Lacrosse Welcomes Taylor Pinzone
TEMPE, Ariz. - Sun Devil Lacrosse welcomes midfielder Taylor Pinzone to the program.
Head Coach Tim McCormack announced the addition of the graduate transfer from Northwestern, who is immediately eligible to compete in the upcoming 2022 season. She is one of 13 newcomers to the Sun Devil roster, joined by a talented signing class of 12 freshman.
"I'm so excited to be joining the ASU lacrosse program, especially to be reunited with Tim," Pinzone remarked. "His awesome coaching has led the team to so much success in his short time in Tempe and I can't wait to be a part of the amazing culture he has created."
During her time in Evanston, Pinzone was a key contributor on one of the nation's elite teams. Northwestern went a combined 50-15 during her four seasons, with Pinzone making 50 appearances. Her impact was felt on both ends of the field, showing off the versatility to fulfill a variety of roles. She tallied 34 goals and six assists on offense, while adding 26 ground balls, 14 draw controls, and 11 caused turnovers on the defensive end.
"Taylor will be a great addition to the program," Coach McCormack added. "She will be able to bring a ton of confidence to our group having played in some big time games. Taylor will fit in great with our team both as a player and a person. We are very excited to have her out in Tempe."
The coach-player duo are familiar with one and other thanks to their time at Northwestern, where Pinzone was recruited to Evanston by McCormack and Head Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. Under McCormack's tutelage, Pinzone delivered an outstanding freshman season in 2018 that saw her awarded Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, earning immediate playing time despite joining a talented roster. Her production was not limited to the offensive end, as she collected 14 ground balls and controlled 10 draws.
Most recently, Pinzone was a big part of the midfield rotation for the Wildcats in the 2021 season. She played in all 16 games, earning two starts on a team that went 15-1 with their only loss coming in the NCAA Final Four against No. 3 Syracuse. Pinzone finished with nine goals and a career-best four assists on the year, playing in all three NCAA Tournament games. She is no stranger to the big stage, having been a part of several marquee matchups as a part of the Big Ten conference. She was on the team that defeated the Sun Devils back in 2020, scoring two goals against her future team.
Pinzone will not only add leadership and experience to the midfield unit on the field, but she sets an example in the classroom as well. After the season, she earned a spot on the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll as well as the Big Ten All-Conference Academic Team. She received her undergraduate degree in Communications Studies/Psychology at one of the most prestigious universities in the country and now will enroll in graduate school at Arizona State.
The Waltham, Massachusetts native was a two-time U.S. Lacrosse All-American coming out of Waltham High School. After a career in which she scored 520 career goals and dished out 168 assists, she was selected to the 2017 Under Armour Senior All-American Game.