Then-junior Liza Hernandez (12) navigates Michigan defenders during a game on March 21, 2019. Ohio State lost the game 15-10. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics

When Ohio State Women’s Lacrosse player Liza Hernandez received the news that her senior season was cancelled due to COVID-19, her initial reaction was shock.

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However, it morphed into a feeling of “unfinished business,” Hernandez said. Her teammate, redshirt junior midfielder Lindsay Epstein shared similar thoughts.

“It was heartbreaking to know that what we were working for, we weren’t going to be able to finish that,” Epstein said. “It was devastating.”

After an unforeseen ending to the season in the spring, senior players were offered an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA March 30, which will allow players — regardless of their rank — to finish what they started together in the women’s lacrosse program.

In the fall of 2019, the women’s lacrosse program welcomed new head coach Amy Bokker. Hernandez said Bokker set a new standard for the program by building “a brand-new culture” and had high hopes for the upcoming season.

Unfortunately, the season came to an abrupt end in March, and there was a sense of emptiness throughout the team, especially with the seniors, Hernandez said.

“A couple of hours before we found out the season was cancelled, we were preparing to play Johns Hopkins,” Hernandez said. “We kind of had that feeling that we weren’t going to be getting good news at the end of the day, so our coach had us do a ‘fun practice’ because we knew it was the last time we were all going to be together. It was very emotional and we wanted to cherish our last moments with each other.”

When the NCAA offered another year of eligibility to spring sport athletes, Hernandez took advantage of it and decided to return for a fifth year this upcoming season.

“When I had the opportunity to return for one more year with my amazing teammates and the new coaches, it was really a no brainer for me. And, on top of that, pursuing a higher education, it was really no question,” Hernandez said.

In terms of her academic career and post-graduation plans, the extra year turned out to benefit her, she said. Hernandez graduated with a business degree in the spring and had a few interviews with different companies, but no job set in stone.

“This year was definitely a blessing for me. It’s really given me the opportunity to figure things out with where I want to go with my career,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez was also grateful that her family fully supported her decision to return. She said that when the news broke that the NCAA was offering another year of eligibility to spring sport athletes, her phone was flooded with text messages from different family members offering their support.

“I think honestly, my parents and my family might have even been more excited than I was at the time [the news broke],” Hernandez said.

To further seal the deal, the Ohio State athletic department decided to match all senior athletes’ scholarships from the 2019 season — a decision Hernandez said she was grateful for.

Epstein also expressed her appreciation for the Ohio State Department of Athletics’ decision to match scholarships.

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“That is something super special to Ohio State and that a lot of schools were not able to do,” Epstein said. “Head athletic director Gene Smith and our entire athletic department have been so supportive of these seniors who have unfinished business here as student-athletes.”

Hernandez has battled a lot of injuries throughout her playing career, which resulted in her only playing one full season at Ohio State: her junior year. But, she is looking forward to making the best of her final season in 2021.

“When I had the extra opportunity to make up for lost time, that was definitely another component that went into my decision,” Hernandez said. “I’m just so thankful that Ohio State and the NCAA made that possible for me.”

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