JoJo Williams’ cousin attended SUNY Old Westbury and gave her a ringing endorsement of not only the school, but also the women’s lacrosse program.

After her cousin’s endorsement Williams decided to send the coach her video. She did, and coach Anthony Saccone responded to gauge her interest.

Needless to say, she was interested.

Now, Williams is on her way, as she officially signed to continue her education and her lacrosse career at Division III SUNY Old Westbury on Friday at Highland High School.
She will join the team in the spring 2024 season.

“It’s very exciting because I like playing with people who are better than me and that makes me better myself,” Williams said. “it’s just good playing with other people from different places and getting to know new people.”

Williams – after her spring 2023 senior year – will join a SUNY Old Westbury team that is in transition, and one that hasn’t had a season recorded since 2019.

After a 2019 season that saw the Panthers post a 3-12 record, their 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Panthers didn’t have a 2021 season either.

There was no record of a 2022 season either, but there are plans for a 2023 season.

“He’s basically rebuilding the program this year,” Williams said. “So, he’s like, next year it’s going to be a whole different program. Everything is going to be new.”

The team isn’t the only thing that will be new. The field is also being renovated, which showed her the school is committed to the program.

“It says a lot,” Williams said. “Most schools don’t care about athletics, so it’s kind of bad, but they really do care. And that makes it a better place to go.”

And with the rebuilding of the program comes an opportunity for playing time as soon as she arrives on campus.

She’ll be ready when she gets there, and will have her own experience to draw on, such as joining the varsity lacrosse team when she was in eighth grade.

“It was very stressful,” Williams said. “I didn’t think I was going to play, but I ended up playing a lot more than I thought. I’m pretty sure I had 12 goals by the end of that season, which was more than most of the freshmen did, which I was very happy about.”

Once she graduates from Highland High School in June 2023, she has the tools to transition from high school to the collegiate level.

“She’s been playing so long, and she just has a love for the game,” said Ian Becker, who will coach the Highland varsity in 2023 and has coached Williams since she picked up a lacrosse stick when she was in fourth grade. “She is constantly looking to get better, every step of the way. So, it’s good to see somebody have that much commitment to a sport, especially this sport in this area, which isn’t as large as some of the other districts.”