Emily Lotkowictz of Skaneateles has been named 2010 Student Athletic Advisory Committee Female Athlete of the Year by Wells College. The winner of this award is nominated and voted on by staff; student athletes make the final vote.
“It was a great way to top off my senior lacrosse season,” Lotkowictz said.
In her senior year at Wells, Lotkowictz led the women’s lacrosse team to a second place finish in the Northeast Atlantic Conference. An NEAC First-Team All-Conference defender, Lotkowictz finished the season among the top 10 in Division III in points (110), point per game (7.33), goals per game (4.4) and assists per game (2.93).
Lotkowictz transferred to Wells from Lafayette College for the fall 2008 semester and immediately embraced the team’s range of experience, bridging the gap between the new players and the ones who, like her, had been playing since fourth grade.
“We had girls on the team that had just started playing this year,” she said. “It was really exciting being a leader on that team.”
Athletic Director Jamey Venture said Lotkowictz worked one on one with her teammates outside of practice, both in the gym and on the field.
“Emily was demanding of her teammates, pushing them to be their best all of the time,” he said, “but also found a way to balance that demand with support.”
Lotkowictz played soccer in high school, but took a break from it when she went to Lafayette College in Easton, P.A.
“I didn’t think that I would be playing soccer in college at all, but then when I transferred to Wells I had that opportunity.”
She took advantage of that opportunity, finishing the 2010 season with four goals and one assist to earn NEAC Third-Team All-Conference honors.
Ventura knew Emily well as the athletic director, but also as her soccer coach. He said it did not take long for Lotkowictz to adjust to her new teammates and become a leader for both programs.
“Emily’s extreme work ethic and athleticism and mental toughness made her a leader by example,” he said. “She was not always the most talented soccer player on the field, but [those attributes] allowed her to be a great outside midfielder in the North Eastern Athletic Conference.”
The days of Lotkowictz playing soccer and lacrosse for Wells College will not soon be forgotten. She left her mark “by bringing a competitive attitude to the sports she participated in that was not present before,” Ventura said. “She has helped bring those programs to the next competitive level.”
In high school, Lotkowictz was a member of the 2005 state championship Skaneateles lacrosse team that went 24-0 under coach Bridget Marquardt. She’s still close with a lot of the girls on the team. She grew up with many of them.
“It was one of my greatest athletic experiences,” she said.
As a recent college graduate, Lotkowictz plans to keep lacrosse in her future. Her goal is to be a head lacrosse coach at the college level.
She’s well on her way. During her June 18 interview with the Skaneateles Press, Lotkowictz was thrilled to share some recent news. Just the day before she had been awarded a graduate assistantship at Lynchburg College where she’ll serve as assistant coach for the women’s lacrosse team.
Attending Wells College gave Lotkowictz the opportunity to develop leadership skills, especially in working with players brand new to the sport. “I realized that that’s where I wanted my career to be,” she said.
Lotkowictz graduated from Wells College with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. She plans to master in educational leadership when she attends Lynchburg College in the fall.
