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BY JUSTIN FEIL


ris Williamson and Joey Coffy were standouts on the lacrosse field this spring, but that’s nothing new. Long before they were first-team All-Ivy League


performers, the two women were recognizable for being black players in a game still dominated by white players. “I knew going into every game I played early on that I was


different,” said Coffy, a sophomore midfielder at Cornell. “I was almost always the only black girl on the field, but that’s never been a problem for me. You can’t let your race or any aspect of your being keep you doing from what you want to do.”


Coffy was the only black player on this year’s Cornell team.


Williamson, a senior attacker, was one of two on the Penn team along with transfer goalie Britt Brown. “There are a lot of systems put in place that restrict minorities from moving forward, and it’s important to recognize that,” Williamson said. “I love lacrosse. I love the education I’ve received. But I’m very aware that I’m one of very few black women playing lacrosse.”


There were only seven black players between all eight Ivy teams this year, and three teams did not have a single one.


All-Ivy League midfielder Joey Coffy, a late bloomer in lacrosse, had a breakout season for Cornell as a sophomore with 20 goals, 31 draw controls and 24 ground balls.


Penn’s Iris


Williamson and Cornell’s Joey Coffey are busting


up all sorts of


stereotypes in the Ivy League


THE NEW The national average is 2.5 percent, according to an NCAA


study. “I feel like there are more women of color playing, but not significantly more,” Cornell coach Jenny Graap said. “They’re still noticeable in that there are few of them.” Coffy and Williamson could provide inspiration. Coffy scored 20 goals, ranked second on the Big Red in draw controls with 31 and had 24 ground balls. Williamson set career highs in goals, points and tied her best in assists. They are role models for young black players who don’t see many college players that look like they do. “It attracts the people in the areas where it’s big, and you get people like me and people like Iris Williamson that happen to be there and pick up a stick and love it,” Coffy said. “I do see more and more minorities playing lacrosse these days. I’m curious to see how it expands over time.”


42 LACROSSE MAGAZINE » June 2016 A Publication of US Lacrosse


©GREG WALL


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