The Iowa State women’s lacrosse club received some unfortunate news last December when it found out that its coach, Courtney French, was stepping down because of a job opportunity in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan.

The team had just made its second straight appearance at nationals but will now try to make it three in a row without French. 

French was more than a coach to the women’s lacrosse team; she was a role model, motivator and best friend to the women.

The team will now move to a player-coach system.

Kelly Piazza, Kirsten Larson, Anna Corman and Brittany Pooley, who all will help lead the team, expressed great appreciation for their past coach.

“Coach French helped get our name out,” Larson said. “She helped set up tournaments for us, and she was at every practice for the team. Coach French will be dearly missed, but her wise words and teachings will always be with us.”

The team will keep the same style of play French used.

“We are all willing to lead, even beyond the executive board, we are young and hungry,” Corman said. “This year is a fresh start for our team. Coach left the team in a good place. A lot of us know what to do.”

With no returning seniors and 10 freshmen, the team has some inexperience playing together, but it is ready for another successful season. 

“All of us are set on one goal, and that is making it to nationals this year in Utah,” Pooley said. 

The team will open its season Saturday in Colorado against the University of Denver, which beat Iowa State 12-8 in the first round of nationals last season. 

The team plays four games every weekend and will compete in three tournaments this spring.

The club is excited to get its season underway and prove that it is not an underdog. 

“We have nothing to lose but a lot to gain from this season,” Piazza said. “I hope our time in the offseason pays off.”