With sticks in hand and determination in their hearts, the Georgetown women’s lacrosse team is preparing to take the field for its highly anticipated season opener against American University on Feb. 11. The Hoyas are eager to set the tone for the year with an aggressive win against the Eagles for their second consecutive year. 

Georgetown finished its 2022 season with a 9-9 record, landing it a third place in the Big East regular season standings. In the conference tournament, the Hoyas reached the championship game but ultimately fell to the No. 10 Denver Pioneers, 15-16, in overtime. 

Georgetown was picked to finish second in the Big East Conference by the league’s coaches in the 2023 preseason poll, putting it just behind the University of Denver. UConn claimed third place, and the rest of the preseason poll was rounded out by Marquette, Villanova, Butler and Xavier, respectively. 

The Hoyas have been practicing tirelessly for four hours a day, six days per week throughout the off-season to sharpen their skills and capitalize on their strong suits. 

Senior goaltender and captain Emily Gaven said the team hopes to inaugurate the newly-renovated Cooper Field with many victories.

“Pre-season has been intense, competitive and full of great energy,” Gaven said. “I know I can speak for all of my teammates when I say that we are looking forward to game time when we can finally show everyone what we are capable of.”

About the Captains

On Jan. 30, Head Coach Ricky Fried named the five captains who players voted on to lead the team through the 2023 season: graduate defenders Nicole Massimino and Olivia Buckman, graduate attacker Erin Bakes, senior defender Hayes Anderson and Gaven. 

Fried said he is confident the captains will serve as strong role models for the rest of the team.

“The 2023 captains are passionate about the sport and this program. They always put the team’s needs ahead of any individual while also valuing each teammate,” Fried told Georgetown Athletics in a press release. “They are leaders both on and off of the field and work with the staff to make sure that there is alignment across the board.”

Massimino was recently named to the Preseason All-Big East team for the 2023 season, following a 2022 campaign that saw her earn First-Team All-Big East honors. A consistently reliable performer, Massimino started all 18 games in the 2022 season. Over the course of the year, she gained control of 31 ground balls and forced 10 turnovers to win possessions back for Georgetown. 

Buckman returns for her fifth season on the Hilltop and her second as a captain, having also been selected in 2021. She turned in an impressive senior campaign in 2022, starting in all 18 games, tallying 19 ground balls and forcing 22 turnovers. 

Bakes joined the ranks of Hoyas named Preseason All-Big East players for the 2023 season after earning Second Team All-Big East honors in 2022. Leading the attacking unit, Bakes scored 35 goals and assisted 14 more, racking up a total of 49 points to rank second on the team in points scored throughout the season. 

Bakes said she has ambitious hopes for the team in their upcoming season. 

“The 2023 group has a high ceiling. We’ve embraced and enjoyed the work to keep moving forward every week. Last year, we learned how important our confidence is to succeed, but it took a while to feel it,” Bakes told The Hoya. “From day one this year, our belief has truly exceeded anyone else’s doubt. We are excited to put that out on the field and we won’t be surprised when playing Georgetown’s dynamic and aggressive style of lacrosse gets us in the W column.”

The Hoyas’ success this season hinges on the team’s ability to adapt and improve collectively in a tough Big East conference, Bakes said.

“We know the path to success is not linear, so I am looking forward to seeing how we will rise from adversity together with the many personalities we have on our squad,” Bakes said. “Everyone has something to contribute, but the common denominator is our motivation and overwhelming excitement for what’s to come this season.”

Gaven was named Second Team All-Big East in 2022 and was awarded the Kim Simons Coaches Award, which is given to the Georgetown player who best embodies the qualities of coachability, positive attitude and leadership. This summer, Gaven was selected to play for the Ireland national team, which placed 13th in the 2022 World Lacrosse Women’s Championship in Towson, Md. Alongside her two graduate defenders, Massimino and Buckman, she appeared in all 18 games of the 2022 season. In an impressive season, she notched 142 saves, averaging about 8 saves per game. 

Gaven said she is excited and grateful to have been appointed captain. 

“The 2023 team is truly special because of our belief in ourselves and our pride in our program. We have worked hard in our off-season to foster a strong team bond that will enable us to be successful on the field,” Gaven said in an interview with The Hoya. “Although we had a great fall season, we will not stop there. Everyone on this team has continued to compete and push one another to play to our highest capability every single day.” 

Anderson was named to the Big East All-Academic Team in 2021 and Big East Academic All-Star in 2020. She appeared in five games for the Hoyas in their 2022 season.

Schedule Preview

In less than two weeks’ time, the Hoyas hope to set the pace for a championship run with their season opener against American. 

Georgetown will face many top-10 teams including No. 3 Maryland, No. 8 Loyola Maryland and No. 9 Rutgers before beginning Big East regular season play April 1 against the Marquette Golden Eagles. With No. 10 Denver and No. 17 UConn to beat, the Hoyas have a competitive Big East season ahead of them.

This article was updated Feb. 9 to properly attribute a quote to Georgetown Athletics.