As the Marquette’s women’s lacrosse team practiced at Valley Fields on Friday afternoon, the sight of sophomore Caroline Collins running up and down the field was likely to stand out.

Standing at 4-foot-11 as a collegiate attack wing, Collins is one of four walk-on players on the team hoping to get some playing time once competitive play begins in the fall.

What the coaches noticed during Collins’ try-out was her agility and speed when it came to the drills they were working on. The tallest player on the team is a foot taller than Collins, but the sophomore does not see her size as a disadvantage to her style of play.

“Working on quickness will be the key for me. Add to that trying to get through people and dodging.” Collins said. “I’m going to be a little bit behind on strength just because I’m not as big.”

Collins played a year of Marquette club lacrosse as a freshman with the likes of senior Lisa Beltramello and junior Katie Bathon.

Bathon played for Pleasantville (NY) High School’s inaugural women’s lacrosse team before making her way to Milwaukee. Her family is no stranger to hard work in order to get onto a Division I team. Her brother, Chris Bathon, walked onto the Notre Dame football team as a safety.

Achieving playing time is the ultimate goal for walk-ons, and Beltramello believes that family is a motivating factor that keeps them going.

“Having my family around me for support is great. I’m Italian, and my family is over all the time for big family functions,” Beltramello said. “When we go play at Connecticut, my entire family is going to be there. If anything, that’s the game I want to get into.”

Beltramello played three years of club lacrosse and served as the club president in 2010-’11. She will be graduating from Marquette in June but will gain another year of eligibility if she decides to attend graduate school next year.

She attended Suffield (CT) High School, which is an hour and a half from freshman teammate Emily Donovan’s Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, Conn. Donovan shares an East coast connection with her fellow walk-on.

As for the rest of the team, it took a while in the fall, but the recruits and walk-ons are on the same page.

“At first it was pretty awkward and difficult, because it just took a while for all of us click. A lot of the recruits were already friends,” Donovan said. “Once they lightened up, they got to know all the recruits really well and now some of them are my best friends.”

The chemistry is down pat and as for potential, Donovan spoke loudly when she said she could see them being a threat once competition starts in the Big East.

“Lacrosse is really big on the East coast. I’ve seen how far you can push yourself, as well as how fast and competitive the game really is,” Donovan said. “We work so hard every day. If we can just keep it up, I can see us being a threat in the Big East once we get the program going and recruits come for next year.”

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Top Songs On Your iPod: “Anything by Taylor Swift.” – Katie Bathon

Last Movie To Make You Cry: “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close! I sobbed my eyes out.” – Emily Donovan

Celebrity Look-A-Like: “I got a weird one the other day, where someone said I look like Alexis Bledel from Gilmore Girls.” – Emily Donovan

Celebrity Crush: “Ryan Reynolds and Channing Tatum. They’re cute.” – Caroline Collins

Bucket List: “1. Swim with Dolphins, 2. Hangout with monkeys, 3. Go to the Caribbean.” – Caroline Collins