This season for Michigan women's lacrosse is shaping up to be the best in program history. Seven players earned all-conference honors, that's the most ever, and includes junior Jill Smith. She's from Farmington Hills. Believe it or not, she's the only Michigan native on the Wolverines' roster.
Despite being a two-time All-American in high school at Mercy, she was barely recruited for college lacrosse. She only had three official visits to college campuses, including Marquette, Ohio State, and Michigan. She calls Michigan the best university on earth and says she wouldn't change a thing about representing her home state with the Wolverines.
From barely playing her freshman year to leading the team in goals by her junior year, the record-breaking continues for Smith. In high school she set 37 high school records in the state of Michigan. At the University of Michigan, she set the program's all-time goal scoring record, still with a season to go.
Hannah Nielsen, one of the most decorated women's lacrosse players of all time, says they saw a fire in Smith that they thought would transfer to the collegiate level. Now, three years after taking somewhat of a chance on an underrated powerhouse in Smith, she says she hit the jackpot.
The Wolverines are ranked fifth in the country and wait to see what their postseason could like on Selection Sunday. Should they earn themselves a bid in that national tournament, it would be their fourth visit to the NCAA postseason.
