To say that the 2023 Hofstra Women’s Lacrosse team’s season was a roller coaster would be an understatement. The Pride roared to start the season, rattling off two wins including an upset victory over the then No. 25 ranked Vanderbilt on the road. The 2-0 start to the season was the highlight of the year; however, injuries sent Hofstra on a downward spiral. After the 2-0 start, the Pride only won two of their next 14 games, finishing the season with a 4-12 overall and 1-6 in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play, their worst CAA record since 2016.
Despite some rough patches, the Pride saw plenty of good come from the season. Going into 2024, there is a lot of hope from women’s lacrosse head coach Shannon Smith and her team. The first step was to move on from 2023 and look ahead to 2024.
“Every year has its new twists and turns,” Smith said. “At the end of every year, you evaluate and reflect on what you can do moving forward as a coaching staff and team, and I think the biggest thing was we faced a lot of adversity.”
Although 12 of Hofstra’s games were losses, they were rarely overmatched. Of Hofstra’s 12 losses, nine of them came by three goals or fewer, four by only one goal and two came in overtime. Of those nine games, two of their losses came against ranked non-conference opponents, a 14-11 loss to the No. 16 ranked Army West Point and a 9-8 loss to No. 20, University of Southern California. Win or lose, a tough out-of-conference schedule is at the forefront of the program’s mind.
“It’s important; if you want to be the best, you have to play the best,” Smith said. “You have to challenge yourself. Our conference is super competitive, and we play really great teams in our conference play. We have to play a really strong non-conference schedule. And that’s definitely what we try to do.”
Back to the topic at hand – the new team. After a brutal end to last season, they’re back with renewed vigor.
“Individually and as a whole, the team has grown so much,” Smith said. “At the end of last year, you get a sour taste in your mouth and you don’t want that again, so there’s a new level of work ethic that you put in all summer and throughout the fall.”
Arguably the biggest blow to the team last season was the midseason injury to breakout freshman Nikki Mennella. Before injuring her knee in a mid-season game vs Army West Point, Mennella became a staple of Hofstra’s offense. In her six games played last season, Nikki Menella scored 23 goals to go along with six assists, totaling 29 points. Even only playing in six of Hofstra’s 16 games, Nikki Mennella was still tied for fourth in the team in goals and was fifth in the team in points. Mennella, now a redshirt freshman, is continuing her recovery process, and shares hopes with Smith that she will be in the lineup at some point this season.
“[Nikki Mennella] is working super hard and has really great support around her,” Smith said. “That immediate support team with Roger [Gerland], Charlie [Calamari] and Lily [Bernardi] have done a tremendous job with her rehab. I also have to give a lot of props to [Nikki Mennella] and her family. They’ve been super disciplined with her recovery. It’s not an easy injury to come back from and she’s been putting a lot of time and effort in. Our hope is that she is ready to start the season.”
Mennella isn’t the only key returner for Hofstra going into this season, as many of Hofstra’s key players will be returning for either their senior or graduate seasons. Among them was Hofstra’s leading goal scorer from last year, Taylor Mennella, Nikki Mennella’s older sister. Last season, Taylor Mennella ranked first for the Pride in goals, assists and points.
Another returner is senior Kerry Walser. Tied for second in goals scored for the Pride with 24, Walser took a big leap for Hofstra last season, from totaling 26 points in 2022 to 34 points in 2023 Coming off two consecutive 22-plus goal seasons for the Pride, Walser looks to be another important piece in Hofstra’s team this season.
“She’s really put it together all her years here,” Smith said. “I’m really excited to watch her growth in our midfield.”
Senior defender Trinity Reed is a returner that Smith believes will play her best lacrosse for the Pride this season. “She’s been a force on the defensive side of the field,” Smith said. “She’s really stepped up in her leadership roles as well.”
Enough about the returners, though, because there’s more to the team than the familiar faces. According to coach Smith, a third of the team’s players this season are brand new to the team.
“We have 10 freshmen and two transfers,” Smith said. “So, a lot of newcomers, but they’ve all been great.”
Among those transfers is fifth-year grad student Melissa Sconone. Sconone played her first four NCAA seasons with the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. A Long Island native, Sconone is returning home to play with Hofstra and provide a great deal of veteran leadership.
“[Sconone] instills a lot of confidence in our attack,” Smith said. “She’s a great leader, communicator and brings a lot of experience and a sense of calm out there on the attack. I’m really excited to have her on board; she’s a tremendous addition.”
Other newcomers Smith mentioned that could be impact players include defender Christine Dannenfelser and midfielders Natalie DeMeo, Natalie Little and Lauren Lam on attack.
One big storyline for the Pride last season was the revolving door in goal. In total, three goalies for the Pride started at least one game. The most starts for Hofstra last year was the 11 made by then-freshman Luchianna Cardello, now a sophomore. However, despite taking over the net as the year went on, it is still a battle for the starting spot.
“We’re definitely in a goalie battle,” Smith said. “Cardello played awesome for us last year, and it wasn’t an easy situation for her to step into. But Casey Phelps, a junior, had a great fall so they’re really great friends, they support each other and compete with one another. They both do anything they can to make our team better.”
In a very tough conference that includes No. 10 Stony Brook, the team will look to bounce back for the Pride in 2024 and will use a mix of key returners and newcomers in their quest for success in 2024.
Hofstra will open their season with a non-league game against Long Island University on the road on Saturday, Feb. 10, and will play their home opener against Fairfield University on Feb. 24.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
