LCC Lacrosse HistoryHow LCC Girls Lacrosse became the program it is Today...
La Costa Canyon Girls Lacrosse began as a club program in 1996, the year La Costa Canyon High School opened! The sophomores in 1996 had attended 9th grade at Diegueno Junior High and played at San Dieguito High School for the Mustang team in 1995! LCC's opponents were Poway, Fallbrook, Coronado, La Jolla, and Torrey Pines. There were no youth programs in San Diego, for many of the student athletes freshman year was the first time they had even heard of lacrosse! There were only a few boys Junior High programs in place in San Diego - but no Junior High girls programs which is why the 9th graders at Diegueno had to drive to San Dieguito to play. Jodi Kolts (LCC '01) and Heather Kibbee (Goalie LCC '01) were the only girls willing to play on the boys lacrosse team at Diegueno Middle School in 1996 and 1997. LCC had enough girls interested in lacrosse that we were able to field a Varsity and JV team in 1996! The team traveled to away games by parent volunteer drivers, no buses were provided then since it wasn't a CIF sanctioned sport.
LCC competed in a State wide lacrosse tournament at the Del Mar Polo fields in the Spring, it was a mecca for West Coast lacrosse once a year and attracted any and all teams in the region. It was one of the only tournaments in existence on the West Coast!
LCC's program grew quickly, Coach Chuck Kaczmarek and Coach Doug Kolts came on board as Varsity Head Coach and Assistant Coach respectively in 1999. The team seized the Southern California Championship and State Championship in 2001, beating St. Ignatius! Goalie Lindsay Kramer (LCC '01) was recruited by NCAA D3 University of Redlands.
La Costa Canyon graduates continued to play lacrosse in college on the West Coast for WDIA D-1 programs such as UCLA, UCSD, SDSU, Cal Poly SLO, UCSB, Chico State and UCDavis. The first few NCAA scholarships were offered to LCC graduates in 2001.
Girls lacrosse became a CIF sanctioned sport in 2002 which marked the turning point for Girls Lacrosse in San Diego, and at LCC!
In their first year as a CIF sanctioned sport La Costa Canyon had an incredible season under Coach Chuck Kaczmarek's leadership, they ended up making it to the 2002 CIF Championship game, earning Runner-up to Poway (9-5). Shannon McDougall (LCC '02) went on to play at NCAA D3 University of Redlands.
In 2004, Coach Katie Dolan and Coach Kristie Gallagher, both graduates and teammates at the University of Richmond made their way to San Diego taking the helm of the LCC Girls Lacrosse program, both coaching the Varsity team together. LCC's Kate Fleming was named 2004 CIF Player of the Year however the team fell short in the CIF playoffs. Jana Bradley, Kate Fleming, and Goalie Anna Poponyak (LCC '04) were recruited to University of Oregon to join their 2005 Inaugural NCAA D1 program. Jaime Clave and Lindsay Messina (LCC '04) were recruited to play at NCAA D1 UCDavis.
This changed in 2005, built off of the momentum in the 2004 season the Mavericks produced the 2005 CIF Player of the Year, Casey Rector, and went on to seize the 2005 CIF Championship Title! Coach Jodi Kolts (LCC '01) and Coach Lyndsey Wilcox (LCC '99) returned to LCC to coach JV squad. Kelly Giblin and Casey Rector (LCC '05) joined their 3 teammates at University of Oregon.
In 2006 Coach Katie Dolan transitioned to Head Coach of the Mavericks and coached on her own. Under her leadership, the team made it to the final CIF Championship game, earning Runner-up to Poway yet again (13-9). The Mavericks remained a top contender in San Diego since the CIF inception, competing in the CIF Championship game in 2002, 2005, and 2006. Celeste Mayer (LCC '06) went on to join her 5 teammates at NCAA D1 University of Oregon while Merritt Cosgrove (LCC '06) was recruited by NCAA D1 University of Massachusetts, DennaFaye Herald (LCC '06) joined NCAA D1 Cal Berkeley and Goalie Frankie Solomon (LCC '06) attended NCAA D1 American University.
In 2007 Coach Katie Dolan continued with the Mavericks and continued to build on the last 3 years, adding to the tradition and culture she had helped implement. Coach Sara Fraschetti (LCC '01) joined the coaching staff as Varsity Assistant Coach after playing at WDIA D1 Cal Poly SLO. The Mavericks had an incredible season and went on to seize the 2007 CIF Championship over Poway (9-7)!
2008 continued the traditions and built on the momentum of 2007. It was the first perfect season for the Mavericks (23-0), resulting in the 2008 CIF Championship over Coronado (11-10) and the 2008 CIF Player of the Year, Tara Arolla (LCC '08). Tara went on to play NCAA D1 at Cal Berkeley.
2009 was a year that began with a wake up call, LCC lost (13-1) to the #1 team in the nation, St. Stevens St. Agnes from Richmond, Virginia. The girls were challenged and competed against Colorado, East Coast and Northern California teams before the 2009 season began. The tough games proved beneficial for the Mav's preparation for the season, they seized the 2009 CIF Championship over Torrey Pines (6-5) and the 2009 CIF Player of the Year, Jackie Candelaria (LCC '09). Jackie went on to play NCAA D1 at Stanford University. Two solid defenders, Amy Soenkson and Courtney Cambra (LCC '09) went on to play at Hamilton College and Converse College in New York and North Carolina (NCAA DIII), respectively.
Coach Katie Dolan stepped down after 6 incredibly successful seasons with the Mavericks, 4 CIF Championships and 3 CIF Coach of the Year honors! The LCC Girls Lacrosse program will always be grateful to Coach Katie Dolan ('04-'09) and the coaches who preceded her for everything they have contributed to the program and the school.
In Winter 2009 Coach Sara Fraschetti (LCC '01) stepped up as Head Coach for the Mavericks. Coach Kimberly Pytel joined the LCC coaching staff for the 2010 season. Coming full circle and following Maverick tradition, we welcome back Casey Rector (LCC '05) as COACH Casey Rector, the Varsity Assistant Coach, starting Fall 2010. Coach Lyndsey Wilcox (LCC '99) has been the JV Head Coach with consecutive winning JV seasons since 2003, now assisted by Coach Sammy Slattery (Carlsbad '08).
December 23, 2010 marked our 1st Annual LCC Women's Lacrosse Alumni game! We had 30 Alumni participate, they all received LCC Alumni T-shirts and contributed to the program's tradition - THANK YOU ALUMNI for your continued participation and Maverick support!
We are looking forward to continuing our lacrosse story at LCC, we are all proud to be Mavericks! Thank you to all LCC Alumni for your contributions to the program, we look forward to seeing you at the next game!
"Once a Maverick, always a Maverick!"
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