BILLINGS — As lacrosse has grown in Montana over the past handful of years, so has the talent in our state.
In fact, three local high schoolers who play with the Rimrock Lacrosse Club will head to Cary, North Carolina, this weekend to represent Montana at a national tournament.
“I really am excited to get more exposure to college coaches because there are a lot there and it's a great recruiting opportunity," Billings Central's Kaitlyn Foster said. "I'm also excited to try out for the Team USA U16 team. It's one of three tryouts, so it's going to be a super cool opportunity."
“I'm really excited to work with a lot of different people. Our area is kind of small," said Billings West's Jordyn Nielsen. "We have only six or seven teams that we really go against, so I'm really excited to experience a different level of play and work with different people because it will give me an idea of what lacrosse is like all around the country."
Along with playing some of the best players in the country in front of potential future coaches, the girls will soak in a national championship atmosphere at WakeMed Soccer Park.
“The women's Division I Final Four is out there, so we'll go watch the Final Four and the championship. Last year that was really cool, so I'm really looking forward to that this year," said Abby Hubbard, also of West. "It's mostly a lacrosse trip. We go out and play Memorial Day weekend and then watch the higher-level girls play."
For Nielsen, this moment seemed so far in the distance after suffering an injury that has kept her on the sidelines for months.
“During last season me and this girl ran into each other and I injured both my shoulders. I hadn't been cleared for months. I didn't get to play in the fall season," Nielsen said. "My summer season was cut short. A whole bunch of things like that. I had to do hours and hours of physical therapy and the first time I'm coming back is this season."
This trio of ladies will be making Montana proud from thousands of miles away.
