While Virginia women’s lacrosse has had its share of lows in 2024 — the most recent one being a 19-4 defeat at the hands of No. 4 Syracuse in the ACC Tournament — the highs have been noticeably more frequent. Much of that is because of co-captain and senior attacker Morgan Schwab, who has tallied 18 goals and 53 assists in just 18 games played this season. Schwab brings an offensive presence that can’t be ignored, as just this season she has broken the all-time and single-game assists records for the program. The senior’s contributions on and off the scoresheet are crucial to the No. 7 Cavaliers’ (14-4, 6-3 ACC) success and will largely determine how far they go in the NCAA Tournament.
Whenever Schwab is on the field — which is almost always the case — the offense runs through her. Much of the team's success is dependent upon how well Schwab can set up her teammates, evidenced by the fact that in games where Schwab registers three or more assists, Virginia has a perfect 9-0 record this season. Coach Sonia LaMonica encapsulated her effect on the team after a 20-5 crushing of Richmond March 6, a game where Schwab dished out the record-breaking eight assists.
“Morgan has [a] phenomenal lacrosse IQ,” LaMonica said. “She is just a fierce competitor. She’s got great vision of the field and she has a lot of people to get the ball to. There are so many threats … which just allows Morgan to find lots of options.”
Yet, behind all the broken records and dizzying passes to her teammates, Schwab’s leadership is an underrated asset for LaMonica’s squad. Her selflessness on the field is easily seen through her play — always finding teammates for a better look at the goal instead of diving in herself — but also in her words. When asked about her personal achievements, in this case the assists record, Schwab humbly gives credit to those she’s passing the ball to.
“That was a huge honor,” Schwab said. “I was excited about it. I think it's just a testimony to who's around me and my teammates.”
LaMonica, who is nearing the end of her first year as head coach of the program after coming over from Towson, has been using the influence of strong upperclassmen to ensure a smooth coaching transition. She recognizes Schwab’s leadership presence on the field in helping to cultivate that.
“I think she instills that confidence in the teammates around her,” LaMonica said. “She really trusts the group around her. I think she knows she doesn't have to do it all … she can step up, she can make plays. She's going to do that, [but] she's showing that she's got good faith and trust in the group around her. And I think that in itself only empowers and strengthens the confidence of the girls.”
Schwab’s trust in her teammates is crucial for the team’s success, and it is highlighted whenever opponents try to cut her off from having an impact on the scoresheet.
“I think it’s just kind of encouraging that if teams are going to take out one of us whether it's me or Katia [Carnevale], or Mackenzie [Hoeg] … we can play six on six, and they're all capable of taking care of business and being able to kind of use that defense to our advantage,” Schwab said. “Drawing a double team or using the faceguard to set picks and stuff. It's really kind of helpful.”
As the Cavaliers approach the NCAA Tournament, they will certainly be relying on Schwab’s skills to make a run at a national title. Arguably even more importantly, the younger players and the team as a whole will also need her leadership, and Schwab herself is perhaps most aware of that fact.
“I think the biggest thing we're trying to hone in on as upperclassmen is just telling everyone to focus on our team,” Schwab said. “It doesn't matter who we play. We're gonna show up, we're gonna wear our jerseys, focus on our game, focus on our game plan and nothing outside of that matters. So I think that's kind of the main message we're kind of trying to get the younger girls.”
Following a tough loss to the Orange in their last outing, the Cavaliers were handed the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will host LIU at Klöckner Stadium for a first-round matchup Friday at 3 p.m. Although the end of the season may be up in the air, one thing is certain for Virginia — Morgan Schwab will be leading the charge.
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