Swanson starred for Lincoln
Lions senior led team to Division II championship
LINCOLN — Senior defender Drew Swanson was many things to the Lincoln field hockey team.
The affable Lion was the team’s emotional leader, comedian, DJ and – most importantly – she was Lincoln’s best player during its run to the Division II championship last month.
For everything she did to deliver the Lions their first title of any kind in nearly two decades, Swanson is the 2020 Call/Times Field Hockey MVP.
“Drew has left an indelible mark on everybody with the enthusiasm and spirit she brings to practice and to games every day,” Lincoln coach Lea Miguel said. “I’ll be quite honest, I didn’t see this type of season coming from Drew a few years ago because she didn’t have the
maturity level she has now. I think a big reason for what she did this year was the perspective that not every athlete had a chance to play this year and she was grateful to be on the field with her friends.”
Swanson was the linchpin to Lincoln’s defensive success during the regular season, but when the stakes increased in the middle of November, Swanson improved her play to send the Lions to the championship game. In the D-II semifinals, the No. 2 Lions and No. 3 Broncos found themselves in a scoreless game thanks to the goaltending of Burrillville keeper Allie Stockwell.
It was going to take something special to beat the junior and Swanson delivered something special in the second half when she initiated a penalty corner, attacked the cage and scored on a rebound to send the Lions to the final.
“We have a few girls who are good at inserting the ball on a penalty corner, but Drew is the only one who’s not afraid to go to the goal and accept contact,” Miguel said. “I think being a lacrosse goals makes her have no fear about doing what it takes to win. She’s just incredibly intense.”
A penalty corner also proved to be the difference in the D-II final days later against No. 1 South Kingstown. In the first overtime period the Rebels earned a penalty corner. Because each team only had seven players on the field, the Lions were only allowed to have three defenders on the line along with goalie Mary Kelley.
After two violations, it was just Swanson and the freshman goalie defending with the game on the line. Swanson knew Kelley was nervous, so she added some levity to the most pressure-packed moment of the season.
“I put my arm around her and said ‘They better get a picture of us right now because this is pretty cool,’” Swanson said. “I was like, ‘Mary it’s just me and you right now and it takes two to tango.’ I told her ‘I’m not leav
ing you. I’m not leaving you.’ I hesitated a tiny bit [after the first hit] and chased when I had the opportunity.”
Swanson foiled the penalty corner and in the second overtime she became a Division II champion when junior Grace Miguel directed a shot into the Rebel net.
After the victory Swanson simply yelled ‘I’m going to college,’ because she had been accepted to Curry College earlier in the week.
What made the Division II title victory so sweet for Swanson and the rest of the team’s seniors was where they started as freshmen. In 2017, Lincoln was a Division I team that not only struggled to win a game, but struggled to generate offensive
chances. Lincoln didn’t score a single goal in 2017, but Swanson made her presence felt off the field.
Before one game the Lions needed someone to make a playlist to pump up the team and Swanson stepped up. Her teammates loved her eclectic mix of songs from the 90s to current hits so much that Swanson became the team’s DJ the following season.
“Everyone just loved the songs I played and they really hyped up the team,” Swanson said. “The reason I do that is because I believe the pregame is just as important as the actual game and the music that hypes us up is important. You have to have some Iron Maiden and Kiss in there, but
you also need some Calvin Harris and maybe some M.C. Hammer.”
Swanson, who said she’s already started crafting a playlist for her wedding, started to make her mark on the field during her sophomore season when the squad advanced all the way to the Division II semifinals. The Lions reached the semifinals again last season, but Swanson didn’t receive any postseason recognition.
Miguel said Swanson became a complete defender this season. The footbwork that makes her an effective basketball player aided her in becoming a lockdown defender and her improved stick skills helped the Lions become a potent transition squad.
“There was tremendous improve
ment from last season to this season in the consistency of her defense,” Miguel said. “She really perfected her reverse sweep to outlet the ball on the left side effectively. She improved her one-on-one defensive skills and she was textbook in her approach. She has great engaging steps because if your feet aren’t moving, you’ll commit violations.”
Swanson, who wants to become an elementary school teacher, will be missed at Ferguson Field next season in so many ways. The Lions will need to find a new lock-down defender, a new DJ and a new team leader.