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Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(article posted by Staci Babb, Student Sports Information Assistant)

Apr. 23, 2012 - At the end of this season, North Central College has had a lacrosse program for four years. Although the years have flown by since the program started Shannon Prince, one of two North Central players to play all four years, has an inside look on how the program has evolved.

After playing for two years at Montini Catholic High School, she decided that North Central College was the best fit for her because she was still close enough to home and the school was starting a brand new program her first year of college. She was the only player on the team with previous playing experience prior to the Cardinals' inaugural season of 2009 and has started every one of the team's 53 games the past four years.

Prince is a defensive player for NCC and feels that she uses her knowledge from playing basketball to increase her skill as a lacrosse player. Shannon has gotten to experience a once-in-a-lifetime journey as she has played for a program that started from scratch and quickly became a victorious team. Prince has also helped her peers on the team that had no experience, who have relied on her to help them learn on and off the field.


Q: What is the main reason you chose to play lacrosse in college?
A: I played in high school for three years and I wanted to continue playing and stay close to home. I found out North Central was starting a program, so I decided to come here and play.

Q: Was that the only reason you chose to attend North Central?
A: Well, I wanted to stay close to home because I live about 40 minutes away and I wanted to keep my job. Lacrosse is a great sport season-wise, as the conflicts are lessened.

Q: What is your major?
A: I am getting a bachelor's degree in science with a minor in psychology.

Q: What do you want to do after graduation?
A: I am going to be going to Lewis University for Nursing. I have to take some classes at the University before I can get accepted. That is just how their program works, so we will see.

Q: Were you excited that you were part of the first women's lacrosse team ever at North Central?
A: At first it was kind of rough. The first year, I was the only one that had ever played, but it got so much better. The girls caught on quickly, but it was exciting to say that I was on the first team ever.

Q: Who are your role models?
A: Oh, that is a tough one. I do not know anyone specifically, but the girls on the team are definitely role models. I have never seen so many girls that are so busy, yet they have almost 4.0 GPAs. It is amazing how hard these girls work on and off the field. Of course, my parents are role models, especially my mom because she has always worked and that is why I have always worked so hard.

Q: What do you want the public to know about the sport of women's lacrosse?
A: Whenever I say that I play lacrosse, they instantly think that is such a brutal sport. I instantly say “oh you are thinking of boys.” The only similarity is the goal and the ball. We do not wear football equipment, our sticks are much different in order to make it harder to hold the ball, and it is much more skillful because you cannot run into each other. I just wish people would know the difference between the women and men.

It is a much more graceful game then the men play, and a lot of people do not know what lacrosse is at all. I normally have to explain to them, I have a stick with a net, a ball, and then you kind of throw it and catch it. We explain it to be a combination of field hockey, soccer, and a little bit of basketball mixed in. (laughs) The defense is very similar to basketball, you set picks, run motion, and set screens to an extent.

Q: How have other sports helped you understand the concepts of lacrosse?
A: I played basketball my entire life. Basketball is more of my background than anything, which is how I got into lacrosse. I played basketball from second grade until my senior year of high school.

Q: When did you start playing lacrosse?
A: Sophomore year of high school they started a club team and I decided not to go out for it. Junior year, I decided to play and I started playing defense because I had such a strong background in basketball. It was just like defense and that is what I knew how to do. I had no idea how to use my stick; it was rough but I got better. Just like here, it just keeps getting better.

Q: What did you expect of the program here at North Central?
A: I kind of expected everything to click much like it did with my high school team, but our first and second year we had a struggle with people staying with the team. Between seasons, we would become a totally different team due to the fact that girls were quitting and new girls would begin playing. It was rough, but last year we had a group of girls that had been playing together for a whole year. That is when I think things started clicking, because we were used to playing together.

Q: How has this year been any better than the past three years?
A: This year got even better because once again we had been playing together for at least two years. I think we only lost one player and gained one as well.

Q: Are there a lot of girls that have played before now than previous years?
A: I think that is why we have had the success that we do, because we learn from each other. It makes things much better to learn from the girls that have all of this experience and mixing in the girls that did not have experience. This year we do not have anyone that has not played for at least a year or two.

Q: What is the most frustrating thing about being a new program and trying to develop?
A: The hardest part was practicing and then transitioning into games. They had never played a game before and it is much different than practice. We did not have enough girls to scrimmage against each other, so that made things much more difficult. Once they got the first few games under their belts, things went much smoother. I remember having to run about 120 yards because passing the ball just was not possible. if I did pass it, the ball would go to the other team. I think, at first, it was just shocking to them how different practice and games were.

Q: What is the hardest transition from basketball to lacrosse?
A: The little things, such as the whistle blowing and you literally have to stop every time, which is so hard to get used to. In basketball when the whistle blows you can literally walk all over the place, so it is a little difference, but it was so hard to adapt to.

Q: How do you feel about the way the season is going thus far?
A: We are doing so much better as team this year. Last year seemed as if it were a team of individuals rather than a team. This year we have gotten used to playing together, in result of that we have gotten multiple assists, which is great to see!

Q: Did your coach, Jenni Kapanen, rely on you a lot that first year?
A: I believe she expected me to help the other girls with the easy stuff like cradling the ball and stick movement, but our former graduate assistant coach, Lillian Yanni, truly helped us with the little things. Since there were three of us it helped us spread out and get things done quicker. I helped the girls out when they asked for help, and it was nice knowing they wanted to get better. The girls really wanted to learn and that helped take the frustration away from being the only player with experience.

Q: What is your favorite thing about lacrosse?
A: I would have to say when the girls score a goal. Although I am not on offense it is still such a great feeling! Watching them get in there, do a sweet move of some sort, and then we all jump up and down. I love when the games are close and then we have an amazing goal. My other favorite part is the fan base, it is growing. Our parents have started tailgating before and after the games and that truly helped. Watching them get excited to see us play truly motivates us to come together as a team.

Q: What is something you are looking forward to the most?
A: I am excited to make it to the conference tournament again; it is such a great experience. Although we did not win last year, it was still great to make it that far and most importantly we could possibly go further this year.