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Photo by: Emma C. Marion
“Playing for May”: The Dowd Era of Brown Women’s Lacrosse
4/30/2025 7:13:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
By: Linus Lawrence
In June 2023, head coach Katrina Dowd arrived in Providence with what she called "a vision of what Brown Women's Lacrosse could be."
Since then, the Bears have put up consecutive 10-win seasons — two of just five in program history. After securing the fourth seed in the 2025 Ivy League Tournament, the Bears now have a chance to compete for their first-ever spot in the NCAA Tournament.
"It's never been done here before," Dowd said. "To be the ones to lay the foundation, to believe in something that they haven't seen done yet but to trust and work and believe in themselves to do it for the first time is very special."
"Working for this the past four years, and having the ability to actually do it my senior year is just awesome," said Greta Criqui '25, who was awarded Second Team All-Ivy honors earlier this week and is one of the five captains of the Bears. "I think it's definitely a testament to all the hard work the entire team has put in this fall and spring."
The coaching staff has created a winning culture built on practicing hard and playing with passion — as well as a few key mantras.
Throughout the offseason, assistant coach Jake Versprille "kept giving a message that when you're tired, when you want to quit: We're playing for May," according to Criqui. "We're putting in the work now for May, so that when we get to May it's easy. We've worked our asses off for the ultimate goal of winning the Ivy League and then getting into the NCAA" Tournament.
"We have a lot of sayings on our team," said Riley Peterson '28. "The biggest one is 'belief.' Everyone in the Ivy League thought that Brown was the underdog, but every single time we step on that field, we can compete with anyone."
That belief was vindicated on March 22, when the team bounced back from what Criqui characterized as a "heartbreaking" Ivy Opener loss at Cornell and then defeated No. 7 Yale 14-11 in comeback fashion. The victory sparked a four-game win streak, powering the Bears into the playoffs.
"They've always been a team that we've struggled with," Peterson said. "Once we got ahead and won that game, that really set the tone (for) what this team could be."
"I think having the ability to beat Yale just really proved that we're capable of beating highly ranked teams, and that we are an NCAA contender," Criqiu said.
The Yale game also marked just Brown's second win in program history against a top-10 ranked opponent.
Milestones like that one have become commonplace in the Dowd Era of Brown Women's Lacrosse. In 2024 alone, the first-year coach's team shattered 11 program records, including most goals, assists, points, draw controls, and shots recorded in a season, as well as most assists and points tallied in a single game.
These feats were achieved in no small part to the contributions of Attacker of the Year Mia Mascone '24 and First Team All-Ivy selection Emmie Lau '24, who in their senior season set the single-season program record for goals and draw controls, respectively.
Despite the loss of Mascone — a five-time Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week and U.S. Lacrosse All-American Honorable Mention in 2024 — the Bears' offense this season ranked first in the league in points per game.
"A lot of people have stepped up this year," said Criqui, the team's leading scorer. "It's been awesome to see all seven people really be involved and be huge threats, which I think makes us harder to scout…each person has the ability to score and finish in big moments."
"It required so many people to step up," Dowd said. "I think that desire and determination that you need to have as a player will push you to become better and better, and then it makes the offense be elite and helps us be dangerous."
Mascone's historic performance last spring felt like "an inspiration for our offense this year," according to Peterson. "She helped set the tone for what this program could be."
A key ingredient to the Bears' success this season is First Team All-Ivy midfielder Annie Burton, whom Dowd calls the "quarterback of our offense." Burton finished conference play with 23 assists — tied for the most in the league.
"She honestly just never misses," Peterson said of Burton. "Her feeds are always on point, she always has her head up on the field, and is one of the most high-IQ players on our team."
Criqui and Burton's on-field relationship was developing long before they donned Brown jerseys, as the two played together at Oak Knoll High School in New Jersey.
"It's just this great connection and amazing chemistry that we utilize and get to see in our offense," Dowd said.
"I feel like it just all comes down to chemistry," Peterson said of the team's veteran offense. "Sometimes it'll take us a second to find our flow, but once we get in it, it's honestly mesmerizing to watch."
On the defensive end, goalies Claire Mahoney '26 and Anne Booth '28 have helped Brown put up the league's third-best saves percentage. Meanwhile, defender Codi Johnson '27 was named Second Team All-Ivy while one of the Bears' captains, midfielder Maddie Joyce '25 earned an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention spot.
