AU Women’s Lacrosse Team Makes History

Seven years ago, Christina Fried became head coach of Aurora University’s women’s lacrosse team. The team had won just four games. Fried set an ambitious goal: win a conference championship.

This past season, Fried’s goal came true.

In 2021, the AU women’s lacrosse team became champion of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference with a perfect in-conference record of 5–0 and an overall record of 11–4. It was the team’s first year in the NACC.

“Our captains accepted the championship trophy from the conference commissioner and the team really went crazy,” Fried said, calling it one of her favorite moments of the season. “It was great to see. They had worked so hard for this for years.”

The team also won its first bid to the NCAA Division III tournament in AU history. AU beat Carroll University by a score of 13–8, advancing to the tournament’s Sweet Sixteen, where its season ended.

As part of its 2021 winning season, the team swept the awards: Fried was named NACC Coach of the Year, senior Claire Carlson was named NACC Offensive Player of the Year, sophomore Monique Gibson was named NACC Midfielder of the Year, and senior Emma-Lee Martel was named NACC Defensive Player of the Year. Martel also became the first AU women’s lacrosse player to be named to the Great Lakes Region First Team by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association.

“The awards made a really loud statement that AU is now considered a Midwest powerhouse program,” Fried said. “Across the board, we have the strongest athletes and strong leadership as well.”

The season wasn’t easy, as the pandemic made the schedule uncertain and limited each player’s social circle — no one wanted to test positive and miss a game. But the challenging year brought the team together as they rallied under the team’s 2021 slogan, “Together we rise.”

“If these players called on each other and needed something, they’d be there in a second for one another,” Fried said.

Fried now has a new goal: advance deeper into the NCAA tournament. She wants her team to keep playing against stronger competition and winning conference titles, so it can climb the rankings of the top 25 teams in the country.

While AU’s lacrosse program is only nine years old, its highly successful 2021 season is fueling recruiting success, attracting talented players from across the country.

“It wasn’t just a lucky year for Spartans lacrosse,” Fried said. “We’ve been working for this for a really long time. We will continue to build a strong culture and not change who we are now that we’ve experienced success.”