As goalkeeper for the Royals lacrosse team, Cristal Narciso has to be quick on her feet. The rising senior operates like a football quarterback, directing her teammates and communicating to them where the ball is. At the same time, she’s blocking shots zooming toward her at 60 to 70 mph. Many of those shots deflect off her helmet and body.

“When the ball hits you, it makes a pretty big impact,” Narciso said. “But, at the end of the day, I’d rather have a bruise than to let the ball go into the net.”

As EMU’s young lacrosse program prepares to enter its sixth season, the fearless goalie, her mentor and head coach Mikaela “Mik” Brooks, and the rest of their talented team aim to improve from previous seasons and stay competitive in conference play.

Goalie from the Golden State

Narciso, a first-team all-league athlete at her high school in Val Verde, California, hadn’t planned on playing lacrosse in college. But when a coach on her team convinced her to sign up for a recruiting site, and Narciso began hearing from interested college lacrosse coaches, she reconsidered. One of those coaches, reaching out from the opposite side of the country, was former EMU head lacrosse coach Katie Russo.

After several virtual meetings with Russo, as well as one with the rest of the team, and an in-person visit to EMU’s campus, Narciso was sold. She said the school’s close-knit community and its scenic grounds were especially alluring. It also didn’t hurt that the lacrosse program, which had only started at EMU the year prior, needed a goalkeeper.

“I liked the fact that I would be a part of building a program and could make an impact here,” said Narciso, who is majoring in social work.

Like her goalie, Brooks was drawn to EMU by its sense of belonging and the growth potential of the young lacrosse program.

“I felt like the program would take a while to grow, but I love being that gritty person who puts in the hard work to develop something and see it come to fruition,” she said.

Brooks, a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, played on the inaugural girl’s lacrosse team at her high school and was part of an effort that introduced the sport to schools in her area. She was a standout goalie for Bridgewater College women’s lacrosse from 2018-21.

While a senior at Bridgewater, Brooks led the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) in save percentage and was second in total saves. Her 412 career saves rank ninth in BC program history. Before graduating in 2021, the two-time All-ODAC athlete was hired by Russo, coincidentally her neighbor, as a graduate assistant for EMU. Brooks took the reins as interim head coach when Russo stepped down in October 2022 and was named head coach in June 2023. She completed her master’s degree in organizational leadership at EMU last year.

“I didn’t think I would be at EMU at 25 as a head coach,” Brooks said, “but life works in mysterious ways.”

This past spring, the team posted a 3-11 record with wins over Waynesburg University and ODAC rival Randolph College. It’s been a tall order competing against teams that have been around for a half-century, so Brooks has been hard at work. She’s focused on building up her players holistically, developing them not only as athletes but also as leaders off the field.

Home field disadvantage

One significant challenge to the team’s success has been the condition of the aging turf field that they call home. The field, which was last replaced in 2006, is now the age of two usable lifetimes and needs replacing. The suboptimal playing surface has rips and wrinkles, dips and divots, and lacks the cushion it should have.

When she’s in the goal cage, Narciso has to react quickly to incoming shots. The worn-out turf can make it difficult for her to find her footing and can make bounces unpredictable, leading to goals that she might’ve blocked on a newer field.

A new turf field would not only help athletes like Narciso perform at their best and reduce the risk of injuries, but also would aid in recruiting prospective student-athletes. Narciso said a new field would show that the school is invested in its athletics.

“We want our recruits to see that when they come to EMU, they’re entering a space that’s taken care of,” she said.

Her coach agreed, noting that a new surface would help her players recover faster between games and after injuries.

“EMU can show it has bought into its athletics department,” Brooks said. “It will be huge to show athletes that we see them, we hear their concerns, we’re supporting them in the best way we know how, and we’re going to give them the best opportunities they have to be successful here.”

The school aims to complete the much-needed Turf Field Project this summer, but it needs support from donors to make it a reality.

Support our student-athletes and a new turf field through an immediate gift or multi-year commitment. Give today at or contact kirk.shisler@emu.edu for more details.

Turning the corner

During her first year at EMU, Narciso battled feelings of homesickness and struggled with her studies. Lacrosse, she said, kept her focused, developed her leadership skills, and helped her grow. Now a straight-A student, Narciso serves as president of the Latinx Student Alliance (LSA). She said she can always count on her coach to help with whatever problems she might be facing.

“I feel like we both grew up together, in a way,” Narciso said. “I’ve told her, ‘I can’t believe you’ve turned into the person you’ve become,’ and she’s said the same thing to me.”

Russo, who has previous experience working within a SAAC while a student at Randolph-Macon College, serves as the coach representative for the SAAC.

“I really wanted to give back and help generate a student-athlete voice on campus,” Russo said on her time as part of the SAAC at her alma mater.

Russo was tasked with the rebuild of the SAAC at EMU upon entering her role in the athletic department. In three years, with the help of the buy-in from many EMU student-athletes, the committee has tripled its representation and continues to grow with successful leaders, on and off their respective athletic platforms.

