Three current Ashland University women's lacrosse players – junior goalkeeper
Annie Duncan, junior attacker
Carlie Wilson and sophomore defender
Sydney Pierce – are not too far removed from a quite uncertain collegiate future, both in the classroom and on the field.
In late winter of 2024, the leaders of the trio's former institution, Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, announced the college was going to close at the end of the spring semester. Not only did Duncan, Wilson and Pierce not have a team to play for, they had to find a place to continue their collegiate education.
Fourteen-plus months later, those three players have been key contributors to AU women's lacrosse's first-ever conference regular-season and tournament championships, as well as the program's first appearance in the NCAA Division II postseason. The Eagles are 14-5 (a program-record number of wins in a season), and have won seven in a row and 11 of the last 12 going into a first-round playoff game on Thursday (May 8) at 3 p.m. vs. No. 13 Regis (13-4) at Indianapolis' Key Stadium.
"It was kind of hard coming into a new school, especially as a junior," Duncan said. "You plan your life, and when your life completely changes, it's really hard. I think it's been really eye-opening, and it's honestly allowed me to fall back in love with the sport, which I am happy about."
Said Wilson, "I'm just really happy I am here. A door closed at NDC, and another one opened, and I'm glad I picked Ashland. This journey has just been awesome."
- Duncan, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference's Goalkeeper of the Year, has started every game this season, and sports a program-record 9.90 goals-against average to go with 113 saves.
- Wilson has been a season-long starter on attack, and has 43 goals and six assists for 49 points so far in 2025. Four of those goals have been game-winners – a team high.
- Pierce has started most of the season on defense, and has collected 24 ground balls.
"I was a freshman (at NDC), so you didn't expect to go to college and find out halfway through the year that your school is shutting down," Pierce said. "I'm really glad we all got to come here together and we weren't alone in the experience."
"Annie, Carlie and Sydney are great additions to our program," said Ashland head coach
Lauren Simko. "They joined us in the fall with the mindset of 'How can we contribute to winning a G-MAC Championship?' It is difficult to come in as a transfer, but they worked hard to build relationships with their teammates.
"I am very appreciative of all the work that they, and their teammates, have put in to seamlessly welcome them into AU lax."
Duncan, Wilson and Pierce are part of a group which has taken Eagle women's lacrosse over the finish line in conference play, and has the opportunity to be one of the last 24 teams in Division II remaining.
"Everyone's kind of been able to grow off of each other," Duncan said. "The returners all had that motivation to do better, so they could compete with new people."
"It's cool to be a part of that," said Pierce.
Wilson was hurt in the fall, so she is grateful to be playing, let alone playing in the NCAA postseason.
"I'm so happy that I'm able to get this opportunity," she said.
Not only did Ashland accomplish its goal of winning the Great Midwest Tournament, it did so in a 20-3 result over Findlay.
"One of the things the defense has talked about is we've had a running clock against every team in the G-MAC now," Duncan noted. "It was very reassuring."
Ashland has scored 319 goals in 19 games so far this season, compared to 255 goals in the same number of games in 2024. Wilson has been a key reason for the increase.
"I love every one of those girls. Our attack is like a family," she said. "We came out with so much might, and we wanted to win so bad. We were on the top of the world. It was an unbelievable experience."
Meanwhile, the Eagle defense, entirely rebuilt this season, is allowing only 9.03 goals per contest this spring.
"I knew coming in it was going to be a big rebuilding year," Pierce said. "It was going to be tough, but I think everything clicked really quick for us. People have just meshed together in groups well."
A season of firsts will continue on Thursday – with another program first, an NCAA postseason victory, a possibility.
"If we play like how we played against Findlay, and we all really want it that badly, we can do anything," Wilson said.
"We could really come out and shock the NCAA," said Duncan.
