FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University women’s lacrosse sophomore standout Katie McHugh/Burke has been named the Longwood Female
ARMS Software Athlete of the Week. McHugh led the Lancers with 10 total points last week, thanks to six goals and four assists. She set new career highs with four assists and eight total points in the teams 22-12 home victory against Kennesaw State on March 28. She also added one goal at William and Mary on March 25 and one goal at Richmond on March 30. The midfielder totaled three ground balls, four caused turnovers and one draw control on the week, as well. Through 10 games, McHugh currently sits second on the team with 22 goals and is third with 28 total points.
Question and Answer Session with Katie McHugh and Steven Sommer SS: Congratulations on being named Longwood’s female Athlete of the Week. What does receiving this recognition mean to you?KM: It’s really exciting being an underclassmen and receiving the award. It’s definitely a boost of confidence.
SS: You had a big game recently against Kennesaw State, notching a career-high eight points on four goals and four assists. Walk us through that game.KM: I started off pretty slow in the first half, not managing to score at all in that time. I’m an attacker, so scoring is my No. 1 job, but then I started putting things together. At that point, Lauren (Prasnicki) got hurt, and she normally is the one to set our scorers up, so with her out I had to step up and play that role. While I’m usually the one being fed by her, I had to be looking for cutters and step into her position. It was exciting for me to connect with other teammates like that since I’m not usually the one making assists, and I’m glad to see the team really step up in a big win that we needed.
SS: You’ve been a starter and an integral part of this team’s offense since your first days with Longwood. What has your ability to contribute this early in your career meant to you?KM: It’s been exciting to know that I’ve been able to make an impact since day one as a freshman and to continue being on the field each game. Starting is a great boost for your confidence, letting you know that you play a main role and you can’t take days off. You need to be giving 100% of your effort all the time because starting is a big responsibility whether you’re playing the full 60 minutes or not. It’s awesome to be able to help this early on, but I really just want to keep growing as a player over these next two years and keep giving back to the team.
SS: After having a season under your belt, how was your preparation coming into this season different than last year?KM: The prep this year has been a whole lot different than last year because the team brought on a new assistant coach this year who has really stepped up and taught us a lot. We’ve been well conditioned, doing a lot more running this winter, so I think we’re in much better shape this year than we were last year. We had a lot of returning starters this year, so our chemistry as a team was pretty solid, so we focused a lot of our efforts on conditioning and the fundamentals. The team’s a bit smaller this year, but with the people we do have, I think we’re in a pretty good place.
SS: Now that you’re just past the midway point in the season, what are some individual goals and goals you have for the team moving forward?KM: With conference play starting this weekend, we really want to get started on a good foot, getting two wins. We’ve had a pretty tough start so far with wins and losses, but all that really matters is our conference play. Obviously we’d like to win the Big South, and that’s a goal for me and the rest of our team. Individually, I’d like to continue to step up my game and do everything I can to help this team win.
SS: How would you define your role on the team?KM: While I am a younger player, I feel that teammates still look to me for advice and help at times, so I do what I can in that capacity. On the field, I feel like people look to me mainly to score, which I do as best I can.
SS: What are you looking forward to most in the remaining games?KM: Winning. We need to come out really strong this weekend and beyond. These are all conference games, so we need to play hard and win, and that’s what we plan to do.
SS: Who would you say is your biggest role model?KM: I’d say my parents. Its cliché, but they really support me through everything. They’ve always been really proud of me, and they come to all my games that they can. Even when we lose, they tell me to keep my head up, constantly giving the support that even when you lose you need.
SS: What’s a piece of advice that they’ve given you that’s really stuck with you?KM: They are constantly reminding me to stick it through and persevere when we’re down, which is really helpful. Basically never to quit.
SS: If you could give any advice to a student who wants to play Division I lacrosse, what would you tell her?KM: I would tell her to get after it early. Put in the extra time in effort, whether it’s more running, more stick work, or studying situations, there’s always something you can be doing to get better. I’d also say to check out as many schools as you can, even if your parents are pushing you to and you don’t want to, because you never know what opportunities you’re going to find.
SS: If you could swap places with anyone on the team for a day, who would it be and why?KM: Probably Christian Acker. She is our only goalie, and it’s difficult for her sometimes, seeing all of those reps with no times off, getting hit constantly by shots, and I think I’d like to see what that’s like. I’d like to see what it’s like getting hit and seeing if I could hang in at goal or not.
SS: Who’s the funniest person on the team?KM: I think it’s a three way tie between Kacey Norwood, Lauren Prasnicki and Shiloh McKenzie. They all have their different things that crack me up. Some of the things Lauren says combined with her accent are hilarious, Kacey has the funniest facial expressions, and Shiloh makes some pretty witty comments. The whole team is pretty funny, but those three always keep things light.
SS: Who has the best dance moves on the team?KM: Jenna Weyant showed us some pretty solid moves last year, but Kacey is probably the funniest dancer on the team. The two of them really know how to move.
