Attackers, Elle Trzaskawka and Maggie Newton, celebrate after winning their scrimmage at practice.
Photo by Kendall Bulkiewicz | The Crow’s Nest
By Kendall Bulkiewicz
The University of South Florida presents its very first women’s lacrosse team, which will make its inaugural debut this spring.
Announced back in November 2021 as the university’s 20th varsity sport, the Bulls are ready to take the field.
The team’s first game will take place on Feb. 7 at Corbett Stadium against Kennesaw State.
The introduction of women’s lacrosse at USF marks a strategic effort to expand the university’s athletic offerings while capitalizing on the sport’s growing popularity nationwide. With lacrosse being one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S., USF saw an opportunity to both diversify its NCAA programs and provide new opportunities for female student-athletes.
Head coach Mindy McCord, who transferred from Jacksonville University after a successful 14-year term that included multiple conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, has emphasized creating a competitive culture rooted in teamwork, discipline, and resilience.
The team is focused on establishing a strong foundation, learning to compete at the NCAA level, and building a legacy for future players. Players have expressed excitement about being part of history and are determined to make a statement in their debut season, with goals centered on growth, camaraderie and setting a standard of excellence for the program.
Photo by Kendall Bulkiewicz | The Crow’s Nest
Paige Pagano, a fifth-year transfer and goalie on the team, said the transition from Jacksonville University to USF has been smooth, largely due to the group’s inclusive culture .
“Everyone just welcomed me with open arms and from day one it was a new home. [It was] very easy to come in and just share my experience right away,” added Pagano, who has been playing lacrosse for over 12 years.
Claire Mattole also arrived from Jacksonville and spoke on appreciating the strong bond away from the pitch, which has been another hallmark in this year’s growth and success.
“We are so intentional on and off the field-building chemistry and really just hanging out with each other all of the time,” said Mattole. “When we go out on the field, you can tell how much we care and love for one another because of how we play.”
Much of that early success and culture-building at USF is credited to Coach McCord. McCord touched on the recruitment process of creating the first USF women’s lacrosse team.
“The first thing in growing the team is you got to find the right people. We wanted to kind of reverse engineer how the model had been established with title nine schools. If we can bring in these two large classes and get a training year, and they get a fifth year. Then we spread in the transfer portal players with very hard criteria” McCord stated.
Coach McCord also mentioned that they needed to be a culture fit, had to want leadership, and also be proven on the field for the players to form the team.
For Claire, coach McCord’s leadership has been a key motivator.
“To have this kind of culture where everyone is like, ‘we’re all sisters.’ It’s just been easy,” Mattole shared.
With McCord, the Bulls lacrosse team has a leader who understands both the game and the importance of nurturing team relationships — something that will be essential as the team begins its journey in NCAA competition.
Photo by Kendall Bulkiewicz | The Crow’s Nest
The Bulls will compete in the American Athletic Conference of NCAA Division I, with its home games held at Corbett Stadium on the Tampa campus. The team’s roster along with positions and major can be found here.
From the beginning, the team has also shown their commitment to the community. One of the most recent events the team volunteered at the Humane Society in Tampa. Coach McCord also mentioned that the team tries to do something in the community every month whether that be with the youth lacrosse league and working with kids with cancer.
Photo from @usfwlax on Instagram
