PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Imagine getting hired for your first job knowing that your first chance to really prove yourself is 30 months away. 30 months.
Emily Boissonneault was hired so long ago we weren’t wearing facemasks then.
Pitt announced it would add a lacrosse program on November 1, 2018 and would make the hiring of Boissonneault official on June 29, 2019. They weren’t going to play until 2022. That’s a long time to wait.
“I was excited,” said senior midfielder Payton Reed, at the time a Panthers club lacrosse player. “I remember I was in class when I heard the announcement. I mentioned to my friend, ‘this is real, this isn’t a rumor anymore’.”
Reed quickly contacted the newly formed Pitt program and is one of three to move from the Panthers club team to the roster of 38 making history Friday afternoon at 5p facing Duquesne at Highmark Stadium.
“It’s something that no one else can say,” Reed said. “It’s something that I will take with me the rest of my life beyond playing here. It’s something I’m going to be proud of and be proud to start these traditions and set the tone for Pitt lacrosse.”
Eleven others would join either as recruits or transfers to make up ‘the original 14’ players with no real game in sight.
“It’s a long time coming,” said University of Florida transfer Madisyn Kittell. “I’m really excited. I think we’ve built a really strong team with depth. I think we have a shot at the ACC and outside of conference too.”
“It takes incredible commitment,” Boissonneault said of players taking a leap to start lacrosse at Pitt. “We spend a lot of time talking about the process. It takes someone that understands the value of practice, of teamwork and dedication.”
“They had the same characteristics as the coaches’ have, which is a little bit of courage and confidence,” said Pitt Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. “You have to believe you can make a difference. They came here to make a difference in this sport and put Pitt on the map.”
Boissonneault has been in this position now at four different levels. She went to a start-up high school in Canada which debuted a women’s lacrosse team. She attended college at Detroit-Mercy, a player on a start-up program. Her first job as an assistant coach at Winthrop was with a first-year team. Now as head coach at Pitt.
“At first it was its our history,” Boissonneault said reflecting on her thoughts heading into Friday’s game. “Then it was two-and-a-half years built up to this one day. This last week is its just exciting to play a game and ‘where are we in making adjustments’. “
“There’s a lot of great things that will come from this Friday. I’m doing my best to share with the team how much it means to the school, the community and the sport of lacrosse.”
“There is a lot of pressure, but with pressure is privilege,” Kittell said. “We’ve earned this right and a I think we have a good system and team.”
“It’s something that we’ve looked forward to for a long, long time,” Reed said. “All of these practices have finally led up to something. I think we are all just excited to show Pitt what we have to offer.”
“Hopefully you won’t see me tear up too much, but I’m pretty emotionally committed and connected to this program,” Boissonneault said. “It’s been two-and-a-half years of my life at this point just getting here.”
Finally on Friday, in a City Game matchup, Pitt makes history.