The Ashland University Women’s Lacrosse Team is heading towards the end of their season, but it doesn’t stop there.

For junior lacrosse player Sofia Michael, it is much more than a one season a year event.

Michael attended Junior College for lacrosse before attending Ashland University and was recently named Betty Jo Graber award winner for being the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Female Student-Athlete of the Year in 2017-18.

“I love the speed of the game. It can be overwhelming at first, but after a few years I learned to love the aggressiveness that is required to complete at the collegiate level. I also love the thrill of having a strong defense with an effective offense that utilizes every player,” Michael said.

Michael had 51 goals and 29 assists in her freshman season at Anne Arundel. Along with that, she put 96 percent of her shots on target in just in that season alone. In her sophomore season, she increased her goal count to 56 and assisted on 25 goals.

She completed her junior college career with 161 total points in two seasons.

“As a teammate, I bring my aggressiveness to the table. I really want everyone on our team to continue to improve and I always push everyone to be the best version of themselves,” Michael said.

Going into Junior College, she wasn’t even thinking about continuing her lacrosse career.

“Going into JUCO I wasn’t enthusiast about continuing lacrosse after high school but Coach Griff was the one who relit the spark of the sport and gave me a new reason to love it,” Michael said.

Michael brings talent to Ashland’s first year team. She has scored overall 33 points this season.

“My biggest asset would would my enthusiasm. I love helping my teammates improve and encourage them to be the best athletes they can be,” Michael said.

Michael is originally from Maryland and is only in Ohio to attend Ashland University.

“It has been an adjustment, transitioning from Maryland, but all my teammates have made the transition easier. I enjoy going to practice and working with everyone on the team to improve our skills. I miss the home feeling that I experienced in Maryland, because that’s where I grew up,” Michael said. “However, I’ve meet fantastic people that have helped me become accustomed to the Ashland atmosphere.”

Her family, even though back home in Maryland, have been supportive.

“My parents, especially my mom, have been very supportive with attending all my tournaments and traveling far lengths to see me play,” Michael said. “Both my parents grew up participating in sports, and the whole reason I started with sports was to compete with my brother. I followed in his footsteps and tried every sport he did.”

Her success doesn’t lie solely on the field. She also does well in school with a 3.44 GPA.

Aside from lacrosse and school, Michael is just a regular college student.

“Outside of athletics, I’m the traditional college student who loves Netflix and sleep more than they deserve. I also like going to the gym and getting an easy workout in. Being a new resident to Ohio I love driving around and exploring the town and area with my roommate,” Michael said.

After lacrosse and college, Michael has plans of her own.

“My career goal is to become a traveling nurse. I enjoy helping individuals in need and promoting a healthy lifestyle,” Michael said.