PressBox recently chatted with Mount St. Mary’s women’s lacrosse graduate student Mackenzi Furlong about suffering two ACL tears in college before ever playing a game, the rehab process and more. The 5-foot-4 attacker scored 46 goals, dished out 19 assists and picked up 20 ground balls in 2024. Furlong is a native of Denville, N.J., and graduate of Morris Knolls High School.
PressBox: How did you first become interested in lacrosse?
Mackenzi Furlong: I first started playing lacrosse when I was very, very young. Both of my parents were college athletes. My dad, [Niles], actually played lacrosse at Montclair State, so he had a stick in my and all my siblings’ hands from a young age.
PB: Who was the biggest influence on your game growing up?
MF: I would have to also give that to my dad. He coached all of us as well. He was always there making us watch film, bringing us out onto the field after practice. He was really pushing us to be the best we could be.
PB: Why did you choose to go to the Mount?
MF: I would say a major influence on my decision to come to the Mount was [head coach Lauren Skellchock]. I could just tell from the first phone call we had that she was a great coach. She really cares about her players. She wants the best for us on and off the field. It really pushed my decision to come here.
PB: You tore the ACL in your left knee twice before ever playing a game at the Mount. How did that impact you?
MF: It happened during practice [in 2021], just kind of a freak injury. My second one, I just pushed myself too far in recovery, just kind of a freak thing. I’m not grateful it happened, but I definitely was able to develop more as a player, sit back, take that learning role. I think it’s made me the player I am today. It made me a smarter player.
PB: After tearing your ACL a second time, did you think about moving on from the sport?
MF: I really did love lacrosse. It was definitely hard. There were moments where during recovery, especially in those first months of recovery, it’s repetitive things. You look at yourself [as being] once this great athlete who could do anything [who is now doing] basic movements just to get function in your leg back, that’s definitely hard. I’d say that recovery process is tough, but … I knew that I would always get back out on that field.
PB: What did you do differently in the second rehab process?
MF: I guess just listen all the way to my doctors, not push myself. It’s kind of hard because the doctors say even if you’re feeling great, that graft in your knee still has time. It needs to recover. You feel like you can do more sometimes than you can, so it’s really just about taking care of your body and listening to your body fully.
PB: What allowed you to score 46 goals in 2024?
MF: I think last year was the first year I started to really feel comfortable after my injuries. We had a great team as well. We really did. We pushed each other [in] practices. Coach Lo really just pushed us to be the best we could be. I think last year was the first year after injury where I started to feel like I could do this.
PB: What is your favorite memory at the Mount so far?
MF: We won an NEC championship my freshman year and sophomore year. Even though I wasn’t on the field [for] those championship teams, it makes me want to win a championship with this group even more.
PB: What’s your favorite thing about Emmitsburg?
MF: I would say my favorite thing about Emmitsburg is that it is a small community, so everyone is very close. Everyone takes care of each other. I’d say my team is like my family. Other sports teams here are very close. We all take care of each other.
PB: Who’s your best friend on the team and what’s a story that underscores your friendship?
MF: I’d say my best friend on the team is my fellow fifth year, Anna McQuay. We’ve been roommates since freshman year. She also went through a hard time. She tore her Achilles twice. She’s here with me as a fifth year. We’re still roommates to this day. We swapped injury timelines, so I don’t think we actually played a game on the field together until last year, which was kind of funny for our senior year. She’s a great person. She’s a great teammate. It’s been really fun playing with her.
PB: Who was a player you first looked up to at the Mount?
MF: I wouldn’t even say there’s one player. We had a strong group my freshman year, players like Beanie Colson, Alayna Pagnotta — offensive power players. That whole group was great.
PB: What advice do you have for younger players going through the recruiting process?
MF: I would say keep your options open. Find a school that really speaks to you. Everyone thinks Sept. 1 [of your junior year] you’re going to get a rush of calls and it doesn’t always happen that way. Reach out to coaches, put yourself out there and find a school that really speaks to you.
PB: What are your goals for after lacrosse?
MF: I would like to stay involved with the sport as much as I can or even just sports in general. I got my degree in sports management. I’m currently getting master’s in business administration right now, so I would like to have a sports-involved career, whether that be coaching or working for an organization.
Photo Credit: Tyler Kraft
Issue 291: February / March 2025
Originally published Feb. 19, 2025