Athlete of the Week: Hannah Gustafson

Senior Hannah Gustafson dashes across the field, swiveling her lacrosse stick and dodging opponents before slinging the ball into the net. Gustafson, affectionately known by her teammates as “Gus,” approaches every practice and game with skill, ardor and a competitive spirit, serving as a role model and an invaluable member of the girls’ varsity lacrosse team.

Gustafson began her lacrosse career as a first grader, when she played alongside third and fourth graders on a local children’s lacrosse team. She credited her father’s affinity for lacrosse as a reason for her attraction to the sport, as he introduced her to the game and coached her throughout middle school. Gustafson expressed the gratitude she felt for her father’s involvement.“I’m thankful for all the time he devoted to bringing me to practices and games and coaching me for almost eight years,” she said.

The game also appealed to Gustafson because of its competitive nature. “My favorite aspect of lacrosse is the competitiveness. Sometimes all it takes is a want to win the game,” she said. “If you want the ball more and want to win more, that is usually the team who will come out on top. You always have to be prepared to play your best.”

When she arrived at Exeter and transitioned from middle school to high school lacrosse, Gustafson was awed by the faster pace of the games and the players’ sizes. She appreciated the support of older girls on the team during her prep year. “I was pretty small when I came to Exeter, so playing with people who were five to eight inches taller than me was an adjustment,” she remembered. “However, the team was so welcoming and the returning players made it such a comfortable and happy environment to be a part of every day.”

Having been on the team for the past three years, Gustafson has grown to appreciate the team’s dynamic and atmosphere. The senior explained the team’s shared competitive spirit. “I look forward to every practice because everyone loves to be around each other playing the sport we all love,” she expressed.

Gustafson recalled a particular memory where the team’s passion for the sport was most intense. She explained that last year, the team was defeated by Deerfield, ruining their chance at an undefeated season. Despite the devastating loss, Gustafson stressed the team’s ability to rebound, which led them to defeat Andover and end the season with a 16-1 record.

Gustafson expressed her desire to impart this attitude upon the newest members of the team. “Mental preparation is such a big part of sports and I think that is a really important thing to emphasize to the team, especially to the younger, less experienced players who have not played in high school for that long,” she said.

As a senior and one of the most experienced members of the team, Gustafson hopes she can be a mentor for younger players, similar to the ones she looked up to three years ago. “It is fun to see the preps and lowers develop each and every day in practice. It is amazing to see how far some of them have come in the short two months we have been playing together,” she said. “I want to set a good precedent for attitude and the mindset everyone should have going into every practice and game.” Prep Ally DeCoste described her as “supportive” and “encouraging” teammate and called Gustafson “a great role model for the underclassmen.”

Teammates applauded her duality of hard work and friendliness during practice. “Gus always works so hard during practice and she motivates everyone else to work harder,” lower Chandler Jean-Jacques said. “She brings the team together during time-outs and speaking words of wisdom.” Upper Vivi Kraus agreed, saying, “Hannah is super intense but knows how to have fun with the team.”

Upper Anna Reaman also praised Gustafson’s work ethic and added that her “drive to win is incomparable.” Prep Dennesha Rolle commented on Gustafson’s competitive nature saying, “She’s very competitive [and] hates to lose. That’s probably why she’s so good at everything she does. Love that girl.”

Head coach Christina Breen commended Gustafson’s commitment to the team. “I admire Hannah’s willingness to work hard, love of team, effort and energy every time she steps on the field,” Breen said. “Hannah is happiest when she is playing sports and that love of the game shapes the way she treats every game and practice—with joy and hard work.”

On the field, Gustafson is considered one of the strongest players of the team. Breen explained that Gustafson is a talented and versatile midfielder and described her as an “offensive threat, a defensive wall and a master of draw controls.” Reaman echoed Breen’s sentiments and explained that Gustafson can “fly down the field without anyone catching her, and she can check like no other.” Kraus also praised Gustafson for her offensive abilities and “great shot placements.” Rolle agreed with Kraus and said that when she “winds up to rip a shot, you just know it’s going in.”

Gustafson plans on continuing her lacrosse career next year at Amherst College. “I am excited for this next chapter in my life and for what comes next and to be a freshman again and to have a whole new group of seniors to look up to,” she said. However, she is sad to say goodbye to her Exeter teammates, some who she has played with three or four years, and her coaches Breen and Porter Hayes.

“The thing that I will miss the most about the team is playing with my best friends. It will be hard to not play with them anymore,” she said. “I am also so thankful for the coaching I have received at Exeter. Coach Breen and Coach Hayes have cared so much about my life and devoted so much of their time to make me the lacrosse player I am today.”