Maddie Montgomery Led a Culture Shift at William Smith

Maddie Montgomery has accomplished just about everything a Division III women’s lacrosse player can do.

But with all the accolades she’s received and all the experiences she’s had in the sport, she said, her most meaningful season was the one she lost completely.

Also a soccer player, Montgomery entered William Smith as a two-sport athlete. Lacrosse was her thing, but she loved that she could play both sports in Geneva. In the fall of 2019 during a road game in Texas, Montgomery finally got the chance to show her skills on the pitch.

She played for about 16 minutes before tearing her ACL. Her first lacrosse season was over before it even started. While a near-year long recovery brought its share of challenges, Montgomery looks back on that time without negativity or regret. In some ways, she said, it helped her grow an appreciation for sports.

A USA Lacrosse All-American and four-time Queensbury (N.Y.) Athlete of the Year, Montgomery was already one of the Herons’ most capable players as a freshman. When the ability to showcase her talent was stripped away for that year, it drove her to develop leadership qualities.

“All she had was her voice,” William Smith coach Anne Phillips said.

Montgomery became an honorary assistant coach for a little while. She never missed a team meeting or huddle.

“I tried to contribute where I could, which was through my voice,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery’s teammates and coaches respected her work ethic and determination. She worked on her stick skills and lacrosse IQ.

“When she did get back to the field, it wasn’t like she missed anything. She just picked up right away,” Phillips said. “She was ready to go on day one as soon as she was cleared.”

Montgomery continued to grow as a player and leader in the years that followed. And with that, William Smith grew, too. Montgomery pinpointed last season specifically as a “culture shift” that everybody bought into on the road to the final four. The Herons won 21 consecutive games before falling to Gettysburg in the NCAA semifinals in Salem, Virginia.

Phillips noticed the shift, too, specifically crediting Montgomery. Her teammates had faith not only in her ability to produce on the field, but in her as a person — the person some knew and loved before they ever saw her score a goal. Montgomery’s bubbly personality rubbed off on those around her. Her freshman year proved that it was possible to make an impact on a unit in more ways than numbers can show.

“She’s been a part of that culture and a critical part of that leadership that developed that for us,” Phillips said. “It’s a special team, and I’m really looking forward to having this group for one more year and seeing what we can do.”

In her final season, Montgomery gets to play with her sister, Meredith, a freshman at William Smith. Their father, Spencer, played football at Hobart. Their teammates are an extension of their family.

“[Those are] relationships that I’ll have for the rest of my life, so that’s something I’m really going to try to take in,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery is already William Smith’s career leader in draw controls. She’s second on the Herons’ all-time goals list and fourth in career points, both marks she can break this year.

Those things aren’t on her mind nearly as much as the thought of hoisting a national championship trophy. And with Montgomery holding the reins, her team knows that goal is within reach.

William Smith has a combined 49-8 record over the last three years. The Herons have won seven straight Liberty League championships. In their 48-year history, they have advanced to the NCAA tournament 23 times, made it to the final four 12 times and played in five NCAA finals between 1988 and 1995.

They’ve never won it all.

“Unfinished business,” Montgomery said. “To see how the culture of the program has transformed over our four years, we’ve been on this upward trajectory. To seal the deal with a national championship, that would just be amazing.”