“I feel very confident in all we have accomplished during the rebuilding stage … I feel confident in our student-athlete leaders,” Russo said. “Our main goal right now is to become an official EMU student organization on campus. Once we achieve our goal we will continue to focus on our fall initiatives.”

After the early stages in gathering some interested student-athletes in this new organization, Russo wanted to put together an executive board in order to run the operation of the SAAC.

The executive board of the SAAC plays an integral part in the decision-making and implementation of ideas by the committee. Senior field hockey player Bri Miller (Gloucester, Va./Gloucester) was named president of the committee with women’s basketball’s Emily McCombs (Culpeper, Va./Eastern View) serving as vice president. Norma Morris (Elkton, Va./East Rockingham) of the women’s soccer team will serve as secretary. Baseball’s Jaylon Lee (Newport News, Va./Denbigh) and Jonathan Nagle (Chesapeake, Va./Portsmouth Christian) round out the executive board by serving as community chair and co-chair.

“Becoming president of this committee is an honor,” Miller said. “I take pride in being part of the rebirth of this committee through the early stages and want to keep moving forward in achieving our goals here on campus.”

The SAAC consists of 19 members in total including the executive board. These members remain present on campus as ambassadors for the athletic department and their own personal teams, but also use their time finding ways to enhance the brand of EMU.

“One of the most rewarding things about being a part of the SAAC is being able to make EMU a positive looking place to be a student-athlete,” Miller said. “We are able to do that through being good models of how an EMU student-athlete should carry themselves and helping the community in any way we can.”

While a main focus for the committee is being a central point of conversation between student-athletes, the athletic department, and the campus as a whole, the SAAC spends a lot of their time engaging with the community through various efforts. Whether that is partnering with the local Special Olympics or the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, a primary goal of the EMU SAAC is to be present in the surrounding community.

“Another rewarding thing about being a part of this committee is being able to give back to the community time and time again,” Miller said. “As student-athletes representing EMU, we have a responsibility to uphold the brand and we are able to do that with our volunteering.”

On top of community outreach efforts, the SAAC upholds a strong social media presence to continually reach out to the EMU student body and its followers.

The committee has been a part of many social media campaigns in its early stages, most notably the ODAC SAAC driven “Break the Stigma” campaign for Mental Health Awareness Month last May and consistently being present during April’s NCAA Division III Week.

“Having a presence on social media is an important part in having our voices heard,” Miller said. “By being a part of these campaigns, we are able to be part of something bigger than just EMU and can communicate the importance of these matters.”

The members of the SAAC have seen the work come to fruition with their growth over the past three years, but want to keep moving forward and continue to accomplish new things.

“I am hoping to continue growing our SAAC family,” McCombs said. “We really made a lot of progress last year, and our expectations are even higher this year. We are also looking forward to starting a few new initiatives, while also continuing a few from last year.”

On top of the tangible goals that the SAAC has established, the committee’s ultimate goal is simple: have an impact on the student-athlete experience. The executive board has made clear that they feel that they are on the right path.

“SAAC has really brought a new voice and different outlook to everything related to sports that hasn’t always been there,” McCombs said. “We are able to take initiatives and be involved in issues with the hope of bettering the student-athlete experience at EMU. The overall initiative of SAAC is to make a difference for one and all through our efforts.”

EMU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee 2020-21

Emily Davis – Softball
Jacob Durren – Men’s Volleyball
Callie Habr – Women’s Lacrosse
Tim Jones – Men’s Basketball
Colin Jones – Baseball
Jaylon Lee – Baseball
Emily McCombs – Women’s Basketball
Bri Miller – Field Hockey
Delanie Miller – Women’s Volleyball
Norma Morris – Women’s Soccer
Jonathan Nagle – Baseball
Mizz Nyagwegwe – Men’s Basketball
Kendra Oguamena – Women’s Track & Field
Gage Riddick – Baseball
Chyna Roberts – Women’s Basketball
Rayn Robinson – Softball
Morgan Tricarico – Field Hockey/Women’s Lacrosse
Brandy Troutman – Field Hockey/Softball
Andrea Troyer – Women’s Volleyball

This spring marks an historic first season for the EMU Royals , who open at Juniata March 7 and play the first of six home games on March 11. For head coach Katie Russo, seeing her athletes in uniform ready for competition will be a dream fulfilled.

In a job that she says “found me,” the former Randolph-Macon athlete and Frostburg State assistant coach has high goals beyond simply building a new program that will be competitive in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). And so does her team.

EMU, ranked 11 out of 11 in a recent ODAC poll, has a chip on their collective shoulder. “People say, ‘You have a new program. If you win one or two games, you’re good,’” Russo said. “That’s not my mindset and the mindset of my players. We have high but attainable goals and we know we need to prove ourselves.”

Her athletes know they were specially recruited. Russo used the slogan “Play Now, Make History,” as she made the rounds of summer tournaments (16 each summer in 2018 and 2019) and jockeyed for the attention of then-rising juniors to build the 2020 team. “I really pitched the the size of the school, my background, and the opportunity to make an immediate and long-term impact. The ones who are here know they will be on the field all season long.” 

