It seemed strange when Cincinnati Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah took to Twitter to show support for Navy women’s lacrosse.
Things got even stranger when New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry did the same, stating that “it blows me away these young women are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect ours!!”
When New Orleans defensive end Marcus Davenport followed with a similar tweet basically saying he was looking ahead to the Navy women’s lacrosse season opener, a lot of people started scratching their heads and saying: I wonder what is going on here.”
There was a simple explanation. Leelee Denton, a sophomore midfielder for the Midshipmen, is the daughter of a high-powered sports agent. Nashville-based Jim Denton of the Creative Artists Agency represents numerous NFL players, including the three that posted to Twitter expressing admiration of Navy women’s lacrosse.
“We were thrilled to see those posts. It’s great to have our sport recognized by professional athletes,” Navy head coach Cindy Timchal said.
Senior midfielder Gil Eby was the first Navy player to spot the Twitter posts and quickly alerted her teammates. Senior co-captain Reagan Roelofs thought her classmate was pulling a prank as she has in the past.
“Then I actually saw the tweets and it was unreal,” said Roelofs, who religiously watches the NFL. “Seeing those big names give us a shout out was crazy and really cool.”
Navy women’s lacrosse opens the 2022 season Friday at 3 p.m. in Annapolis against California-Berkeley and Timchal thinks the team has a responsibility to show strong for its new-found, high-profile supporters.
“When NFL players take notice of Navy women’s lacrosse, we better get a hop in our step and be prepared to play from the get-go,” said Timchal, who is entering her 15th season at the helm.
Timchal expects the Midshipmen to get a stiff test in the season opener at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Cal, under the direction of eighth-year coach Brooke Eubanks, is a member of the Pac-12 Conference that has quickly emerged as one of the nation’s strongest.
Cal increased its win total for five straight seasons until being shut down in 2020 by the developing pandemic. The Golden Bears were in rebuilding mode last season and finished 2-16 overall, 0-10 in the Pac-12.
Meanwhile, Navy is coming off an 8-4 campaign that ended with a disappointing 13-12 overtime loss at Lehigh in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals. It was a frustrating season for the Midshipmen, who were shut down for a month due to a COVID outbreak on the academy campus and had two conference contests canceled.
Timchal anticipates no interruptions in 2022 as the Navy women’s lacrosse players, like all athletes at the academy, are fully vaccinated and boosted.
“We’re really excited to have a normal schedule and normal season,” said Roelofs, who shares captain duties with senior defender Christine Fiore. “The senior class is the only one [in the program] that has not been impacted by COVID.”
Indeed, the seniors were freshmen in 2019 before coronavirus existed. Navy only played six games in 2020 before the NCAA canceled spring sports and 2021 brought more challenges.
“COVID caused a lot of people to have to reset. We’ve focused on resetting the team culture,” Roelofs said of the offseason emphasis for the captains. “Christine and I have focused really hard on effort and teamwork.”
Roelofs, Eby and Fiore are all preseason All-Patriot League picks and lead a team that features 22 returning letter winners, including eight starters. However, it is also a relatively young and inexperienced squad with a total of 25 sophomores and freshmen as opposed to 18 seniors and juniors.
“We’re going to be on the young side and will have to grow as the season goes along,” Timchal admitted. “Our amazing senior class, headed by Reagan and Christine, are bringing about a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and desire to be the best we can be.”
Navy graduated several key players, including leading scorer Nicole Victory and top defender Caroline Kwon.
Roelofs is the focal point on offense after ranking second on the squad with 31 points (19 goals, 12 assists) and earning second team All-Patriot League honors a year ago. The powerfully built Minnesota native is also one of the nation’s top draw specialists and enters her final season ranked fourth in program history with 267 career controls.
“Reagan has been a tremendous asset to our program and is a dominant force on the draws,” Timchal said. “Regan has improved tremendously on the offensive end, and we expecting her to be a true impact player.”
Eby is a three-year starter who was named first team All-Patriot League last season after scoring 21 goals, third-most on the team. The Notre Dame Prep product has played in 39 career games with 37 starts and amassed 50 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers. The Towson resident took on more of an offensive role in 2021 after primarily playing defense as a sophomore and freshman.
“Gil is an amazing athlete who gees hard all the time and really gets the job done up and down field,” Timchal said.
Fiore, who was also picked first team all-conference last season, will assume the leadership role on defense in the absence of Kwon. She had a strong junior campaign with 26 ground balls and team-high 16 caused turnovers.
“Christine is a very reliable, active defender and a great communicator,” Timchal said. “She will step up as the leader on the defensive end.”
Roelofs will be surrounded by unproven performers on attack with senior Bobbie Haney and freshman Lola Leone slated to start the opener. Haney, a Glenelg Country graduate, has only appeared in one game during her career. Leone is a highly touted recruit out of Bay Shore High on Long Island.
Another option on attack is sophomore Lindsay Beardmore, a Spalding product who produced 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in just five games last season. Beardmore was pressed into action after senior Ellie Lecker suffered a season-ending injury.
Eby will be joined in the midfield by senior Kasey Dietzel, junior Athena Corroon, sophomore Isabelle Thornburg and freshman Emily Messinese. Thornburg started eight games and scored seven goals as a plebe, while Corroon made 10 starts and totaled four points. Dietzel will play a defensive midfield role.
Messinese, out of Gerstell Academy in Finksburg, was an Under Armour All-American and rated the No. 22 overall recruit in the Class of 2021 by Inside Lacrosse. In addition to Leone and Messinese, Timchal expects midfielders Tori DiCarlo and Megan Marengo to contribute as plebes.
“We have some very talented newcomers that are exciting and will make an impact on our program,” she said.
Fiore will be joined on defense by seniors Alexis Bell and Grace Loughery along with junior Erin Carson. Sophomore Jo Torres is back between the pipes after starting six of 12 games and recording a team-high 65 saves last season.
Loyola Maryland is an overwhelming favorite to repeat as Patriot League champion, receiving the maximum of 18 first-place votes in the preseason poll of coaches and sports information representatives. The Greyhounds, who are loaded with fifth-year seniors and graduate students, swept the individual preseason honors.
“Loyola is going to be tough to beat. They are really, really loaded with talent and tons of experience,” Timchal acknowledged.
CALIFORNIA@NAVY
Friday, 3 p.m.
Stream: ESPN+
