Double the uniforms. Double the equipment bags. Double the practice schedules. Double the teammates. Double the Warrior pride. So is the life of a group of Merrimack College female, dual-sport, student athletes.
In honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Wednesday, Feb. 6, the annual celebration of female athletes and sports’ impact on female empowerment, meet the Warriors who pull double duty in athletics.
Neely Hawn ’29
Ice hockey and lacrosse
A defender for both the ice hockey team and lacrosse team, Neely Hawn ’29 grew up around both sports as a child.
“My dad played Division I hockey at Minnesota State-Mankato, and my siblings played hockey and lacrosse growing up, so I have always been around the sports my whole life,” said the Pennsylvania native.
When she started to get recruited by Head Women’s Ice Hockey Coach Erin Hamlen, Hawn also reached out to Head Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Jen Fox Sargent about the possibility of playing both sports.
“Coach Jen said yes as long as Coach Erin was on board, and thankfully she was,” said Hawn.
Hawn is still learning the ropes in terms of balancing being a college student, on two Division I sports teams, with a full schedule of classes and a social life.
“I am undeclared and don’t know what my major is going to be yet,” Hawn said. “I needed to see how it was going to be for my freshman year and how I am going to fit it all in.”
Hawn expressed how, at times, it can be challenging, but having two groups of teammates has helped. “I have all my teammates to lean on and the coaches have been really helpful.”
Advice for young females aspiring to be a dual-sport athlete:
- “Go all in, give it 100 percent, just do it.”
Lauren Boughner ’28
Soccer and track and field
When Merrimack Head Track and Field Coach Mark Connolly heard about sophomore Lauren Boughner’s ’28 stellar high school track and field career, including school records for the triple jump and long jump, he reached out to her immediately.
And it was fairly easy to track her down, as she was most likely with the women’s soccer team, which she plays forward for.
“Soccer was always my number one priority, but track was always in the back of my mind,” said the sports management major. “I loved (track and field) and had an amazing experience in high school, so it would’ve been hard to say no. So I went with it and it was a great decision.”
Boughner mentioned how she liked having the ability to switch up her athletic ability and showcase all her athleticism.
“I think that what I am doing at track practice has benefited me in soccer, both athletically and mentally,” she said. “I wouldn’t change my experience for the world. The teammates, the friends and the experience I get from both, on and off the field, it’s amazing.”
Advice for young females aspiring to be a dual-sport athlete:
- “Go for it, don’t let people tell you you can’t do it.”
Casey Bednarek ’27
Cross country and swimming
Casey Bednarek ‘27 said she was heavily recruited by colleges in her junior year of high school for cross country. In her senior year of high school, things changed and she focused more on her swimming career.
“I was never intending to do both sports,” said Bednarek, an accounting and business administration major. “It was on a whim that I emailed Coach Connelly and asked if I could walk on.”
Once her freshman swim season was completed, Bednarek was running a lot and realized how much she missed the sport.
“I sent Coach Connelly my times and he was like, ‘Yeah, when can you start?’,” she said.
Today, she runs middle-distance events for the track and field team, and competes in the butterfly and individual medley for the swim team.
Advice for young females aspiring to be a dual-sport athlete:
- “You have to know you are going to sacrifice a lot, but it will all be worth it in the end.”
Cameron Zuliani ’26
Swimming and track and field
Nursing major Cameron Zuliani ‘26 has always had a passion for swimming and throwing discus.
“My mom and dad were basically my coaches for track and field,” she said. “My dad threw in college and my mom was my high school’s track and field coach. My mom had me running during practice, and after practice, when everyone left, I got to stay after with my dad and throw.”
When Zuliani came to Merrimack for her official visit for swimming, her father tossed the idea around for her to also reach out to the track and field coach.
“Swimming was always my number one, but my dad and I looked at the current throws at the time and saw I could compete here as well,” she said.
Zuliani tested her decision her freshman year of swimming, track and field and being a nursing major.
“A lot of people told me it might be too much, or weren’t sure if I would be able to do it all,” she said.
Zuliani is part of four swimming relay records. She holds the bench, clean and squat records in the lift room for the swim and dive team, while also scoring points in discus for the Warriors every year.
Advice for young females aspiring to be a dual-sport athlete:
- “Yes, go for it if you’re able to—just make sure to always prioritize your education and the long-term career goals you’re working toward.”