The result is a well-rounded squad with the opportunity to go where none in program history have gone before. Just two years into Coach Dowd's tenure as head coach, her vision for Brown Women's Lacrosse is beginning to pan out.
"There's definitely been a huge switch in terms of practice, and kind of a competitiveness and culture difference," Criqui said of Dowd's arrival. "She just instilled the culture of putting everything out there each day and leaving no regrets — leaving 110% on the field — which I think has helped the team reach new levels."
"I think motivation is something all athletes look for and desire," Dowd explained. "I just hope to give them everything (so) they feel like they're ready to play, they're prepared, they're fired up, and they're willing to give anything in that Brown jersey on any given day."
A three-time NCAA champion, United Women's Lacrosse League All-Star, and U.S. gold medalist, Dowd's words of wisdom and motivational speeches carry weight with her players.
"Having the ability to learn from someone who's accomplished so much within the lacrosse world is so special," Criqui said. "Hearing her wisdom and her coaching has been a game changer for a lot of people in the program."
"I just have so much respect for her as a coach," Peterson said. "She's really helped me gain confidence when I step on the field, knowing that she has my back as my coach and she believes in me."
This Friday, the team will venture into uncharted territory with their first round playoff matchup against top-seeded Princeton on Friday at 4pm. On April 19, Brown battled the Tigers in a hard-fought 15-13 loss — enough to fuel this Bears team's belief that the next meeting can yield a different outcome.
"As a team, we left that game knowing that we definitely could have beat them," Peterson said.
"After reviewing the game and talking with Katrina and the whole team, I think everyone's really excited to get another chance to play them," Criqui echoed.
If they upset Princeton, the Bears would advance to the Ivy Championship on Sunday at noon, with a guaranteed spot in the NCAA Tournament on the line.
Since the fall, Brown has been motivated by the thought of "playing for May." Now, after yet another historic season, they will finally get the chance to play in May.
"This team wants to win," Criqui said, "and knows and believes that we can complete the goals that we've set forth."
"We've already changed the whole course of Brown Lacrosse," Peterson said. "We've made the Ivy Tournament for the first time ever, and our goal is to win the tournament and go to the NCAAs."
Dowd, reflecting on the group's efforts, said she is "incredibly proud" of both the players and staff. "We've extended our season by one week this year, and now we have an opportunity to play in a Championship tournament here — and I think that's why you play the game."
In June 2023, head coach Katrina Dowd arrived in Providence with what she called "a vision of what Brown Women's Lacrosse could be."
Since then, the Bears have put up consecutive 10-win seasons — two of just five in program history. After securing the fourth seed in the 2025 Ivy League Tournament, the Bears now have a chance to compete for their first-ever spot in the NCAA Tournament.
"It's never been done here before," Dowd said. "To be the ones to lay the foundation, to believe in something that they haven't seen done yet but to trust and work and believe in themselves to do it for the first time is very special."
"Working for this the past four years, and having the ability to actually do it my senior year is just awesome," said Greta Criqui '25, who was awarded Second Team All-Ivy honors earlier this week and is one of the five captains of the Bears. "I think it's definitely a testament to all the hard work the entire team has put in this fall and spring."
The coaching staff has created a winning culture built on practicing hard and playing with passion — as well as a few key mantras.
Throughout the offseason, assistant coach Jake Versprille "kept giving a message that when you're tired, when you want to quit: We're playing for May," according to Criqui. "We're putting in the work now for May, so that when we get to May it's easy. We've worked our asses off for the ultimate goal of winning the Ivy League and then getting into the NCAA" Tournament.
"We have a lot of sayings on our team," said Riley Peterson '28. "The biggest one is 'belief.' Everyone in the Ivy League thought that Brown was the underdog, but every single time we step on that field, we can compete with anyone."
That belief was vindicated on March 22, when the team bounced back from what Criqui characterized as a "heartbreaking" Ivy Opener loss at Cornell and then defeated No. 7 Yale 14-11 in comeback fashion. The victory sparked a four-game win streak, powering the Bears into the playoffs.
"They've always been a team that we've struggled with," Peterson said. "Once we got ahead and won that game, that really set the tone (for) what this team could be."
"I think having the ability to beat Yale just really proved that we're capable of beating highly ranked teams, and that we are an NCAA contender," Criqiu said.
The Yale game also marked just Brown's second win in program history against a top-10 ranked opponent.
Milestones like that one have become commonplace in the Dowd Era of Brown Women's Lacrosse. In 2024 alone, the first-year coach's team shattered 11 program records, including most goals, assists, points, draw controls, and shots recorded in a season, as well as most assists and points tallied in a single game.
