IHS teammates named All-Americans

This past season’s Ithaca girls lacrosse team was special, featuring six college-lacrosse-bound players, five of whom are heading to the Division I level. A pair of those players were recognized as All-Americans by USA Lacrosse, rising senior Shea Baker and future University of North Carolina goaltender Alecia Nicholas.

It was an outstanding year for both Baker and Nicholas as they led the Little Red to a third-consecutive Section IV Championship. Both were team captains, with Baker dominating offensively and Nicholas standing strong between the pipes. Baker discussed being named an All-American.

“It’s a great honor,” Baker said. “But I think the credit goes to my teammates, coaches and the culture of the Ithaca lacrosse program. I think there are so many girls on my team that are equally as deserving of this award. But I’m incredibly grateful that I was chosen.”

With the pandemic impacting the past year of athletics, Baker was simply thankful to be on the field and wasn’t concerned with adding to her trophy case at the beginning of the shortened season.

“I actually wasn’t really thinking that far ahead,” she said. “I was taking it day by day. I didn’t really expect there to be that many awards this season, just because it was shortened and definitely different than other years.”

Baker had several great senior players to look up to in her junior year, including Nicholas. She spoke to Nicholas’ impact on her and the team in general.

“I think [having two All-Americans] just speaks to how successful our program has been,” Baker said. “Alecia is an outstanding player. But the contribution she makes behind the scenes are what makes her extra special. I think she’s so deserving of the award, and her passion for lacrosse is so contagious and inspiring. I’m just so grateful I’ve been able to play with her the last couple of years.”

While she prepares to be in that senior leadership role next year, Baker is staying busy this summer by competing in multiple tournaments, and she’s receiving national attention.

“I actually just received an invitation to the USA Lacrosse Combine in August,” Baker said. “That’s the big thing coming up now. I didn’t really expect it. But I’m taking it day by day and staying focused and always looking ahead. It’s really exciting. I can’t get ahead of myself, though.”

While she bounces from tournament to tournament in the summer, the pursuit of a fourth consecutive Section IV title at IHS awaits her in the spring. With several key players graduating, Baker talked about what the team is doing to prepare to get the job done.

“We’re just rebuilding starting today,” she said. “We’ve been doing a lot of offseason practices this summer with especially the younger girls. We’re introducing them to the faster speed. I think there’s a lot of success in store for us next year if we keep up the hard work in the offseason and come ready next spring.”

Baker has leadership experience already, being a junior captain this past season. She discussed her approach to being a senior captain next season.

“I just want to empower the younger girls and uplift some of those people who maybe haven’t been playing as long,” Baker said. “The main thing is leadership for me. I think that’s my main focus for next year. I’m really excited to see what success comes out of it as well.”

Having been so talented for so long, Baker is used to playing with age groups above her. Being the most experienced player on a team will be a new experience for her.

“It’s crazy,” she said. “I’ve never really been the older one on a team. It’s definitely going to take some adjusting. I think I got a little bit of experience with it this year, being captain and everything. But next year, I think, is going to be new for me, and I’m really excited to see how I can adjust and help the younger girls.”

One lesson Baker hopes to pass down to the younger players before she heads to Boston College, home of the defending women’s lacrosse national champions, is the following:

“Anything is possible,” she said. “I think passion and energy is the most important thing — practicing on your own and putting in the work when nobody else is important.”

Baker was just down in Philadelphia playing at Inside Lacrosse’s Committed Academy tournament, which pits future Division I players against each other organized by the school they’re committed to. She was joined by now-former IHS teammates Nicolas, Mackenzie Rich and Colgate-commit Elizabeth Joffrey.

Baker stood out among her future Boston College teammates and was named to the All-Tournament team, continuing to add to her accolades prior to what should be a memorable senior season.