Possession is never a guarantee in lacrosse. For Marquette women’s lacrosse, that battle has proved definitive in not only their last few games, but in the entire season.
That battle starts after every goal, or the start of a period when the field resets into a 50-50 scrap at the draw circle, where control can dictate the match’s momentum, pace and ultimate outcome. Not as flashy as goals and assists, these ‘draw controls’ are sometimes overlooked statistic in the grand scheme of lacrosse, particularly to casual viewers.
But the players and coaches involved know its impact has no limits.
“If we have more draw controls than the other team, we typically win the game,” senior midfielder Hanna Bodner said.
At Marquette, first-year Gabby Windesheim exclusively serves the team as a drawer, initiating the play at the center of the draw circle with quick wrists and varied techniques.
“Speed of your wrists and being dynamic are essential to win draws,” head coach Meredith Black said.
Bodner, the reigning Big East midfielder of the year, also plays a vital role in the draw control process as a ‘circle player’, boxing out opponents and securing loose balls. She is one of a handful of Golden Eagles around the circle who support the drawer through razor sharp instinct and an ever-present physicality.
“They [midfielders] are the worker bees, trusting the drawer and executing immediately,” Black said.
Despite her significant impact all over the field as a standout midfielder, Bodner still stresses just how difficult draw controls can be, as well as how much technique goes into claiming the ball.
“You have to read your opponent and know where the ball is going before it leaves,” Bodner said.
Together, the Bodner and Windesheim’s coordination, as well as their communication with the handful of other Golden Eagles around the circle, determines whether Marquette will be attacking or defending.
“Gabby takes the draw, but I can’t do my job unless she tells me what her plan is,” Bodner said. “As long as we’re all on the same page, we normally would be successful.”
The Golden Eagles are currently 60th in the country in draw control percentage (51.5%) and fifth in the Big East in draw controls per game (12.33).
Having spent the majority of the season as the primary drawer, Windesheim prioritized the importance of ongoing communication and adjustment over all else during games.
“The score of the game is a pretty close to the score of the draw control,” Black said.
And that statement holds plenty of truth. In seven of Marquette’s 11 games so far this season, the team with the most draw controls has gone on to win.
One of the only games in which that stat has gone the other way was in their loss to No. 23 Georgetown, who bested the Golden Eagles in their conference opener.
With Marquette able to claim a majority of possession, it took a sizable effort in the second half for the Hoyas to escape an upset, ultimately winning by one goal.
In the Golden Eagles’ games both before and after that affair, Marquette won the draw control battle and claimed one-goal wins over Niagara and UC-Davis, which Bodner and Windesheim concurred on coming down their unit.
“We could be winning draws all game, but things can still go bad if you’re not winning the crucial ones at the end,” Windesheim said.
Gabby Windesheim described a strong drawing unit as combining grit, high lacrosse IQ and effective communication. While their unit has proved reliable thus far, the Golden Eagles also have to plan for contingencies when this vital phase of the game isn’t going their way.
“We’ll change up our drawer, try our second and third drawers, and if that doesn’t work, then we go defensive,” Black said.
It’s why only the 4th ranked Northwestern Wildcats have held Marquette to under 10 draw controls won.
The physical demands of draw control are also significant, especially given Marquette’s schedule and the volume of draws faced. In fact, the Golden Eagles currently sit 32nd in the nation in draw controls faced at 152.
“We see a lot of different drawers and scenarios,” Black said. “That helps us adjust in-game because we’ve practiced and been through the ringer on it.”
Considering the physical toll and immense emphasis on technique which goes into the draw control process, practicing every possible scenario in the circle has been an emphasis for the particular group of Golden Eagles.
Alongside the technicalities of the game, the 2026 roster is comprised of young and plentiful draw control group, giving veteran players like Bodner a particularly exciting oppurtunity.
“The fall is the biggest learning opportunity for us to learn how each of our freshman take the draw,” Windesheim said. “Even now, I’m still learning more things about Gabby and how she plays.”
Continuous practice has helped refine both individual skills and unit coordination, and for Windesheim, it helps overcome the jitters of taking on the brunt of drawing responsibility in her rookie season.
“Every day at practice, I’m trying to get better, get faster at my own draw,” Windesheim said. We’re trying to become a better unit together.”
This article was written by Eamon Bevan. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter/X @EamonBevanMU.
