By: Anna Snyder
KENNESAW, Ga. – With less than a week before the 2023 lacrosse season gets underway, attacker
Jaxsyn Schonewille is preparing for her final season with the Owls.
The Coquitlam, British Columbia native has been a major part of the Owls squad since joining the program in 2019, helping KSU to its best season last year while recording a career-high 16 goals.
As she enters her fifth and final season with the Black and Gold, Schonewille is hoping for success on the field, but also looking to savor every moment.
"For our team as a whole, we are pretty young but the freshmen are really good," she said. "I know Jacksonville, Liberty and the other teams have had a lot of changes, so hopefully the ASUN season will go well for us and that'll be fun. Obviously winning the conference would be great also. But I think for me, since it's my last year, I just want us to have success on the field and have fun while doing it."
One thing she is particularly looking forward to this season is traveling across the country to Eugene, Oregon to take on the Oregon Ducks. Eugene is just a seven-hour drive from Schonewille's native Canada. "One thing I'm really excited for is I'm from the West Coast and we never play there, but we are going to Oregon this year so it's going to be fun." The Owls claimed a 14-13 victory over Oregon in the first meeting between the schools during the 2022 season in Kennesaw.
Schonewille was one of the eight graduates from the lacrosse team last spring, where she obtained a bachelor of science degree in exercise science. With only 11 classes needed to get her bachelor of science in psychology, she decided to return for a fifth-year to obtain her second degree.
After she graduates this spring, Schonewille plans to return home to Canada and attend nursing school. Having played lacrosse since she was six, Schonewille said the sport will still continue to be a big part of her life.
"It's not scary, but it's kind of sad at the same time. But I am still going to be playing and coaching," she said. "I'll still be around it, it will just be a different role. When I go home I will probably play box lacrosse, not field, so it will be a little different."
Despite her time at KSU coming to an end, Schonewille said she has learned many lessons and made numerous memories that will last forever.
"Last year, having a winning season was really cool for us," she said of the Owls' 11-7 overall finish. "It wasn't something that Kennesaw had seen, so it was fun to be a part of it.
"(I'm going to miss) seeing my teammates everyday. Getting to come out here for three hours a day and mess around and have fun."
The Owls open their season this Friday, Feb. 10 at Fifth Third Bank as they host Reinhardt.
