On Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, six Upper Moreland seniors were recognized for committing to continue their lacrosse careers at the collegiate level. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery at the following link: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/p569661535
“In my 15-plus years of coaching all sports, this is the most talented group of kids I’ve ever had,” UM coach Kim Frantz said. “This is a rough situation for us – the fact that we aren’t getting to play out a season that we had high hopes for a lot of good things. Just the whole group of them, they’re very dedicated. I have six seniors playing in college, but all 11 of them are extremely dedicated to lacrosse. They love the sport, they love competition, and they like to put the work in during the offseason.
“I have 6 a.m. practices before school starts, and I’ll have 25-30 kids show up every time. That’s due to their leadership. I started with this group when I began coaching at Upper Moreland – they were my freshman class, and a lot of them have been starters since their freshman year. It’s that special first group that I had go through my program at Upper Moreland. They’re just very dedicated, very hardworking. Most of them have been playing together since fifth or sixth grade. They are just a great group to coach, and I love them to death.
Cassidy Hirsch – West Chester University (Lacrosse)
Major: Economics
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “It was always a school in the back of my head, and once I went there for a camp and met the coaches and toured the campus, I knew it was the school for me.”
What was the progression that led you to playing lacrosse at the collegiate level? “Starting lacrosse at such a young age and then starting to play club lacrosse, I knew it was something I really wanted to do and continue my athletics after high school.”
Coach Kim Frantz says: “Cassidy started for me as a defender, and going into her junior year, she really wanted to be a midfielder. We talked about that and what she would need to do, and she busted her butt in the offseason and came in last year in the shape she needed to be in. She has now been a midfielder for me the past two years. She’s on the circle, and she comes up with a lot of draws. She’s just so passionate about what she does and the competition of lacrosse.”
About Cassidy:
Favorite food: Cheeseburgers
Favorite TV show: Vampire Diaries
Favorite artist: Drake
Chloe Leiter – La Salle University (Lacrosse)
Final list of colleges: La Salle, George Mason, Longwood, Monmouth, Bryant
Reasons for choosing La Salle: “I chose La Salle because after my visit there I loved the coach – she was super nice, and she just made me feel very comfortable there. The girls were also very fun and had the type of energy I was looking for. The team just seemed like a family, and it was the place I wanted to go to.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in lacrosse at the collegiate level? “When I was younger, I actually thought I was going to end up playing soccer in college because I loved soccer. I started playing lacrosse when I was in sixth grade or maybe younger. As I kept playing, I knew I really loved it, and I enjoyed playing with the all the girls on the team. They just made it more exciting for me. Just the progression of getting on a club team, I knew it was what I wanted to do in the future.”
Coach Kim Frantz says: “Chloe, who was a midfielder, tore her ACL and didn’t play with me last year. She tore her other ACL this year in winter league and still wound up having a spot at La Salle. She played two years of high school lacrosse and is still playing at La Salle – it’s amazing. I haven’t had her play for me since her sophomore year, but she is a leader all around. She wasn’t able to play last year, and I was so excited to have her this year because she made us that much stronger and then she tore the ACL in her other leg. She still comes out to the field, she warms up the goalies, and she’s just an all-around good team player and team leader. She knows she can’t play, but she knows she can do other things, and she’s always there at every practice.”
About Chloe:
Favorite food: Tacos
Favorite TV show: Friends
Favorite artist: Rihanna
Emma Meakim – Kutztown University (Lacrosse)
Major: Secondary Education
Final list of colleges: Kutztown, Millersville, West Chester
Reasons for choosing Kutztown: “I chose Kutztown because it seemed like a perfect fit for me. I always wanted to be a teacher and be an education major, so I was looking into state schools. I was lucky enough to have the Kutztown coach come watch me play. After talking with her, I really bought into how she’s trying to rebuild the program at Kutztown, and I thought it would be really cool and interesting to be part of something that was bigger than lacrosse.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in lacrosse at the collegiate level? “Actually, my mom played lacrosse in high school and college, and she started the girls’ side of the youth lacrosse program in Upper Moreland. I’ve been playing with most of the girls in my class since I was seven years old, and I think that makes a big difference. I grew up with some really cool teammates, and that has made me enjoy the sport a lot more. Growing up, I also played soccer and basketball, but I’ve always had a passion for the sport of lacrosse. As I got older, I realized that was the sport I would like to play.”
