UMBC women’s lacrosse senior Kennedy Evans recently chatted with PressBox about learning from a former Maryland star growing up, how she stayed connected with UMBC after committing at an early age and more. The 5-foot-8 defender picked up 24 ground balls, caused 31 turnovers and won 31 draws in 2023, earning first-team All-America East honors. Evans is a native of Mt. Airy and graduate of South Carroll High School.
PressBox: How did you become interested in lacrosse?
Kennedy Evans: I was very young when I started playing. My older sister, Riley, started playing a year before me, so I think the instant impression of a sibling playing a sport, I was always involved in whether it was basketball or lacrosse from a very young age. My dad, Bryan, was very persistent with getting me and my sister in sports. So once I got a little bit older — I want to say around 8 or 9 — is when I realized this is definitely something I wanted to pursue. My coaches, from a very young age, made it very fun. Playing with all of my best friends I think was an instant way to become more engaged with everything. I started playing for my youth program in South Carroll, and playing with all my best friends [made me] realize that I wanted to play at a higher level.
PB: Who were the biggest influences on your game growing up?
KE: My biggest influence I would definitely say was Kristy Black. She was an attacker at Maryland. From a young age, I was always watching the Maryland lacrosse games. They definitely [were] a force and still are and have been for so long. She ended up becoming my club coach for Hero’s Lacrosse. When I heard that she was starting an age group around the time for our 2020 class, I instantly jumped on it. I honestly think that I remembered finding that she was the coach before my dad even told me about it. I kind of pushed to play at the club level. Being able to play under her was amazing. She was a great coach. I just remember going to the Maryland games and she was always so personable with all of us younger girls. That definitely encouraged me to want to continue to play, but she was just such an inspiration both on and off the field with how she worked with younger girls.
PB: What are your favorite memories from your time at South Carroll?
KE: We definitely had such a breakthrough my junior year. We won a regional championship. We were the first ever to win a state championship, so I would definitely say our [Class 2A] state championship game was so memorable. All of my best friends were on my high school team, whether it was my 2020 age group or the 2019 class. That was my last year ever playing with my sister, so I think that was such a special moment to be able to celebrate that together on top of the state championship. We had an amazing season. We beat a lot of our county rivals, including Century [and] Westminster, which had always been a rough go in years past. To be able to accomplish that and get to a state championship, we were always the underdog in that situation. I think being able to accomplish that, that really gave us all a taste of how competitive lacrosse had been getting. I think that really prepared all of us that were committed and going to a university to play. It really kind of gave us that eagerness and really encouraged us to keep being disciplined and push ourselves.
PB: Why did you choose to go to UMBC?
KE: I committed at a very young age. I committed before the [new recruiting rules came] into play. Committing at such a young age, I didn’t really realize what that was going to entail for me. … The coaches were not only just great coaches from what I had heard from other people, but I felt like I was really gaining three other moms in life. They were so easy to talk to. It wasn’t even just the lacrosse things I could go to them [about]. It was just life, which made me feel very, very comfortable around them. But two people that actually really got me to pick this school were Payton Van Kirk — I believe she was a junior at the time I was a freshman in high school — as well as Grayson Corbett. They both had played there. They had amazing careers. … I think off the field, they were just such great people and amazing role models. I loved the way they carried themselves and I thought that they were always two people that constantly checked in on me, whether it was before I ended up at UMBC or throughout the process after I committed. I really appreciated them. They definitely made me feel like these are two great people leaving this program and I want to be like them some day. They definitely really shaped me going into UMBC.
PB: When did you commit?
KE: I committed my freshman year of high school. Now it’s Sept. 1 of your junior year is when you can start to talk to college coaches. Once I committed, the rule went into effect I want to say like a week later, so it was really honestly no communication at all. Nowadays, when you commit to a school, after that your communication is constant. It was definitely weird not being able to talk to them, but in a way it was so nice because I did have a lot of girls going there, still connected and being able to talk to them really helped me. … Hearing what they had to say just really made me so excited to get to my junior year and start to really feel a part of the process. It was two years away at that point, so the four years of waiting [to go to UMBC], I was very eager. I was anxious and anticipating that, but I think the buildup in a way kind of helped me stay very grounded with the fact that I was going to play in college and be able to surrounded by three amazing coaches.
PB: What’s your favorite memory at UMBC so far?
KE: My favorite memory would probably be beating Temple at Temple. This was last year, so my junior year. It was just an amazing game. I think all around, I feel like we’re always the underdog in certain situations and we can be very underestimated by teams, but we have such a strong unit. Last year, that was a huge [deal] for us. We were able to work together as a team. Being able to do that there, considering the years past [how] we have played them, it was always a nailbiter. That was also a historical moment. It was our first time our UMBC women’s lacrosse program had beaten Temple at Temple, so we were just all excited. I felt like we just won a huge championship. We all rushed over to our parents. It was just an amazing feeling, and I think we were all so proud of each other. If the defense fell off for a second, the attack put us right back up there. The teamwork there, we just knew what to do without even saying anything, which I think really spoke for our dynamic.
PB: You started every single game your first three years at UMBC. How were you able to not only be ready to contribute right away but also get better throughout your time at UMBC?
