As the goalkeeper for the Wheaton field hockey team, Emma Lapreziosa ‘24, is the last line of defense for the Lyons. This may seem daunting to some, but she makes it look effortless. Even with a pandemic-filled freshman season, Lapreziosa showed out during her sophomore season and quickly became one of the conference’s best goalies. Lapreziosa finished the season as first-team all-conference, which is a huge accomplishment in her sophomore year, as the sky’s the limit for the years to come. This season she had the 4th best save percentage in the conference at .750, allowing the 4th fewest goals against at only 34 goals and a goals-against-average of 1.88 per game which is also 4th in the NEWMAC (New England Men’s and Women’s Athletic Conference). Emma made over 100 saves during the season and had three total shutout wins which included a phenomenal eight save shutout against the Engineers of Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Senior Day.
Beyond the field, Lapreziosa is a biology major with a minor in mathematics and animal behavior and hails from Bowdoinham, Maine. Her amazing performance on and off the field was recognized as she was named to the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference Team in 2021.
Before she came to Wheaton in 2020, Lapreziosa started playing field hockey in 7th grade when she was just 12 years old. Playing goalkeeper for her middle school and high school team at Mt. Ararat Middle School and High School. She also played for Maine Elite, one of the best club teams in Maine during her time in high school. Lapreziosa’s road to becoming a goalie is quite interesting. She volunteered to be goalie without knowing what field hockey was in 7th grade, and she never looked back, playing only goalkeeper from then on out. Lapreziosa’s hero is her mom, as she has been to almost all of her field hockey games since she started playing. Her mother is a supportive, and strong woman that she looks up to every day.
One of the most important things about her is that she loves her teammates and when asked three things she loves about team sports Lapreziosa said, “My teammates, the atmosphere, and the goals we create make playing on a team such an unforgettable experience.” The lifelong bonds between her and the players she plays with are something that matters to her, and having people to lean on during a game and in life were some things she highlighted as well.
The sophomore keeper can’t wait for next season, and thanks her coaches and teammates for a season she will forever remember in 2021. When asked how this season impacted her, Lapreziosa stated, “My skills as a goalie definitely improved, and I began finding my voice on the team”. Lapreziosa learned life lessons while playing this season including how to be a vocal and thoughtful person. Some of her favorite memories this season were playing well in the home game against Salve Regina and “stacking” against nationally-ranked Babson later on in the season.
From listening to pump-up music to eating M&M’s, Lapreziosa is a force to be reckoned with in life and on the field. It is obvious she is bound for success in the future. Her goal next year is to continue to get better and help the team in as many ways as she can. Nothing is stopping Lapreziosa from continuing to be the best field hockey goalie in the NEWMAC next season. Optimism, confidence, personality, and doing it all with a smile on her face, is what Emma Laprezioza is all about.