The new facility, officially completed this winter, meant that UMass could spend its first practice after the Boston College win indoors, rather than battling the elements in the frigid February weather.
It’s all part of an increased investment by UMass in its lacrosse programs, and athletics as a whole, said McMahon, who has been at the helm in Amherst since 2011.
“We’re really fortunate to have these types of amenities,” she said. “Our athletic department’s rise and [investment in] facilities is just putting us in the best position possible to attract the best recruits and to make our experience really positive for our players. That’s the ultimate goal.”
The Minutewomen return to action against Dartmouth on Saturday, a game that should help prove whether or not they are here to stay as contenders in 2020. Last week’s win pushed them from unranked into the No. 13 spot in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20, their first appearance in the rankings since before the start of the 2018 season.
It may have already pulled off its biggest win of the season, but UMass is in no way satisfied. They still have an Atlantic-10 title and an NCAA tournament spot to contend for, 15 more regular-season games to play and most immediately, a 19-7 loss to the Big Green in 2019 to avenge.
Beating Boston College may be just the start.
“We try to stay humble and work hard and stick to our core values each and every day,” McMahon said. “We have the talent on our team that if we stick to the process and continue to work hard, good things can happen for us.”