On Thursday, March 19, junior Emma Holecz had a call with the head coach of the women’s lacrosse team at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and was officially offered a spot on the roster as a member of the class of 2031. She decided right then and there to verbally commit.

In Division III athletics, a verbal offer and commitment is a non-binding agreement where a coach promises a roster spot and, often, support in the admissions process, rather than a scholarship.

“When I first got on the call, I was nervous, but once she gave me the offer, I almost started to cry and was so incredibly grateful and relieved that my hard work had finally paid off,” said Holecz. 

Her parents, Jen and Jon Holecz, have been there every step of the way. They have been there from the very beginning and are relieved that Emma has found her school.” At first, I wanted to learn more about the opportunity. Once we sat down and talked it through, it became clear it was a great fit for her. Muhlenberg College offers exactly what she was looking for—a strong academic environment and competitive Division III lacrosse, along with a smaller campus feel,” said Jon.

Holecz’s college lacrosse journey started way before this year. For her, it actually started her freshman year. Once she finally decided she wanted to play in college, she began by making a list of schools and started with about 15 that she had an interest in. “Muhlenberg was actually not on my list, simply because I didn’t know the program existed, but they reached out to me, and turns out they are in the same conference as the other schools I was looking at,” said Holecz.

She spent countless hours training and preparing herself for this long journey of recruiting. Her father, Jon Holecz,

was a huge factor in her lacrosse career. He was the reason she first joined lacrosse. As her love for the game grew, so did her ambition to keep playing. “From early on, [her mother and I] made it clear that if she wanted to play in college, it was something she would have to earn. That meant putting in the work herself—whether it was time in the backyard on stick skills, conditioning with track coaches, or spending hours editing film. Emma took ownership of that. Our role was to help with logistics and make sure she had the opportunity to be seen by the right coaches and programs,” said Jon. 

She is on a club lacrosse team, Connecticut Lacrosse Club, and in the summer, she goes to about 4 tournaments with her team. She has also gone to different showcases specifically for recruiting. Muhlenberg saw her play at a showcase in and reached out to her in July of 2025. 

“I went to my first prospect day of theirs [this past] summer. I visited campus, and I really enjoyed it,” she said. 

A prospect day is an event used either for athletic recruiting by colleges that usually consists of practicing and playing, and sometimes even a tour with the coaches or team. It is much more intimate than a larger showcase event.

For division III athletics, athletes and coaches can reach out to eachother at any time in high school. Official visits can start January 1st in the athlete’s junior year, and there is no limit for unofficial visits. 

“Jen and I have supported Emma in a number of ways—mainly with travel and coordination, along with the financial commitment that comes with the recruiting process today. We’ve spent a lot of time on planes, in the car, and in hotels getting her to showcases up and down the East Coast, as well as club practices, tournaments, and CT national team events throughout the years.

Throughout the rest of the summer 2025 and fall, she kept in contact with the coaches and continued to talk to other coaches and visit other schools. Some other schools that were high up on her list were Washington and Lee, Dickinson, Franklin and Marshal, Amherst College, and Ursinus.

“It was really the coaches that made a difference for me. I went to a prospect day at another school. The campus was absolutely beautiful, and the academics were fantastic, but I just didn’t feel that much of a connection with the coach,” said Holecz.

Having a good connection is very important to most athletes because these coaches are going to be with you and coaching you, and it is important to find coaches with whom you get along well and feel supported by. 

She also went to their fall prospect day a few months later and then another prospect day in January, and then the Muhlenberg coach asked her to come on an official visit. Her visit was on February 20th, and she went on another tour, attended a statistics class, and had lunch with a player on the team. She also tried on a jersey and took a picture to be able to envision herself there. 

“After the visit, we had a call, and that’s when she gave me the offer. I had already put a lot of thought into it and had previously talked to my parents. I knew this was my number one school, and I felt confident in my decision,” said Holecz.

For many, this process is very overwhelming, and it certainly was for Holecz. Other than overwhelming, it was rewarding for her. “I put so much work and time into being the player I am, and I’m just really proud and so grateful for the people that have helped me get here today,” said Holecz. 

She will be majoring in biology in hopes of becoming a physical therapist. “They have a lot of opportunities to help you get into grad school, especially since it’s close to Philadelphia, ” she said. 

Though it has been a lot of work for both Emma and her parents, there are a lot of things to celebrate. “We’re all very proud and excited for her. Committing allows her to focus on what matters most right now—her academics and the upcoming spring season with the Morgan team. We’re excited for what’s ahead, but also really focused on the present. This Morgan Girls Lacrosse team has a great opportunity this year with a strong group returning, so the goal is to make the most of this season and see how far they can go,” said Jon. 

Though she is only a junior, she is relieved to already know where she will be attending college after high school. As high school lacrosse season starts soon, she will be shifting her time and energy to that, as she now has a big weight lifted off her shoulders. 

“I’m so excited for this opportunity. The team feels like a family, and the coaches treat me like a person, not just a player. Coach Stuckel and Coach Gilbert always say they are recruiting people, not just players, and they made it such an easy decision,” closed Holecz.