EASTON, Mass. – The 2025-2026 Senior Reflections is a series of annual collections. Senior representatives of teams at Stonehill have been invited to contribute and reflect on their personal experiences over their four-year careers at Stonehill - both on and off the playing surface. 

Natalie Coutu, Lacrosse
 
Why Stonehill?
When I was a freshman, I entered the transfer portal after my first semester at the University of Oregon. I felt completely lost and like college wasn't for me, and I couldn't see myself ever picking up a stick again. When I toured Stonehill, I met with a few of the players and I could see how much they loved the school and program, and how comfortable and at home they felt. I saw a glimpse of the community that I had the opportunity to be a part of, and I knew I was at home.
 
My father and brother both attended Stonehill College, my dad graduating in 1995 and my brother in 2024. My first semester on campus my brother was abroad, so I had the freedom to create a place for myself on my own, but my sophomore year, his senior year, I had the privilege of going to school with him and that made Stonehill feel even more like home. Stonehill was one of the first college campuses that I stepped foot on when I was a sophomore in high school, during my brothers recruiting process, and I found myself comparing every other school to Stonehill.
 
I love being able to walk around campus and know people, feeling comfortable and safe with my surroundings. At the same time, I still meet new people every day, and have made lifelong, genuine friendships with amazing people.
 
How has Stonehill shaped you as a person?
When I first stepped foot onto campus as a second-semester transfer my freshman year, I felt very unsure and lost, but also hopeful. I told myself that I would give lacrosse and college sports one more shot, having lost all love for the game previously. Stonehill was a fresh start, a new experience for me to continue to grow into myself as not only an athlete, but a full person and professional. I still remember my first few weeks at Stonehill being both insanely stressful and insanely rewarding, as I started to meet genuine friends, teammates, and classmates who wanted what was best for me in this new experience.
 
Now, as a second semester senior, I look back on my time at Stonehill with so much love in my heart. I wouldn't trade a single day or experience, and I'm truly so grateful for the transfer portal and ability to make change. My teammates and I still forget every day that I wasn't here fall freshman year, and I think that is a huge testament to the kind of connection that I was able
to make with my friends.
 
I was able to fall back into love with my sport, enjoying practice and looking forward to playing with my best friends, no longer feeling fear or dread over the thought of lacrosse. I was surrounded by love, and continuing to grow within myself, setting myself up for the best position mentally on and off the field.
 
Best Moments
My best moment athletically have been the two Morgan's Message games that I was able to help put on during my sophomore and junior years. Morgan's Message is a nonprofit organization that focuses on ending the stigma around mental health in student athletes, and advocates for equal treatment for mental and physical health. This organization has become a huge part of my life through college, reminding me that there is hope in even the darkest places. Seeing my team commit to the message of this program, wearing our shirts for warmups and around campus, brought me so much hope for the future of mental health treatment. Being a student athlete is not an easy feat, and being able to come together and support each other has never been more important.
 
Academically, my best moment has been my ability to serve as the Programming Chair for the Student Alumni Association. Through this rule, I work with the club to put on panel events where alumni can come back to campus and speak with students about life after college, jobs and careers, and give general advice about the future that can seem scary and unknown. Being able to make these connections between students and alumnus's, not just for myself, but also for my fellow peers
 
Lessons Learned
One of the biggest things that I can take with me after Stonehill is resiliency. I was at a point of giving up on lacrosse and college my first semester Freshman year, and I'm so glad that I never gave in to this feeling.
 
I think if there's one big takeaway that I want to express about my experience at Stonehill is that it gets better. On different panels when asked for my singular piece of advice, that's what I always say. There's a place for everyone, and you will love a school and program so much that you want to be a part of it in every way that you possibly can.
 
To view the past Senior Reflections visit this site: 2025-2026 Senior Reflections. 

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