhauer), three juniors (Caroline Lederman, Kierin Ratliff-Kailbourne, Payton Reed ) who played on Pitt's 2019 club National Championship team and an incoming class of six first-year freshmen (Emily Coughlin, Kate Elam, Madigan Lublin, Maureen McNierney, Riley Patrick, Abby Thorne). Thorne, a member of the U19 Australian National Team, is expected join the program in January.
"Today was a lot of fun and definitely a lot of running," said Villhauer. "I haven't been able to practice in the last six months so I was really excited to get out there with my new team. The coaches had a lot of energy, especially for 7:30 in the morning, which is really fun to see. The girls and I have never practiced together before, so the coaches were really excited to be out here working with us."
Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced the addition of women's lacrosse as a varsity sport at Pitt Nov. 1, 2018 with Boissonneault named head coach of the Pitt Lacrosse program June 28, 2019. The program will play its inaugural season against NCAA Division I competition in the 2021-22 academic year.
"The first day of practice was fun. It was energetic," said Kittell. "It was only six people but I think we did a great job of bringing the hustle. We have a great opportunity to build a legacy here."
Players Mentioned
MID
/ Women's Lacrosse
ATT
/ Women's Lacrosse
MID/DEF
/ Women's Lacrosse
ATT
/ Women's Lacrosse
MID
/ Women's Lacrosse
GK
/ Women's Lacrosse
DEF
/ Women's Lacrosse
ATT
/ Women's Lacrosse
MID
/ Women's Lacrosse
GK
/ Women's Lacrosse
MID
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