Marquette, MI – May 16th, 2026 – When Northern Michigan University launched its women’s lacrosse program during the 2015-16 season, the university handed the responsibility of building the program from the ground up to Emilia Ward. Tasked with creating a brand-new program, Ward laid the foundation for what would eventually become one of the premier women’s lacrosse programs in the GLIAC.
The Wildcats officially took the field for the first time on February 18, 2017, immediately making a statement with a dominant 18-1 victory in the program’s inaugural game. It marked the beginning of a new era for Northern Michigan athletics and the first chapter in the rapid rise of Wildcats lacrosse.
Before arriving in Marquette, Ward was a four-year letter winner at Manhattan College, where she graduated in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. She later brought that experience to Northern Michigan, guiding the Wildcats through the difficult early stages of building a startup program while steadily turning the team into a competitive force within the GLIAC.
Under Ward’s leadership, the Wildcats improved each season, eventually reaching a GLIAC Championship appearance during her final year with the program. Following Ward’s departure, Northern Michigan once again searched for a leader to continue building the growing program and ultimately turned to Lindsey Majkrzak, formerly Lindsey LeMay. Before entering coaching, Majkrzak was a Division I lacrosse player at the University of Oregon. She later married former Northern Michigan men’s basketball coach Matt Majkrzak in 2022 after he proposed to her at midfield inside the Superior Dome.
Majkrzak’s first season in 2020 was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting the opportunity to fully establish momentum. However, the Wildcats quickly began taking major strides once competition returned. In 2021, Northern Michigan posted a then-program best 6-8 overall record, showing clear signs of progress.
That success continued in 2022 as the Wildcats finished 9-8 overall while six student-athletes earned All-GLIAC honors, another milestone for the developing program.
The breakthrough season came in 2023 when Northern Michigan reached double-digit victories for the first time in program history. The Wildcats finished 11-7 overall and placed second in the GLIAC standings. Majkrzak was named GLIAC Coach of the Year after guiding Northern Michigan to a program-record 11 wins, the program’s first-ever GLIAC Tournament victory, and another appearance in the GLIAC Championship game.
The Wildcats elevated the program even further in 2024. Northern Michigan finished 14-5 overall, setting a new school record for victories in a single season while reaching a second consecutive GLIAC Championship appearance. Josie Lakosky earned GLIAC Freshman of the Year honors, while eight Wildcats received All-GLIAC recognition and three were named to the All-GLIAC Tournament Team.
The success continued again in 2025 as Northern Michigan cemented itself as one of the top lacrosse programs in the conference. The Wildcats finished 11-8 overall with a third consecutive second-place GLIAC finish. Lakosky added to her growing list of accomplishments by earning GLIAC Attacker of the Year honors and IWLCA All-Region Second Team recognition, while six Wildcats earned All-Conference honors and three were once again selected to the All-GLIAC Tournament Team.
Majkrzak’s final season with the Wildcats in 2026 provided another memorable chapter. Northern Michigan posted a strong 13-6 overall record and finished 6-2 in conference play before falling to Grand Valley State University (12-9) in the GLIAC Championship game. The season ultimately marked the end of Majkrzak’s time leading the Wildcats, as she announced she would follow her husband, Matt, to Northern Illinois University after he accepted the position as the school’s men’s basketball head coach.
In her farewell letter to the university and community, Majkrzak reflected on the people who helped shape the program throughout her tenure.
“To my husband, with whom I got to build a program in tandem. To the best staff a coach could ask for. To the admin who supported my athletes on the front lines and behind the scenes. To the folks who hung the nets and lined the fields and did the little things to make my team feel important. To the top media crew in the country. To the people across campus who helped me create unique opportunities that could only happen here, and who made my athletes succeed beyond the field.”
She also thanked the Marquette community for embracing the program from the very beginning.
“Your curiosity for this unfamiliar sport has been a gift. The way people care about Northern Michigan University athletics and support athletes in this town is a wonder to experience. You’ve made a team of athletes and coaches, all from far, far away, feel at home.”
Click this link to read Majkrzak’s full farewell letter.
From Emilia Ward building the foundation, to Lindsey Majkrzak transforming the Wildcats into perennial GLIAC contenders, Northern Michigan women’s lacrosse has experienced remarkable growth in less than a decade. What began as a brand-new program in 2017, has quickly evolved into one of the conference’s premier teams built on strong leadership, player development, and consistent success.
As the Wildcats prepare to enter yet another new era, the standard has clearly been established. Northern Michigan women’s lacrosse is no longer simply a young program finding its footing, it has become a program expected to compete for championships year after year. Full coverage of Northern Michigan’s next head coaching hire will follow as the university begins its search for the next leader of Wildcat lacrosse.
