Ali Bryant is ready for her sophomore season after her freshman season was full of end of season awards. She and the rest of the women’s lacrosse team gear up for their 2023 campaign.
Bryant had a dominant high school career in Huntington Beach, California where, as a team captain from 2019-2021, she earned two First Team All-Sunset League honors and First Team All-CIF Southern Section distinction her final year.
With multiple schools interested in her talents, Bryant chose Colorado Mesa University (CMU) because she recognized the athletic culture and respect that the school has for their athletes.
“I liked how this school felt like they really cared about athletics. I liked how nice the facilities were and how it seemed to be a very sports-oriented school. We had a lot of school spirit, and it seemed like a fun school to play for,” Bryant said.
Head Coach Shannon McHale was drawn to Bryant late into her senior year of high school for her athletic ability and her character on and off the field.
“I saw her at a tournament in Salt Lake City pretty late. It was fall of her senior year. I think we were just fortunate that she was still looking, and when she came to Mesa, she liked it. She’s obviously super athletic, but I add her character to that. She’s extremely hardworking and a supportive teammate. She challenges people, but she’s supportive as well,” McHale said.
Bryant made her freshman debut starting all 18 games during the 2022 season and recorded 18 goals, 12 assists and 30 offensive points. Displaying her ability to create opportunities for her teammates, Bryant was ranked fifth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) with 67 draw controls, 29 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers.
Bryant’s success on the field, both individually and as team player, led her to be named RMAC Midfielder of the Year, RMAC Freshman of the Year, First Team All-RMAC and part of the RMAC All-Tournament team.
“I was definitely really surprised when I got both of those awards. I think any [of the] three of us middies that played could have gotten it.The biggest part about the position is winning draws, and [alumna] Nici Boutwell was such an incredible draw taker. Every single one of the the draws I won were because of her. It was a really big honor, but I’ve really felt like honestly, I didn’t deserve it,” Bryant said.
In her collegiate debut against Adams State, Bryant had a season-high five ground balls while recording two goals and an assist. She tallied a season-high 12 draw controls on April 14, 2022 against Fort Lewis, tieing for the fifth-highest single-game total in the history of Mavericks women’s lacrosse. Bryant expressed humility when asked about the course from her freshman year to this year.
“At first, it was a little nerve-wracking, because on the field, everyone has been playing longer than me and is older than me, and you can get in your head really easy [thinking] about that,” Bryant said, “I worked really hard in the offseason, and I think that it really paid off, because, at the end of the day, when you’re on the field and you’re nervous, you could just trust your training. I had faith in all the work I put in and it really allowed me to not get in my head when I was on the field.”
The women’s team finished the 2022 season with a 13-5 record and named four Mavericks to the RMAC All-Tournament Team including Bryant, redshirt juniors Kiley Davis and Taylor Jakeman and alumna Ashton Whittle. On a team with so much talent, it’s important to recognize how individual achievement is not possible without the chemistry and performance of the team as a whole.
“I would not have been able to excel on the field without the support of my teammates. They’ve created a good environment of pushing me and just noticing when I’m off. Our culture on the team is just to constantly push ourselves and get to the next level. It’s such a safe environment to do that, and it makes it a lot easier to play the way you want to play,” Bryant said.
With 11 freshmen named to the 2023 roster, Bryant highlighted the talent among the young players and how she is able to build foundational relationships with them.
“I relate a lot to this class, because there’s a lot of talent. They put a lot of work in, and they’re very competitive and push themselves past their limits, which is something I admire about them,” Bryant said. “I’ve been very open with them about not getting in their heads and helping them understand they are freshmen and have everything to prove right now and have nothing to lose.”
Bryant and the Mavericks kicked off their 2023 campaign hosting a non-conference matchup against 10th-ranked Grand Valley State University. Bryant had two assists, scored a goal, and had eight draw controls in the game, but unfortunately the Mavericks could not quite contain the Lakers offensive prowess and fell 13-8.
The team kicks off RMAC play against Fort Lewis College Friday, March 10 at home onCommunity Hospital’s Unity Field. Last season, the Mavericks dominated the RMAC as they went 11-3, and finished second only to Regis University. Later in the season, CMU will play several top 15 ranked teams, With a mix of veteran players and young talent, the team maintains their high expectations for 2023.
