The Fort Lewis College women’s lacrosse team got a plethora of commitments since the early signing period began earlier this month. To date, 11 players have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Skyhawks in the fall of 2019. Fort Lewis head coach Sean Claussen said this class could be “a game-changer for us.”
“I’ve said to this class and the current girls on the team that I hope to God that we’re hanging a banner in Whalen,” Claussen said. “This is what I hope is going to be the game-changing class for us that takes us from being that third or fourth spot in the (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) to constantly competing for the championship. We’re hoping that this will start the ‘pipeline’ and we will be able to be that dominant sport on campus.”
Members of the class are as far away as Minnesota and as close as the Front Range. Three players are from Southern California and three others are from Portland, Oregon. However, two of the biggest commitments came from California, when the Merchant twins, Abigail and Brooklyn, signed with FLC. The identical twins both play attack, a double threat for an already potent FLC attack.
“The Merchant twins are both very skilled attackers who can play midfield as well, and that’s what we’re looking for,” Claussen said.
The twins helped Palos Verdes High School to an impressive 13-5 record, and both made the All-Bay League second team.
Claussen also got commitments from three players who all played for the same Portland club team, Tenacity Portland. The club produced three signees, including Averi Basso, a goalie, who has totaled 45 career victories in net, while Rebecca Kiyokawa, a defender, made first-team All-State this past season. Completing the trio was Abby Bartles, an attack-minded right wing who Claussen called “a true attacker, who has great ball control, who might be unspoken and not as flashy as other attackers, but is unbelievably steady and composed.” Bartles made second-team All-State last spring, but she isn’t the lone Portland player to look out for.
“Averi was one of our earliest commitments and was fantastic in net,” Claussen said. “She’s a proven winner, and I think that helped spark the other two to feel more comfortable in their decision,” Claussen said. “Meanwhile, Becca does things naturally that coaches wish their players would do, and will be a great defender for us.”
He said Ann Nelson, a sophomore defender and midfielder out of Oregon, was also instrumental in helping other girls on the West Coast see the potential of the program.
“Kids reached out to me because they wanted to play with Ann, where her personality and skill shine through,” Claussen said. “Having good kids in the program definitely benefits me with recruiting because I have players with awesome personalities, academics and skills who all really want to be here and boost the program to a new level.”
FLC also bolstered its attack by adding Makena Carter out of Los Angeles, who was named the California Interscholastic Federation’s Offensive Player of the Year. Carter put up stellar numbers, as she scored a whopping 53 goals in just 14 games last season, tallied 63 total points and averaged 4.5 goals per game for Hamilton High School. Carter, a captain as well, scored a season-high nine goals against Palisades and added 31 ground balls and won 35 draw controls at the face-off spot.
“Mack is a super skilled athlete. With her club and high school program, she was a workhorse,” Claussen said. “She can play anywhere. If we need a goal or someone to control the midfield, we can definitely count on her.”
The Skyhawks had three commitments from Colorado, all from the Front Range. Avery Joslin, a defender and midfielder from Aurora, made the Colorado High School Activities Association’s honorable-mention team last season with Cherokee Trail High School, after the defender picked up 33 ground balls, had eight takeaways and also had five interceptions. During her varsity career, she has recorded 79 ground balls, and had a season-high six against Arapahoe last season.
Hallie Marker from Highlands Ranch was a do-it-all type of player for Thunder Ridge High School, as she played all three positions: defense, midfield and attack. Marker certainly found her mark last season, as she notched 22 goals, tallied seven assists and had a shot percentage of .537 percent.
Rounding out the group from the Centennial State was Willie Merriam out of Windsor. Merriam was steady at both the midfield and defensive positions for Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins last season, as she scored two goals and picked up eight ground balls. Merriam was also effective on defense, as she forced nine takeaways, 14 in the past two seasons, and also forced two unforced errors last year.
“We really were excited to establish more footing in the Front Range,” Claussen said. “Avery is super skilled and can move the ball really well and won’t give it up, which is what we want on defense. Hallie Marker is a stud at midfield as well and has been verbally committed since her junior year. Willie is another player who will go after every ground ball and will be the one that finds it. We’ve got the offense, but I think the defensive group can be the unsung heroes as well.”
Topping off the commitments to date were Caitlin Hickey, a defender and midfielder out of Park City, Utah, and Olivia Crawford, another defender and midfielder out of Stillwater, Minnesota.
“Both Caitlin and Olivia are very strong and athletic,” Claussen said. “Caitlin is very, very intense on the field and has a lot of passion and isn’t afraid to play with that, while Olivia is just an all-around unbelievable athlete and I think she can develop into a really good shooter.”
With all the talent coming in, Claussen thinks the future of the program is as bright as its ever been.
“I’m just really excited to see the class of 2019 develop,” Claussen said. “We’ve been on the doorstep of breaking through in the RMAC for the past few years, and this season will be just as exciting, but given our commitments, I think this could be the beginning of something really special here at Fort Lewis.”
bploen@durangoherald.com
