Jana Drummond led Oregon lacrosse in scoring this season with 42 points and tied with senior Ilsa van den Berg with a team-high 34 goals. The freshman set a program record by scoring seven goals in one game, against Cal on April 17. For her freshman season, she won Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s Newcomer of the Year. The Emerald caught up with Drummond, this week’s Athlete of the Week.
ODE: Were you surprised you won MPSF Newcomer of the Year?
JD: I was totally surprised. I didn’t expect to get it so it was exciting.
ODE: Did you have to give a speech?
JD: No I just had to stand up and everyone stared at me awkwardly.
ODE: Did you think this team could have gone to the NCAA Tournament?
JD: We definitely had the strength and the skill to do it, we just had some little mess-ups that affected the end. I think everyone put the hardest on the field that day, though.
ODE: What was your first impression of Oregon lacrosse when you were recruited?
JD: I was excited. I’d never been to Oregon or heard of it much. I was looking at it during my junior year. Going to the West Coast was going to be a blast; I was excited to get a change of what it was like back home.
ODE: So the snow this winter was nothing out of the ordinary for you.
JD: It kind of seemed normal for me. Catherine (Davidson, a freshman from Oregon) was in shock. I told her move to Michigan or New Hampshire.
ODE: You grew up on the East Coast and lived in the Midwest, so what do you think of the West Coast?
JD: I wasn’t expecting it to be like this at all. It’s totally laid back and unscheduled. Coming here it was comforting to have people going out of their way to say ‘hi’ to you on the sidewalk.
ODE: Do you ever stop by Chip Kelly’s office to talk about New Hampshire (Kelly is a New Hampshire native)?
JD: I didn’t even know that! That’s so cool. I guess I should probably stop by.
ODE: In high school you played four sports, but was lacrosse your favorite?
JD: It was always my favorite since I started playing at like 8 years old.
ODE: If you could play one other sport at Oregon, what would it be and why?
JD: I probably want to play volleyball. I used to play that and it’s always fun to jump up and spike it down.
ODE: Would lacrosse head coach Jen Larsen let you?
JD: (Laughs) No, probably not.
ODE: There are 15 freshmen on the team. Are you a tight-knit group?
JD: Yeah, actually this season definitely going into the games got us a lot closer. Not everyone is from the West Coast so dealing with homesickness really helped us get through this season.
ODE: You haven’t declared a major yet, but are you leaning toward one?
JD: No, I still have no idea what I want to do with my life. We’ll see where it takes me.
ODE: I read that you like dentistry? Why that?
JD: I don’t really know. When I was getting my braces I thought, ‘this could be fun to do.’
ODE: What would someone be surprised to know about you, apart from lacrosse?
JD: I guess I have this little thing that I love tigers. I have this little obsession with tigers.
ODE: Did you plan to come to college with your sister, Jess?
JD: No we didn’t. We had thought about going our separate ways but we both came out here our junior year and fell in love. It helps having her out here.
ODE: Is it true Jen Larsen didn’t realize there was a twin when she started recruiting you?
JD: They thought we were one person. I think because my mom had sent her an e-mail saying, ‘I didn’t know if you knew Jana had another sister and she’s interested in your program.’
ODE: Are you going to stick around this summer?
JD: I’m actually going to stick around here this summer and do workouts with (athletic trainer Geoff) Ginther. I’m excited to stay out here this summer and experience the summers. I hear they’re the best ever.
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