Over four years ago, Southwestern Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Bill Bowman was in Thousand Oaks, California, recruiting an attacker from Thousand Oaks High School.

The men's lacrosse team was still in its relatively nascent stages as an NCAA program. Having taken over as head coach in 2012, Bowman was still trying to raise the profile of Southwestern lacrosse. 

In those days, Bowman wore a modified version of the Southwestern SU and sabers logo, placing it inside the shape of Texas, advertising a map to potential recruits who might not otherwise have heard of Southwestern. 

Since signing that recruit in Thousand Oaks? 

"Simply put, Zac Asbury helped put this program on the map," Bowman says. "We were able to bring in high-caliber players because people saw what he was doing, allowing us the opportunity to play at a very high level." 

Asbury put Southwestern on the map by repeatedly putting his name in the record books. In 2019, he directed the most prolific offense in SCAC history, producing a conference-record 486 points over 297 goals and 189 assists. In that sophomore season, he set the conference single-season record for points with 99, scoring 40 goals and another SCAC-record 59 assists. 

By the end of his sophomore year, it seemed not a question of if Asbury would break every school offensive record, but by how much. 

After the global pandemic cut short the best start in program history in 2020 and threatened Asbury's senior season, the question shifted to whether he'd get to play again. But, when the season finally kicked off, wins and records were the furthest things from everyone's mind.

"This year wasn't about scores. It was more about just being out on the field and being with each other after a lost season," Bowman explains. "It was about allowing our seniors to go out with some games under their belts." 

Senior Jacob Hamilton made the best of it in the season opener, scoring five goals in a 19-6 victory over Hendrix. Asbury set the tone with a team-high six points, scoring two unassisted goals and four assists. 

"It felt great to be back with the team against Hendrix," face-off specialist Hudson Bearden said after winning 23-of-25 faceoff opportunities in the opener. "Everyone was excited about it." 

More importantly, it was an opportunity to welcome back senior Benjamin Libby, who missed the previous season while defeating cancer. 

"It was phenomenal seeing Ben out there. It was a long road for him, and he was just starting to get his legs underneath him at the end of this season," Bowman recalls. "He was nothing short of phenomenal." 

"I love that guy. We're always together in the training room or at his house. So it was great to be with him at practice again," Bearden added. 

"That man has fought through everything just to get where he is now," Asbury says. "I hope his story is told to new teammates. Just like the COVID season, things can be taken away. Life is hard. Lacrosse is fun. For him to be on the field and share my last season with me, I can't put into words how much I love that man." 

As exciting as the first game was, it was also the last time Southwestern had its full lineup available. Whether due to COVID protocols or injuries, only Asbury and junior Tyler Santos appeared in all 12 games this season. 

The shortcomings of a shorthanded roster stood out most against nationally-ranked Colorado College. Over the past few seasons, Southwestern had managed to close the gap between the two programs little by little, but without any depth, all three contests were one-sided. 

"We had some great moments, and we had some moments where everything was all over the place because, honestly, the season was all over the place," Bowman says. "We didn't have a single game where we had the same lineup all year, and when you look at it from that perspective, I feel we did a great job."

Perhaps the biggest test of Southwestern's resiliency was when the team traveled north for games against Carthage, the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), Illinois Wesleyan, and Benedictine (Ill.) with both of their goalies out. 

With seemingly no options available, sophomore midfielder Blake Sitterly volunteered to step in between the pipes. Sitterly had eight saves on 18 shots in his first game at goalie since middle school in a 10-7 loss to Carthage. But he found his footing to pick up two huge wins against MSOE and Illinois Wesleyan before ending his time as keeper with an 11-10 loss to Benedictine (Ill.) to finish with a 2-2 record. 

"Everyone stepped up big this season, but Blake Sitterly gave up half his season to play goalie," Asbury says. "That's the kind of attitude this team has." 

Southwestern was able to turn adversity into an attribute when Sitterly showed off his versatility in the victory over Illinois Wesleyan with 13 saves and the first goal scored by a keeper in program history: 

With less than five minutes remaining and a man up after a Southwestern penalty, Illinois Wesleyan turned to a 10-man ride, extending pressure the length of the field to press its advantage.

Sitterly, advancing the ball after an errant Illinois Wesleyan pass went out of bounds, scanned the field as the first line of defense came to greet him. Then, noticing the Illinois Wesleyan goalkeeper marking a Southwestern player away from the net, Sitterly heaved the ball the length of the field, finding the back of the empty net off one bounce for the improbable goal to give the Pirates an 11-9 lead with 4:42 remaining.

"It was insane. I can't believe that happened," Bearden recalls. "I remember looking away on the sidelines the second he started to shoot it, thinking, 'You can't do that, you can't do that, you can't do that,' and then hearing everyone yelling and looking up in time to see the net move. Again, I couldn't believe it." 

The win was the first in program history over a nationally-ranked program, raising the program's profile against a team that would eventually advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.

"The entire week leading up to the game, everyone was locked in," Bearden says. "I think beating Illinois Wesleyan was a huge step for the program." 

The program will move forward without Asbury, who cemented his Southwestern legacy in the win over MSOE, scoring six points to surpass former teammate Kai Knight-Turcan as the school's all-time career leader in points, finishing his career with 267 on 114 goals and 153 assists.

"Someone told me about the record in the middle of the game. I wasn't aware, but it was awesome to break it," Asbury recalls. "Not only for myself, but a lot of the points I did get was through assists and making my teammates better." 

As the Pirates have edged closer to the national stage, the quality of the roster around Asbury has improved, with two program history-makers in their own right stepping into the spotlight this season. 

Sophomore Will Thompson became the first Southwestern player in program history to win SCAC Defensive Player of the Year, leading the conference with 17 caused turnovers to anchor a defense that allowed a league-low 119 goals. 

"Will is a bruiser. He's so strong and athletic. Honestly, as much as I hated going against him in practice, I loved it too," Asbury glowingly says. "We made each other better. With his attitude towards the program and the game, I couldn't ask for a better teammate." 

Southwestern also had another program first, with Bearden winning SCAC Specialist of the Year after leading the nation in faceoff win percentage at .805, setting a school record. He also finished fourth in ground balls per game with 12.40. This season, Bearden set the school record for most faceoffs won with 30 against Centenary, then broke it again with 36 against Dallas. 

"Before the season, I asked Bowman what the records were that I could beat," Bearden recalls. "He told me where to find them, and that's how I pushed myself. I love winning everything, and winnings faceoffs leads to winning games." 

Next year, Southwestern will return nine all-conference players in Jack Doloszycki, Nick Doxey, Tyler Johnson, Jake Hessinger, Aidan Gildea, Santos, and Matt Minnick, to go with Thompson and Bearden.

"The floor continues to rise, and the sky is the limit. We have the talent," Bowman exclaims. "We have the talent. I love the team we have, and I look forward to what we'll be able to accomplish with a full season and roster next year." 

Thanks in part to Asbury, when Bowman travels to California or any other number of lacrosse hot spots, he won't need to bring a map to pitch to athletes. 

"I'm thankful to everyone from the training staff to the athletic directors and everyone involved in allowing us to play the game we love," Asbury says. "Whenever I went camping with my dad, he had one rule: leave the place better than you found it. From bringing the right attitude to hard work and dedication, I hope I did that."