These feats were achieved in no small part to the contributions of Attacker of the Year Mia Mascone '24 and First Team All-Ivy selection Emmie Lau '24, who in their senior season set the single-season program record for goals and draw controls, respectively.
Despite the loss of Mascone — a five-time Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week and U.S. Lacrosse All-American Honorable Mention in 2024 — the Bears' offense this season ranked first in the league in points per game.
"A lot of people have stepped up this year," said Criqui, the team's leading scorer. "It's been awesome to see all seven people really be involved and be huge threats, which I think makes us harder to scout…each person has the ability to score and finish in big moments."
"It required so many people to step up," Dowd said. "I think that desire and determination that you need to have as a player will push you to become better and better, and then it makes the offense be elite and helps us be dangerous."
Mascone's historic performance last spring felt like "an inspiration for our offense this year," according to Peterson. "She helped set the tone for what this program could be."
A key ingredient to the Bears' success this season is First Team All-Ivy midfielder Annie Burton, whom Dowd calls the "quarterback of our offense." Burton finished conference play with 23 assists — tied for the most in the league.
"She honestly just never misses," Peterson said of Burton. "Her feeds are always on point, she always has her head up on the field, and is one of the most high-IQ players on our team."
Criqui and Burton's on-field relationship was developing long before they donned Brown jerseys, as the two played together at Oak Knoll High School in New Jersey.
"It's just this great connection and amazing chemistry that we utilize and get to see in our offense," Dowd said.
"I feel like it just all comes down to chemistry," Peterson said of the team's veteran offense. "Sometimes it'll take us a second to find our flow, but once we get in it, it's honestly mesmerizing to watch."
On the defensive end, goalies Claire Mahoney '26 and Anne Booth '28 have helped Brown put up the league's third-best saves percentage. Meanwhile, defender Codi Johnson '27 was named Second Team All-Ivy while one of the Bears' captains, midfielder Maddie Joyce '25 earned an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention spot.
The result is a well-rounded squad with the opportunity to go where none in program history have gone before. Just two years into Coach Dowd's tenure as head coach, her vision for Brown Women's Lacrosse is beginning to pan out.
"There's definitely been a huge switch in terms of practice, and kind of a competitiveness and culture difference," Criqui said of Dowd's arrival. "She just instilled the culture of putting everything out there each day and leaving no regrets — leaving 110% on the field — which I think has helped the team reach new levels."
"I think motivation is something all athletes look for and desire," Dowd explained. "I just hope to give them everything (so) they feel like they're ready to play, they're prepared, they're fired up, and they're willing to give anything in that Brown jersey on any given day."
A three-time NCAA champion, United Women's Lacrosse League All-Star, and U.S. gold medalist, Dowd's words of wisdom and motivational speeches carry weight with her players.
"Having the ability to learn from someone who's accomplished so much within the lacrosse world is so special," Criqui said. "Hearing her wisdom and her coaching has been a game changer for a lot of people in the program."
"I just have so much respect for her as a coach," Peterson said. "She's really helped me gain confidence when I step on the field, knowing that she has my back as my coach and she believes in me."
This Friday, the team will venture into uncharted territory with their first round playoff matchup against top-seeded Princeton on Friday at 4pm. On April 19, Brown battled the Tigers in a hard-fought 15-13 loss — enough to fuel this Bears team's belief that the next meeting can yield a different outcome.
"As a team, we left that game knowing that we definitely could have beat them," Peterson said.
"After reviewing the game and talking with Katrina and the whole team, I think everyone's really excited to get another chance to play them," Criqui echoed.
If they upset Princeton, the Bears would advance to the Ivy Championship on Sunday at noon, with a guaranteed spot in the NCAA Tournament on the line.
Since the fall, Brown has been motivated by the thought of "playing for May." Now, after yet another historic season, they will finally get the chance to play in May.
"This team wants to win," Criqui said, "and knows and believes that we can complete the goals that we've set forth."
"We've already changed the whole course of Brown Lacrosse," Peterson said. "We've made the Ivy Tournament for the first time ever, and our goal is to win the tournament and go to the NCAAs."
Dowd, reflecting on the group's efforts, said she is "incredibly proud" of both the players and staff. "We've extended our season by one week this year, and now we have an opportunity to play in a Championship tournament here — and I think that's why you play the game."
Players Mentioned
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