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New York Charging's Emily Hawryschuk

Charging’s Emily Hawryschuk wins first-ever WLL Golden Stick Award with help of her dad’s ‘greatest advice’

By Lauren Merola | Feb 20, 2025

Emily Hawryschuk stood under the Championship Series title banner at The St. James in Springfield, Va., on Monday awaiting her trophy. But unlike the players of the inaugural champion Boston Guard, Hawryschuk’s teammates were on the sideline.

After falling to the Guard 22-17 in the Championship Series finale, the New York Charging midfielder was handed the Golden Stick Award as the tournament’s leading scorer with 19 goals. It was a distinction Hawryschuk said postgame was "nothing but credit to my team.” 

“I feel very honored, but next year we’ll get both,” she said of the championship trophy and Golden Stick Award.

Hawryschuk also posted a tournament-leading 23 points. New York captain Izzy Scane trailed just behind her with 17 goals and 22 points. The Charging’s Belle Smith and Erin Coykendall tied Boston’s Madison Ahern for most assists in the tournament (9). Both Hawryschuk and Scane were named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Charging fell to the Guard 20-18 in the final round-robin game on Saturday, giving Boston the semifinal bye and pitting New York against California. The Charging breezed by the Palms 18-11 to set up the championship rematch, but the Guard’s balanced attack and staunch defense led them to the sweep over the Charging.

Before leaving the field for the final time that week, Hawryschuk — award in hand — left the young fans with the same advice her dad gave to her as a young girl: “If you love the game,” she said, “never put your stick down."

The Victor, N.Y., native first tried lacrosse in seventh grade after coming home one day to find a new blue lacrosse stick laid out on her bed.

“I had never played the game before … but [my dad] told me, he said, ‘If you love it — just try it — but if you love it, never put your stick down,’” Hawryschuk said.

She tried it. She loved it. She excelled at it. 

Out of high school, Hawryschuk continued her lacrosse career at nearby Syracuse, where she graduated as the program’s all-time scoring leader with 272 goals. She tore her ACL in the 2021 season opener, making her way back to amass 387 points over her six-year career.

Hawryschuk was the 13th pick in the Athletes Unlimited 2022 College Draft after graduating that year and a member of the inaugural 2024 U.S. Women's Box National Team that captured a world championship in Utica, N.Y.

Now, she adds inaugural WLL Golden Stick Award winner to her list of accolades. All because she didn't put down her stick.

“I literally carried that blue stick around with me everywhere for a very long time until I got a new blue and orange stick," Hawryschuk said. "Then that came with me everywhere too.

“That’s some of the greatest advice I ever got. It totally changed my life."

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