University of Massachusets Athletics
Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2012
- Class:
- 1980
One of the top offensive players in women's lacrosse history, Cari Nickerson Lovejoy still holds one of the longest standing program records 30 years after she played at UMass. She is the only player in program history to be named a two-time IWLCA All-America First Team selection.
In her career, she led UMass to the USWLA Semifinals in 1978, the USWLA Championship Game in 1979 and the AIAW Semifinals in 1980. During her four years, she helped lead UMass to a 58-7-6 overall record - the best in any four years for the program. That success set the foundation for UMass to win the 1982 NCAA National Championship - the first sponsored for women's lacrosse by the NCAA.
To date, Nickerson Lovejoy is the second leading point producer in UMass history with 219 points - a mark that stood for 30+ years before Jackie Lyons broke it by seven points in 2011. She still holds the record for career assists with 106. That total is 23 more than Lyons' second-place total of 83. Her 113 goals still ranks among the top-10 coming in at seventh all-time. Her single-season mark of 34 assists was surpassed in 2012 after also standing for 30+ years. Additionally, she is tied for fifth all-time in single-season points after scoring 71 during the 1979 season.
In 1979, Nickerson Lovejoy was named to the IWLCA All-America First Team and the USWLA All-Tournament Team. She repeated the All-America First Team honor as a senior in 1980.
Nickerson Lovejoy was inducted into the UMass Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2012.
