Editor's Note: The Marist Athletics Department is continuing to highlight its Senior Awards finalists. From April 20-May 15, a feature story will be presented on each finalist for Sportsperson of the Year.
Sportsperson Finalists: Megan Fergus (Volleyball) | Sydney Ford (Women's Rowing) | Alana Gilmer (Women's Basketball) | Denise Grohn (Women's Cross Country/Track) | Rebekah Hand (Women's Basketball)
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Previous finalists:Â Female Strength & Conditioning (April 14)Â |Â Male Strength & Conditioning (April 15)Â |Â Female Pizzani (April 16)Â |Â Male Pizzani (April 17)
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POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – Let's get this out of the way right now.
Samantha Mehalick is one of the best attackers, if not
the best attacker, in the history of the program. Thus, it is only fitting that the senior out of North Brunswick, NJ has been named a finalist for Female Sportsperson of the Year.
Something that isn't up for debate, is the fact that Mehalick is the greatest goal scorer in the history of Marist women's lacrosse. Earlier this year, on March 10th against UMass Lowell, Mehalick found the back of the net on a free-position attempt, scoring her second goal of the game. That goal was a huge milestone for the senior, as she became the first player in program history, as well as in the history of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, to score 200 career goals. She ended her career with 204 career goals, 42 more than second place on the all-time list.
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A more interesting debate is whether or not Mehalick is the greatest
attacker in the history of the program. Looking at the numbers, she is right up there with the all-time greats, alongside Allison Gionta and Lindsey Diener. Mehalick has the edge in goals, but both Gionta and Diener are one and two on the list in career points. However, had the 2020 season not been cut short due to COVID-19, things may be different. Mehalick was on pace to pass both players on the career points list had the season played out, and that doesn't even include a probable postseason appearance. On her current pace, she was projected to finish her career with 258 career points, which would have put her in first place on both the career points list, as well as the career goals list. Taking all of this into account, Mehalick may very well be the greatest to ever dawn a Red Fox jersey.
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Wilkinson echoed that sentiment. "Yes, I do believe Sam is the best attacker of all time here at Marist, but that's a question that can't be answered easily," she said. "We've had some incredible talent on the attacking end. Allison Gionta was undoubtedly an attacking force in large ways, in both assists and goals. Thinking of the types of players who demand the ball, get the job done, and deliver - I put them both up there. It's Sam's unfinished senior season that allows me to believe that she's the all-time best, particularly when it comes to the stat sheet. She's a laser-focused competitor and I know not one game would have slipped through her hands without her making a big impact on the field."
Other accolades for Mehalick include being named MAAC Offensive Player of the Week five times, and MAAC Rookie of the Week twice back in 2017. She progressed from the MAAC All-Rookie Team, to the All-MAAC second team in her sophomore campaign, and then was named to the All-MAAC First team in 2019. The senior captain also holds the program (and conference) record for goals in a single game, scoring 11 against Manhattan on April 27, 2019. Her 79 goals in 2019 also set a record for most goals scored in a single season. Besides the 204 career goals, Mehalick also amassed 12 assists, 77 ground balls, 27 draw controls, 18 caused turnovers, 68 free-position goals, and 23 man-up goals throughout her stellar four years. As if that wasn't enough, Mehalick was also a two-time member of the MAAC All-Academic Team, and made the ECAC Academic Honor Roll in 2018.
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It wasn't all about the accolades for Mehalick, it was about the legacy she wanted to leave behind. "The records and accomplishments to me are something that I am very proud of, and I am glad that the work I have put into lacrosse over the past several years has paid off in some aspect," she said. "Holding program records is awesome and will be an amazing thing to look back at, but in the end I hope I was able to make a lasting impact on this program and positively influence the underclassmen."
Something that anybody who has been a part of the women's lacrosse program the past four years can agree on is that Mehalick absolutely accomplished her goal of having a lasting impact on the program. All of her teammates look up to her, and because of her example, they know exactly what it takes to be a good teammate. Â
"Sam has already been able to help shape the culture of the program and I know it's because of her leadership," Wilkinson said. "I've seen other players step into similar roles and Sam has helped pave this in every way. They see how important it is to keep everyone on the team accountable, to put your best out there every day. What's best is that Sam is also constantly mentioning that it's her team that is talented - not just her, and she's right. The whole team produces greatness, and Sam is just a piece of that. She's able to give everything to her team, yet still instill a culture of "We" before "Me". It's a hard balance for any athlete, but she carries it well."Â
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The college decision was one that Mehalick did not think about briefly. Her parents were adamant that she make her own college decisions. They let her make the calls and ask the questions, just supporting her along the way. Though Mehalick described the process as overwhelming and nerve-wrecking at times, in the end it was the team, coaching staff, and Marist's beautiful campus that brought her to Poughkeepsie. After visiting many college campuses across the country, it took just one visit to Marist for her to know that it was the best school for her.