KE: Being a senior now, it’s funny looking back on all those memories. I vividly remember the first game I ever started in my freshman year. We played Towson, and I just remember hearing the starting lineup, hearing that I was going to be on the circle. I was shocked, not at my talent but I felt so honored that they saw something in me and they knew I could do it. I feel like for a while it’s hard to go in because I feel like I expected nothing, but once I got it, I felt so honored to be able to play and start my freshman year. I think honestly, as cliché as it might sound, practicing so much and coming from a very competitive high school level, I think that really prepared me for the competitiveness in college. Playing on a club team, too, that was very competitive really helped me I think physically and mentally prepare, but being able to start every game, I couldn’t have done or accomplished anything without my coaches and my teammates. Not only is their talent amazing, but the character that everyone holds I think really helps build that team chemistry. Everything I’ve accomplished, I owe it all to everyone around me who has helped, especially coming into my senior year. Going out on such a high note is what we want, but I think at the end of the day, knowing that we’re all such great friends and best friends, that wouldn’t change what any outcome would mean. I’m really appreciative of the relationships that I share with everyone.
PB: Is it unusual for a defender to take as many draws as you do?
KE: Coming in my freshman year, once I was on the draw, the more we were scouting and watching other teams, I started to realize, “Wow, there are a lot of defenders who play on the circle.” But from my point of view before coming in to college, I didn’t really realize that because typically you would always just be like, “Oh, your three middies — one of them was your drawer, one was on the attacking [side] and one was on the D side.” I didn’t really understand that logic coming in, but then being put into that position, it kind of opened my eyes up to seeing how many other teams utilize that. So it’s definitely been a huge learning experience, I would say, working with someone who’s going on the attacking side but also working with you on the defensive end. It was definitely an adjustment but something that I love and I’m super grateful that I was put in that position.
PB: What’s your favorite thing about the Baltimore-Catonsville area?
KE: For me, I definitely love how it’s the center of a lot, here on campus especially. My home is in Carroll County, so it’s a good 25 minutes, 30 minutes from here, so I love that every direction kind of takes you somewhere. We can go to Columbia within 15 minutes. It’s kind of like a center stone, I feel like. My teammates and I love the food places around here. It always gives us different places to try out, and I feel like when you’re on a team, after practice or on a weekend if you all want to go to dinner somewhere, something attracts you everywhere, I would say.
PB: Who’s your best friend on the team and what’s a story that underscores your friendship?
KE: I would definitely say my roommates Kendall Hendricks, Mary Ellis, Isabella Fontana and Lauren Conduitt. They’re all in my grade. We started together. I think something that really grew us all close together, we were a COVID class coming in here. That was extremely difficult for all of us, but I think that year we learned. We saw it all with each other — the emotional side, how difficult it was to not really be able to practice with your team right away. We leaned on each other so much. Being able to see how each of us has grown over the past three years and experience the vulnerable side of everyone so early on, it was definitely something that brought us close together. Now that we’re all roommates, we still get to learn from each other. I think the bond we all share, it’s different between each of us, but I think that is what keeps it so genuine and special. We all have different ways of communicating with each other or the things we laugh about, which is really special. I would also definitely say Avery Corino. She’s a junior defender. Since she was a freshman, we’ve really clicked together. I think a huge part of it was that we were defenders and we both started our freshman year, so I was able to help guide her. Even though she’s younger than me, I feel like she’s really pushed me. She’s always someone that I can communicate with, and I think that’s a very special friendship to have, not only on the lacrosse field but off of it as well.
PB: Who’s a player you looked up to when you first got to UMBC?
KE: Before I got here, I really loved watching Payton Van Kirk and I really loved watching Jessica Loveless. One was an attacker, one was a defender. Coming in, I loved watching them and just seeing their speed of the game. Once I got here, I really looked up to Courtney Renehan. She was older than me, but she was so like soft-spoken in the most fun way. She was always someone that off the field she could always be so easy to talk to. She was very real, but she also knew when things needed to be tough and how to gets everyone’s head in the game. She was a great competitor. She was fast. She was fearless. I loved the way that she carried herself, both on and off the field. She was always someone that everyone would speak so highly of. I think when you see someone like that, it’s hard not to gravitate toward them.
PB: What advice do you have for younger players in the recruiting process?
KE: I would definitely say keep your options open. I feel like a lot of times younger girls feel like they have to play at huge schools, which is great. It’s an amazing opportunity for everyone, but I think being open to every school and not to shut yourself off, I think that’s something that I really learned throughout the process. Even having younger cousins and family members, I feel like that’s something that I always try to give my best advice. Keep your options open but trust in your hard work. Keep practicing. You’re going to make great relationships with people, so I think keeping in mind to stay in contact with all your friends through the recruiting process and once you get to college, continue to build those relationships. Never be afraid to ask questions. Just be confident in yourself and know what works for you because what works for someone else might not [work for you], and that’s totally OK so just be confident with your decision. When you know, you’ll know. There’s a place for everyone. Find your niche.
PB: What are your goals for after lacrosse?
KE: I’m a communications major, so I would definitely love to go into some sort of marketing position. I’ve had such a strong eye for event planning, so that’s something that I’ve been interested in for a while. I’ve done an internship that has aligned me and prepared me for what that environment would be like, which I really love. As much as an athlete and a sports person that I am, I can definitely see myself in a creative designing area. I’m excited for what that holds for me, so we’ll definitely see. In terms of the athletic world, I would also love to myself in some sort of coaching position if the opportunity arises. A little bit of athletics but also a creative marketing position as well, so we’ll see.
Photo Credit: Jack Miller
Issue 285: February/March 2024
Originally published Feb. 21, 2024