Skip To Main Content

Northern Michigan University

The Official Website of the Northern Michigan Wildcats Northern Michigan Wildcats
Josie Lakosky
Reigning GLIAC Freshman of the Year Josie Lakosky switches from #10 to #1 for 2025

Women's Lacrosse

PREVIEW: Lacrosse Opens 2025 Season at Home

NMU hosts Walsh on 2/14 and UW-Stout on 2/16

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The time has finally come, with this weekend marking the season and home opener for the NMU Lacrosse team.

The 'Cats open its season with a pair of non-conference competitions, opening with a crucial regional match up against Walsh on Friday, February 14, followed by UW-Stout on Sunday, February 16.

The season opener on Friday versus the Cavaliers is set for a 5 PM start time, with Sunday's clash against the Blue Devils slated for 4 PM, both taking place at the Superior Dome. 

Sunday's game against UW-Stout is a Make-A-Wish dedicated game. You can find full details here.

Admission is free for fans this season, with streaming options available through FloLive and live stats provided here.

"We have ten freshmen and ten sophomores on a roster of 30 [athletes]... but I think this is the deepest we've ever been [as a team]," said head coach Lindsey (LeMay) Majkrzak, who embarks on her sixth season as bench boss for the lacrosse team. "When you get better as a program you're able to bring in better recruits, and that is coming to fruition this year."


Lindsey (LeMay) Majkrzak Media Availability

 

2025 GLIAC Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Preseason Poll
Grand Valley State - 16 (4)
Northern Michigan - 13 (1)
Davenport - 9
Concordia St. Paul - 8
Saginaw Valley State - 4


2025 Coaching Staff
Head coach Lindsey (LeMay) Majkrzak enters her sixth season at the Wildcats' helm and continues taking the program to new heights. In 2024, LeMay guided the Cats to back-to-back GLIAC Championship appearances after establishing a program-best single-season record and win percentage of 14-5 (.737). LeMay has posted three consecutive winning seasons and holds a career record of 42-21 (.667). 

Quinn Crandall returns for her second season as an assistant coach after joining the 'Cats in 2024 after spending a season as an assistant coach at the College of Saint Benedict. Crandall's focus is on the attacking side of the ball; last year the team produced the most goals (257), assists (94), and points (351) in a single season in program history. 

Student-assistant Minnie Bittell returns to the Wildcats, this time a member of the coaching staff. Bittell had a star-studded career in her tenure as a Wildcat, as she holds almost every individual career and season record for NMU lacrosse, including career goals (219), assists (97), and points (316). 


Roster Breakdown
Reigning GLIAC Freshman of the Year and All-GLIAC First-Team selection Josie Lakosky returns for her sophomore season, as she was second on the team to Bittell in goals (45), assists (13), points (58), GWGs (4), and FPGs (9). Lakosky was a member of the GLIAC All-Tournament team, where she scored five goals and an assist in two games. 

Fellow all-conference first-team selection Dayna Carlson returns for her senior campaign after a breakout campaign in 2024. The heartbeat for the Wildcat defense, Carlson started in every regular contest for the 'Cats last season, where during the regular season she was third in caused turnovers (14) and posted 24 ground balls.

An attacker converted to defender last season, senior Maddi Bast returns after posting her third-consecutive All-GLIAC honor with a spot on the second team followed by an All-Tournament team selection last season. Fellow defender and second-team selection Natalie Thomas will embark on her sophomore campaign, and both All-GLIAC Honorable Mentions in goalkeeper Lauren Esposito and midfielder Olivia Rose are set to return to action.

Season Preview Video

 

A Look at Walsh
NMU opens its 2025 schedule against the Walsh University Cavaliers, who enter the 2025 season on the heels of winning its four-straight GMAC conference title in 2024. 

The Cavaliers earned six first-place votes under head coach Erin Backinoff. The reigning G-MAC Co-Coach of the Year returns back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year in Mallory Miller. Miller earned the honors for the second consecutive year last season after totaling 51 ground balls and causing 42 turnovers on the year. 

Miller and the Cavaliers led the league in ground balls per game (18.41), caused turnovers per game (10.35), and goals against average (8.04). 

In addition to Miller, Rachel Black is also one of the top returners for Walsh. Black earned a spot on the first-team all-conference list as an attacker. She ranked as one of the league's top offensive threats with 2.76 goals and 1.71 assists per game.


A Look at UW-Stout
The 'Cats round out its weekend with a visit from Division III UW-Stout, a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). 

The Bluedevils are under new leadership for 2025, welcoming Mikayla Knudson as head coach. Knudson joins the Blue Devils with 14 years of coaching and playing experience. Last season, she served as interim head coach at Augsburg University. After spending two seasons there as an assistant coach.
 
She has coached at Elk River High School in Minnesota for four seasons and the Elk River Youth Association for eight years.
 
Collegiately, she played four years for the Auggies, tallying 90 goals and 17 assists for 107 career points. In 2021, she earned second-team All-MWLC honors. In 2019, she tied program single-game records with nine points and seven goals.





 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Maddi Bast

#30 Maddi Bast

D
5' 7"
Junior
Minnie Bittell

#12 Minnie Bittell

MF
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Dayna Carlson

#14 Dayna Carlson

MF
5' 9"
Junior
Olivia Rose

#6 Olivia Rose

MF
5' 9"
Junior
Natalie Thomas

#2 Natalie Thomas

D
5' 10"
Freshman
Josie Lakosky

#10 Josie Lakosky

MF
5' 7"
Freshman
Lauren Esposito

#35 Lauren Esposito

GK
5' 4"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Maddi Bast

#30 Maddi Bast

5' 7"
Junior
D
Minnie Bittell

#12 Minnie Bittell

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
MF
Dayna Carlson

#14 Dayna Carlson

5' 9"
Junior
MF
Olivia Rose

#6 Olivia Rose

5' 9"
Junior
MF
Natalie Thomas

#2 Natalie Thomas

5' 10"
Freshman
D
Josie Lakosky

#10 Josie Lakosky

5' 7"
Freshman
MF
Lauren Esposito

#35 Lauren Esposito

5' 4"
Freshman
GK