The coaching side of the recruitment process was also very interesting. Mehalick played for her New Jersey travel team's "B" squad throughout high school. Yes, Marist's all-time leading goal-scorer did not make her travel team's "A" squad. Surprised? So was Wilkinson. "I remember first seeing her play, and thinking it must be a mistake that she is on this team," she said. "I didn't care though, in fact it only showcased her work ethic even more. It was clear how athletic she was as she took more reps at both attack and midfield. When you're recruiting anyone at a young age it's difficult to keep things in perspective when forecasting what you need from them years out, but the characteristics Sam has - tough, talented, and competitive - are ones that you can't ignore. I wanted that for our program and couldn't wait to get her on campus."
Eventually, when Mehalick decided to attend Marist, it was apparent to the women's lacrosse coaching staff that it was because she wanted to be here. Sometimes, a student athlete's college decision is persuaded by family, friends, or other outside factors, but that wasn't the case for Sam. Ever since she stepped foot on campus, the coaches, as well as her family, knew this was genuinely where she wanted to be.
Wilkinson even recalls the first day Mehalick stepped foot on campus as an incoming freshman. She spotted Sam in the Fontaine parking lot, as her family helped her unload the car. She turned to Nicole Troost, who was just hired as the team's offensive coordinator at the time, and said "You're going to like her. She's going to work really hard for you." Everyone, including Mehalick, was so excited to get to work.
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The most interesting perspective of Mehalick comes from Assistant Coach
Hailey Wagner. Wagner graduated from Marist last year, before being named an Assistant Coach ahead of the 2020 season. Wagner played alongside Mehalick for three seasons, including a 2019 season in which both players served as offensive captains. Wagner offers some insight on Mehalick that would be hard to gain from anyone else. Â
As a player, Mehalick was the most steady and reliable teammate that Wagner ever shared the field with. This was true in terms of both her statistical output, as will as her demeanor. Wagner noted that Mehalick was a very level-headed player, failing to recall a time when Sam ever appeared frazzled during a game. "In our years playing together, even while I was in the center circle taking the draw, I knew I could always count on Sam to be the first person off the restraining line to be my outlet pass," Wagner said. "Though a great deal of our offensive production was generated through Sam, she was always the first to celebrate her teammates' successes – and a thousand times louder than her own. She quite literally put her body on the line for her team, as evidenced by some of her Sports-Center-Top-10-worthy acrobatic goals from over the years.
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Wagner recalled a specific memory of playing with Mehalick that she will never forget. On April 22, 2017, a little over three years ago, The Red Foxes were taking on the Iona Gaels in the penultimate game of the regular season. Â Marist picked up a 13-9 victory in the game, while Mehalick scored two of her 204 career goals in the win. However, it wasn't a goal that Wagner remembered, it was something else.
"In the second half, our offense had a two-on-one fast-break," Wagner said. "Sam was carrying the ball towards the goal while I was running down field with her as the Iona defender tried to split Sam and I in an attempt to cover both of us. Sam could have easily beaten the defender to have a clear lane to the cage and scored, but that is not what happened. Instead of taking the shot she intentionally drew contact from the defender, fell to the ground, and maintained enough control to pass me the ball while literally sitting down on the turf so I could score. It was one of the most unbelievable assists I'd ever seen, but, then again, it's Sam we're talking about so I wasn't at all surprised that she pulled it off.
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When the 2020 season ended early, thus putting an end to Mehalick's illustrious career, she really didn't really know what to think. It was something that didn't seem possible at first, so it really didn't sink in until the news actually came. That news came just two days after the team completed a Tuesday night victory over the UMass Lowell River Hawks. Not knowing that that was the last time that Mehalick and the rest of the 2020 squad would grace the field together was extremely hard for her. "I think anyone who knows the Marist women's lacrosse team knows how much of a family we are and how close every girl on the team is with one another," Mehalick said. "So going from being with each other every single day to not at all was not an easy adjustment. After being home for the past month, I've realized that obviously this is something that is bigger than ourselves, and although our season got cut short, I am beyond thankful that I was able to play the six games that we did. And even happier to play them with my amazing teammates."
With all of the uncertainly in the world right now, there is also uncertainty regarding Mehalick's future. She has not yet decided if she will be using the fifth year of eligibility that the NCAA has granted her, but she is weighing the decision with great care. However, one thing is for sure: Mehalick loved her time at Marist, and will never forget it. When addressing the incoming freshman class, she had this to say: "As cliche as it may sound, don't take anything for granted and seriously live every moment like it's your last. College is such an amazing time to be yourself and thrive and I think it's really important for everyone to realize that and take advantage of the opportunity because time flies!"
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