By Emily Vojtech

There are four new players joining the Augsburg University Women’s Lacrosse roster for the 2024 season. One true freshman and three transfer students will be the newest additions to the team. The Auggies Women’s Lacrosse team is an NCAA Division III program that competes in the MWLC Conference.

Leila Klym, who played high school lacrosse for Apple Valley, is the true freshman joining the Auggies. Klym has been recruited to play defense. The other three incoming players include: Veronica Nash, and sisters, Alyssa Paul, and Jessica Paul. Head Coach Kathryn Knippenberg (also known as Coach KK) shared that Nash and the Paul sisters are attack minded players. “It’s interesting how each player comes to our program,” Coach stated.

“Veronica is a player to watch,” Coach KK shared. “She was supposed to come to Augsburg in 2015. She decided to go to community college. She is now going to finish her education here and play lacrosse,” Coach said. “She has the potential to be pretty great. She has something to prove, not just to other people, but to herself too and representing the native community,” Knippenberg explained. Nash has experience playing traditional lacrosse, as well as the modern game.

“Leila will be a solid defender. She has the ability to be a really strong defender,” Coach said. Knippenberg explained that Leila will be filling an open spot they have on their defensive end due to a senior defender graduating last year.

The Paul sisters will be helping out the Auggies on offense this year. “We look for players that can put the ball in the back of the net,” Coach shared. “We hope that they can all continue to make an impact on and off the field,” she said about the incoming players.

When asked to describe the group of incoming players, Knippenberg responded: “Strong is the word that comes to mind, in all aspects. Physically and mentally strong.” She explained that this group also brings wisdom with the three players who are coming in as transfer students.

All four players are local to the area. “There’s a lot of unrecruited talent in Minnesota,” Knippenberg said. Her recruiting process has included going to watch high school games, tournaments, and hosting events such as Prospect Day at Augsburg University. “There is a lot of raw talent out there. Players that are athletic, really fast, play multiple sports, and have drive and determination,” she shared.

Coach Knippenberg recently announced that she is stepping down from the head coach position at Augsburg University. She had been head coach there since the program was established. The program debuted as an NCAA program for the first time during the 2013-14 school year. With her years of knowledge and experience, she thinks high school players in Minnesota who want to play in college should go for it. “There are so many opportunities for them to play in state or out of state. They shouldn’t sell themselves short,” she said.

Mikayla Knudson is taking over as interim head coach of the Augsburg Women’s Lacrosse program, as the team has just started holding fall ball practices at Edor Nelson Field. Their first game of the season is set to be held on Sunday, February 18, at 1:00 p.m. They will be hosting Carroll University.

To see the Augsburg Women’s Lacrosse upcoming schedule and more information about the program, visit: https://athletics.augsburg.edu/sports/womens-lacrosse