As Culver-Stockton’s Women’s lacrosse team enters a new season, their confidence and excitement are running high. Coach Erickson is entering her 11th year as a head coach, her eighth year at C-SC. She is looking forward to preparing the Wildcats for a vigorous season. She believes that this year, this team is ready for any challenges, and they are ready to make a statement to the NAIA that they are legit after coming off last season, going 8-8.
C-SC is returning a strong core of experienced players with a few newcomers that they plan on using to create a balanced roster that will give immediate success and long-term longevity. Leading this charge is sophomore attacker Addison Holm. Holm is coming off a remarkable 2025 campaign where she was named NAIA Heart of America Freshman of the Year and earned First Team All-Conference honors. She has already been recognized as a top 10 player nationally, she was also the team’s second-leading scorer, but she doesn’t only score, she also shares the love, because she led the conference and NAIA in assists.
The Wildcat’s defence will once again lean on senior Katie De Craene, a steady and ruthless presence who has earned multiple All-Conference selections. In the midfield, sophomore Tennesyn Rohman continues to be a reliable, high-intensity player who consistently finds herself involved in key plays that swing momentum. Another player stepping in is freshman Brookelyn Lindberg, who has impressed the team early with her game IQ and relentless work ethic.
Several newcomers are also expected to make an immediate impact, most notably freshman attacker Jacee Grinsteinner. Grinsteinner finished her senior year ranked No. 1 in Oklahoma in goals, assists, and total points. Another player is senior attacker Kaleigh Poe, who transitioned into an attacker role last season. She has emerged as a dominant player around the goal and adds another scoring threat to C- SC’s lineup.
Leadership will be a defining strength for the Lady Wildcats this season. The team captains this year are Katie De Craene, Tennesyn Rohman, and Brettine Thompson, who have been significant in shaping the program’s culture to a hard-working, nitty-gritty team.
The road ahead will not be easy. Since Coach Erickson says, “ We have a tough schedule this year.” Where they will face three Top 5 teams and a Top 8 contender in Missouri Baptist. But Coach Erickson and the Lady Wildcats are ready for anything since Coach Erickson says,s “ I would not have scheduled these games if I did not think we were ready for the challenge.” So the goal this year for them is to prove that C-SC belongs among the NAIA elite.
The Lady Wildcats will also have to navigate some roster changes and health concerns. The graduation of a standout player, Bella Olson, leaves a significant void after she set a single-game, single-season, and career assist record during her three-year career. Injuries are not a major concern currently since most of their players are back in action. A few injuries have come up, though, with sophomore defender Brettine Thompson, who is expected to return in March after missing extended time, and freshman Kylie Garavaglia is working her way back from a minor knee injury. This off-season suffered from concussions, but they are back in full swing currently.
Despite these challenges, confidence surrounds this program. A mix of elite talent, strong leadership, and a demanding schedule, C-SC’s Women’s Lacrosse is ready to showcase just how far they have come. This season, they are ready for the NAIA lacrosse world to take notice of the impact they will make.
Some players have given me their thoughts on this season. The first question I asked was “How will the season go?” Where senior Kaleigh Poe says this about the season: ” It may be one of the hardest seasons in program history, but I have no doubt in our team.” So even though she knows it will be a tough season, she trusts her team and the hard work that they have put in thus far to succeed. The second question I asked was ” How would you compare off-season training this year to last year?” Senior Catherine Craene says it best by saying “This off-season has felt more focused and purposeful than last year.” she belives that this off-season has given the team encouragement not just physically but mentally. Lastly I asked what their personal goals are for the season and both seniors have great answers, Kaleigh Poe says ” To continue improving as an offensive player, not just as a goal scorer, but as someone who contributes in multiple ways both offensively and defensively.” she goes on to say she wants to make a name for herself, and that this sport at C-SC and she wants to leave everything on the field this year and help this team with a history-making year. Catherine Craene says her goals are “My main goal for my last season is to lead by example and be a consistent presence for my teammates both on and off the field.” She also wants to do what is needed to help contribute to the team’s success. With these two leaders giving a little bit of insight on the program, we can clearly see they are pushing themselves harder than ever and are excited to
