Work Ethic Now Showing Results for Unbeaten UMass Lowell

Hard work is etched into the fabric of UMass Lowell. Many of its programs focus on science, engineering and nursing, requiring focus and significant effort.

It’s begun to translate to the lacrosse field for the River Hawks, who are off to a blazing 8-0 start, breaking the school mark for wins in a season.

“The kids who come here are naturally hard workers,” coach Lisa Miller said. “[The past few seasons] have been about developing systems and depth. Our kids would work hard and be gassed in the third quarter because we didn’t have the depth.”

UMass Lowell’s success has been a revelation amid years of struggle, including a 4-10 record just two seasons ago. The River Hawks have thoroughly handled all their opponents this season, winning each game by two or more goals. They’ve also emerged with the nation’s No. 18 scoring offense and No. 8 defense.

Miller didn’t look at the past few seasons in terms of the River Hawks’ record. Rather, it was about what they were building long-term.

“We really worked and we were more competitive than we had been in the past,” Miller said. “I don’t look at things in terms of wins and losses. I look at things like, are we getting better and are we working hard? Are we good to each other?”

UMass Lowell’s current team checks all three boxes for Miller, who was hired in June 2019. She credited the class of 2023 for elevating the program’s standards, saying they “worked their tails off” to put the River Hawks in a better place competitively. Now, the expectation is to win.

A mix of upperclassmen leadership and talented underclassmen has powered UMass Lowell’s rise. Two freshmen, goalkeeper Alexa Kuhn and attacker Chloe Bowers, picked up America East weekly honors this week. Bowers is the team’s top scorer with 25 goals on the season, while Kuhn has started four contests and holds a 54% save rate.

Several other players have had a star turn, including senior attacker Megan Brockbank, who tallied four goals against Presbyterian last Sunday. She said she benefits from learning moments with younger players in practice.

“As I’m on the field telling them what I saw, it also helps me the next rep,” Brockbank said. “Being able to be in a position where I can be on the field and on the fly coaching these younger girls up, it helps me as well.”

Brockbank also credited a shift in mindset for the River Hawks’ success this season. The team decided they “weren’t here to be here” — they were going to say “we’ve got this” and adapt on each play.

Culture has been part of this success, too. Miller said the team reads over breaks, talking over books in small group discussions. Having four full recruiting classes for the first time in her tenure has also helped with this cultural shift.

UMass Lowell will face its toughest test yet against Brown on Saturday, then take on the America East. For now, the River Hawks are taking things game by game — but Miller is definitely excited about the increasing competitiveness in conference play.