Cook sisters, Josie and Zoe, enjoying life on and off field at Stevens
Josie and Zoe Cook are all-conference lacrosse players, NCAA-bound conference champions, students, teammates, roommates, sisters and, most of all, best friends.
The two have navigated the ups and downs of the pandemic, transferring schools and have come through it all stronger, closer and so very happy at Stevens Institute of Technology.
By winning the MAC Freedom Conference championship, the Ducks earned a berth in the Division III NCAA Tournament and face SUNY Canton on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Hoboken.
Josie, a Hun grad, and Zoe, a Princeton Day grad, began their college careers at William Smith before moving closer to home at Stevens.
“There are such amazing student athletes here and we hold ourselves to a higher standard,” said Josie, of Stevens. “Transferring wasn’t an easy process and it has taught me what it’s like to be a good teammate and a good person overall.”
Zoe believes the culture and atmosphere around the team made them both feel welcome right from the start.
“The culture of this team is so incredible and they welcome everyone,” said Zoe.
Zoe, an attack player, is second on the team with 57 goals, while Josie, a defender, has scooped up 25 ground balls and is second on the team in caused turnovers with 20.
Zoe was an All-MAC Freedom Conference First Team selection and Josie a Second Team selection.
“It meant a lot to me as a team we have been working so hard for so long that anyone’s recognition or accolade is really the whole teams to share,” said Zoe. “I’m happy to be honored like that but I’m so proud of the team and the effort we have put in all year.”
Josie believes it has been those days of practice against the tough Stevens offense that made it all possible.
“I’m extremely honored and the biggest part for me was that our offense made me the player that I am,” said Josie. “I’m grateful for the team environment we have and if it wasn’t for them pushing me I wouldn’t be the player I am. Proud of the team in general.”
The Ducks travelled to No. 1 seed FDUFlorham, who had beaten them 23-13 in the regular season, for the conference title and came away with an 11-10 victory. Zoe had three caused turnovers in the game and Josie had two, but it was another Hun product, goalie Lauren Cunniff, coming to the rescue with nine saves, including four on free position shots.
Cunniff was the tournament Most Valuable Player.
The Ducks are coached by Karen Shaddock and Meg Clements, the former Hopewell Valley great, is the associate head coach.
“She is always one step ahead of us and such a breath of fresh air to play with her,” said Josie, of Cunniff. “She makes it so easy and she is the best. I knew she had that eight meter with 30 seconds left I knew she had it and she came up huge.”
A year ago, Stevens lost to FDU-Florham, 15-14, in the title game.
“This is the best feeling I have ever felt in my career so far,” said Zoe of winning the championship. “This is something we have been talking about since we played FDU last year and finally being able to overcome that, it has been something we have been working towards to so long and it all paid off and it took every single one of us.. Winning was the best feeling ever.”
It’s been a pretty good feeling having your sister by your side, too.
“We have been lucky growing up together that we have literally played lacrosse together every year,” said Josie. “Zoe has made me a better defender and we are really competitive with one another. It has been a great experience and we are really lucky and I’m really grateful to have her here. Zoe has been a role model for me just by the way she carries herself on and off the field, going through the transfer process together during Covid was not an easy process. Our parents (Jack and Liz) have a huge support system for me and Zoe.”
Both Josie and Zoe played for their mother, Liz, when she was coaching at
Hun.
Playing different positions on the field has allowed them to work out together and each has learned to lean on the other, on and off the field.
“Play different positions has been able to translate to our training in the off season as we work out together,” said Zoe. “It’s always nice to have that friendly face come up to you when you score a goal or when she makes a big stop, it’s so great to celebrate with her.”
Being a defender, Josie doesn’t get to celebrate too many goals, but this season she converted a free position shot for her first collegiate goal against Lycoming.
“I’m only 99 away now from my 100th,”
joked Josie.
“I saw her get hit and when they put her on the line I knew she was going to make it,” said Zoe of Josie’s free position shot. “The energy was so great when it went in and she was able to drop her stick for the first time and it was so cool.”
It has been even cooler to have each other.
“Our whole team is so supportive of everything and we are at such a rigorous academic school that a lot of times we do find ourselves stressed,” said Zoe. “It’s comforting to come back at the end of the day and have my sister right there, because we know what each other are going through.”