NOW, THEY’LL HAVE TO GO WEST
The naysayer may call this all a blow to West Coast lacrosse. Whidden, Munday and Spencer are optimists.
“We sort of always had our back against the wall being in an area that’s a traditional area, and we have to travel all the time because teams hesitate to come out and play us,” Munday said.
Of course, more than 2,000 miles separate Maryland and Los Angeles, a much longer trek than the 364 between Stanford and USC. Munday’s thoughts? Advantage, West Coast.
“Anyone who’s coached or played on the West Coast knows we are travel warriors,” she said. “We travel all the time. Even if it’s one more trip, it’s not that big of a change for us. I think it will be more of a change for the Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 schools that don’t travel as much as we do. It’s no change for us. We do this all the time.”
Shorter trips to renew rivalries with former Pac-12 opponents are also likely in store. Colorado and Stanford are already on each other’s 2025 schedule. And the Cardinal and Women of Troy?
“That’s in the works,” Spencer said.
But first, there are games to be played and one more Pac-12 trophy up for grabs. All three coaches have their eyes on it and aren’t shying away from saying it would hit differently going out on top. Colorado has never won a tournament title despite advancing to the championship game three times, including in a loss to USC last year.
“For our team and our group of seniors that have been around, we’ve been close to winning Pac-12 championships in all their years here and haven’t gotten it done,” Whidden said. “Not only would it be exciting to win the last Pac-12 championship, but we also want to play in the NCAA tournament, and I think we’re very much on the bubble. We know we have to be successful this next week, beyond the first round, and probably make it to the championship if not win the championship.”
Though it’s never happened, USC and Stanford are, on paper, favored to end their run in the Pac-12 by squaring off.
“It’s something that hasn’t been on our minds all season, but now it’s right there in front of us,” Spencer said. “We already had motivation based on the way our season ended last year [in a 12-11 loss to Colorado in the semifinals], but we have even more knowing this is the last Pac-12 women’s lacrosse tournament. It’s exciting and bittersweet.”
But the hosts and reigning champs want it, too.
“We want to win a championship, plain and simple, that’s been our goal from day one,” Munday said. “Being the last year makes it special. Being able to host in the Coliseum, an iconic venue and iconic conference, does it justice.”
In four years, the Coliseum will once again be the backdrop for an iconic institution: the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, in which lacrosse will make its triumphant return to the Games in the Sixes discipline. Munday was recently named the head coach of the U.S. Women’s Sixes National Team and has been tasked with laying the groundwork for the Olympics.
Little girls on the West Coast will have a chance to see lacrosse realize a dream in person, with millions more watching on TV. West Coast lacrosse? It’s not going anywhere — it’s just spreading out.
“To have lacrosse be part of the Olympics in LA in 2028 is another exciting moment for West Coast lacrosse,” Munday said. “People want to watch it, come out West and continue to grow the game. It’s incredible to see the growth and talent on the West Coast, and I think the sky is the limit … I think this conference alignment is actually going to shift even more in terms of getting West Coast lacrosse exposure, talent and success.”