Kutztown University will have 27 student-athletes representing its women's lacrosse program for the 2023 season.
Kutztown women's lacrosse had a competitive first year of a new regime last season under head coach Kristen Nicholson. The Golden Bears are searching for more in 2023 as they are set to begin their season this weekend.
It may not have been the way they had hoped it would have gone from a wins and losses standpoint, but Nicholson was proud of how her team competed all season in her first year in charge.
"I think we exceed our expectations of what I thought we would accomplish in year one," said Nicholson. "We were able to compete with the best teams in the country and go toe-to-toe with them. I think our record did not reflect what we accomplished and how much we grew. That has set us up for this season and we know that we belong in any game. Our successes will show. This season isn't about just competing anymore, it's about winning. I want this program to reach the heights that I know we're capable of reaching. We want to win more conference games than we have before. We have goals in reach, but we're going to take it day-by-day until the end of the year."
KU finished the 2022 season at 4-13 overall and 1-11 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. However, eight of the losses were decided by just three goals or less, showing that the Maroon and Gold were just a couple of bounces away from a completely different season.
The Maroon and Gold have four non-conference games on their schedule, including three in-a-row during the first week of the regular season. A home game with Holy Family (Feb. 25) and contests at Caldwell (March 1) and Wilmington (March 4) will give Kutztown early tests before PSAC play starts with a home game against Shepherd on March 8.