Meet PLU’s Newest Varsity Team: Women’s Lacrosse

Big news – PLU has a brand new varsity sport! In February, women’s lacrosse officially hit the field for its first NCAA Division III season. This is the university’s first new varsity team since 1996, making it an exciting time to be a Lute.

The team grew from a student-led club into a full-fledged varsity program. Right out of the gate, Coach Melanie Rizzotti is passionate about creating a supportive and positive team culture.

And that culture is exactly what makes this team special. For Lydia Flaspohler ‘25, she found more than just a sport – she found her people. Flaspohler shares “I struggled to find community my first semester at PLU and I was really missing playing lacrosse and the team environment that comes with it. I joined the team, and even though we only had one scrimmage that season and a few practices a week, I would 100% say joining the team was the reason I stayed here at PLU.” 

As a first-year student, Samantha Velasco Patiño ’28 was also happy to find a sense of community. “Everyone has a good relationship and friendship with each other, and we are always uplifting one another.”