Coach Kim Frantz says: “Emma plays attack, and her lacrosse IQ is insane – she is one of the smartest lax IQ kids, and she just knows where to go. She’s constantly thinking ahead. She’s one of our best feeders down low. She just knows if she can’t feed the ball she can crease roll. She’s a very, very smart player. She’s one of the quietest players I have on the team, and a lot of people don’t know about her. She has over 100 goals, and she’s a kid who will walk off the field with seven goals, but you’ll have no idea she had seven goals that game.”
About Emma:
Favorite food: Chick-fil-A
Favorite TV show: All American
Favorite music: Country
Meghan O’Donnell – West Chester University (Lacrosse)
Major: Communications
Final list of colleges: West Chester, University of Cincinnati
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “I went to my first clinic at West Chester in eighth grade, and ever since then, I knew it would be a great fit for me. I met the team and coaches, and from the first time I met them, they were so welcoming and so nice. I love the campus – it’s really beautiful, and the main thing I love about it is it’s so close to home. I never really wanted to go too far, and the fact that my family could always come up and watch me play was a really important factor for me.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in lacrosse at the collegiate level? “I started lacrosse in second grade, and since then, it’s been my favorite sport. I love how quick it is and how competitive it can get. I was really excited finding out what the next level would be like.”
Coach Kim Frantz says: “Meghan is just an all-around good leader. She plays mostly attack, sometimes midfield. She’s strong, and her stick skills are outstanding. She’s a go-to person for us. She’s the kind of player who’s always consistent and you can count on her being consistent and being there. She’s not hot and cold – she’s always consistent in what she can do and is just a really strong lacrosse player all around. Her knowledge is really good. She understands the game, and her stick skills follow through with that.”
About Meghan:
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite TV show: The Office
Favorite artist: Billy Eilisih
Moira Olexa – Old Dominion University (Lacrosse)
Final list of colleges: ODU, George Washington, Stetson, Temple
Reasons for choosing ODU: “I thought I was going to go to a city school because I really like the city. I ended up choosing Old Dominion because they play in the BIG EAST, and they’re rebuilding their program. I thought that was super great – I was so excited.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in lacrosse at the collegiate level? “I have been playing lacrosse since a younger age. Once I started and I caught up with the other girls in my grade, I was like, ‘Wow, I really like this sport, and I want to continue this.’ I always dreamt of being a Division I player. I actually wanted to play basketball first, but I loved lacrosse so much more.”
Coach Kim Frantz says: “Moira is the tallest player on the field, so everyone knows her by her height. She’s our center, and she takes our draws. She’s quiet, and she’s another kid that will have four goals in a game, and she’ll come out, and you’ll be like, ‘You had four goals? When did you get four goals?’ She’s good at finding people for assists. She’s not always my leading scorer, but she has a part in almost every goal from the draw down.”
About Moira:
Favorite food: Cheeseburgers
Favorite movie: Moana
Favorite artist: Beyonce
AbbyEllen Wood – Messiah College (Lacrosse)
Major: Elementary Education
Final list of colleges: Messiah, Liberty, Monmouth
Reasons for choosing Messiah: “I chose Messiah because I connected with the coach in a way I that I hadn’t connected with any other coaches, and the girls on the team made me feel really welcome. Their education program is really good, and I would like to major in elementary education.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in lacrosse at the collegiate level? “I started playing lacrosse in second grade, and I’ve played since then. I fell in love with it pretty much immediately, so I knew I wanted to play in college, but I didn’t know what level. I looked at other Division I schools, and I decided that Division III was the best for me.”
Coach Kim Frantz says: “AbbyEllen is the heart of our defense. She’ll talk the whole time, she’ll help kids – some of my newer players, she’ll be right there to help them if they’re confused. The biggest thing is – she’s the heart of my defense because she’s constantly talking and keeping people in the loop and keeping everyone together on the defensive end.
About AbbyEllen:
Favorite food: Anything Mediterranean
Favorite movie: Pride & Prejudice
Favorite artist: John Bellion
- Log in to post comments