The team practiced in the fall, won one of two scrimmages, and spent the early part of the spring, along with time on the turf field, in the classroom building team chemistry and organizational culture. They’ve discussed selected passages from The Inner Game of Tennis, by Timothy Gallwey; Sum It Up by former Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt; and Above the Line by football coach Urban Meyer. They’ve also delved into the philosophy of Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett. 

Along the way, Russo shared one of her “pillar” statements: Trust the process.

The latest task has been developing mission and vision statements. “Great lacrosse programs and all successful organizations have them, and we need them,”  Russo said. 

With the addition of the few dual-sport athletes, the team rounds out to 15 players. Russo has never stopped recruiting. Any athlete who is “selfless,” ready to put others before herself, with a positive attitude who will work hard, encourage and support her teammates, is welcome to talk with her about lacrosse.

And so are fans. The team will host a Lacrosse Open House at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 9, on the turf field, to introduce the game to the campus community. A short scrimmage will be played. Attendees can meet the players, talk with them about their sport, learn what to cheer for, handle the sticks and participate in a drill. 

What the Athletes Say

Your team slogan is “Play Now, Make History.”  What does being part of a new lacrosse program mean to you?  

#20 – Callie Habr

“Back home, Virginia Beach to be specific, lacrosse is a relatively new sport. My high school, Bayside High School, got lacrosse my sophomore year.  Being a part of a new program is an experience unlike any other. It is an honor and a privilege not many people get to do.”

#23 – Juliana Ghally

“Being a part of a new program means we get to show our skills to the teams that don’t know what is coming.”

#5 – Katie Johnson

“Creating relationships with my teammates and coaches, understanding my role, and helping to inspire others.”

#6 – Ashlyn Eby

“It means everything we do is a new record and a potential tradition players years to come will follow.”

What do you love about the sport of lacrosse? And what do you especially like so far about Royals lacrosse?

#10 – Morgan Tricarico

“I love the fast-paced game play.  So far, I especially like the relationships I have made from the Royals lacrosse program.”

#27 – Zyeasha Ba

“I love the intensity of the game.  This sport can turn someone like me, who is not loud, into someone with a voice.”

#1 – Jaida Sainvilus

“I love everything about lacrosse but I love making new friends while playing the most.  I love how with Royals Lacrosse we are coming out strong and determined even when we are being doubted.”

 In five years, when the “next generation” of EMU Royals lacrosse players comes on campus, how do you hope you and your team will be remembered?

#2 – Skylar Hedgepeth

“I want us to be remembered as a team that truly surprised those around us.  I want our passion, dignity, and sportsmanship to speak for themselves.”

#7 – Kenzie Gardner

“I want the next generation to remember that our team started the first program of Spring 2020.  I want our team to remember the enthusiasm we brought to EMU. I want this team to pass on the perseverance we set on this team.”

What are the team’s greatest strengths?

#26 – Arianna Nixon

“Encouraging each other every practice from start to finish.”

#3 – Cindy Argueta-Rivas

“Teamwork, passion, and dedication.”

#22 – Mykenzie Davis

“We’re very good at working together, calling out our names and encouraging each other.”

#8 – Cat Hammond

“I think that we’ve created a culture of both hard work and fun.  Practice is never too serious, but we know when to focus when we need to.”

What has been your favorite experience of the season so far?

#15 – Nicole Miller

“Trying on our uniforms for the first time and feeling like a team!”

#17 – Bri Garcia

“Our Fall Play Day.  In the morning when we all met up and had breakfast together, it was quiet.  Once we actually got to Randolph and stepped on the field, I don’t know what happened but we all just clicked and kicked butt that Sunday.  It was one of the best feelings in the world.”

“This year, we decided to focus on the ways that athletics help EMU fulfill its mission and their many contributions to our community,” said Director of Athletics Dave King.

A panel on peacemaking and intercollegiate athletics featured women’s volleyball coach Carrie Bert, men’s soccer coach Roger Mast, senior volleyball player Maria Yoder, and senior basketball player Josh Good.

King moderated a second evening discussion on the topic of sustainability and intercollegiate athletics.

Athletes volunteered to help move rugs for a Ten Thousand Villages sales event. Women’s lacrosse coach Katie Russo said the time also involved some learning about the rugs themselves, “beautiful creations that can take up to two years for Pakistani rug artisans to develop.” Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit organization specializing in fairly traded goods from around the world.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes hosted their weekly huddle on Thursday evening. The leaders include Bailey Hall (baseball), Laurie Serrell (track and cross country), Brittany Viands (softball), Megan Breidigan (soccer), Austin Sachs (golf), Lindsey Krisak (basketball), Justin Odom (track and field), and assistant baseball coach Adam Posey.

Among the notable athletic events scheduled during the week, EMU softball hosted a StrikeOut Cancer doubleheader, splitting with crosstown rival Bridgewater. On Saturday, the track and field team hosted the first home meet since 2008 and the baseball team played in a doubleheader against nationally-ranked Randolph-Macon.