Corinne Bednarik has been a superstar for Drexel Women’s Lacrosse for almost half a decade now. The graduate student started all 65 games and counting in her collegiate career, and is slowly chopping down school records, one by one.
Bednarik sits fifth all-time in points with 220, tenth all-time with 136 goals, third all-time with 84 assists, and second all-time with 259 draw controls. Last season, Bednarik was recognized as the CAA attacker of the year, while putting up a whopping nine games with three or more goals.
Entering the 2024 season, her final as a Dragon, Bednarik is on a mission to help her team take the next step, advancing deeper in the NCAA Tournament, and setting the program up for a promising future.
James Biernat: Starting off you grew up in the area playing top-level high school lacrosse at Downingtown West, where you were named All-American as a junior and Under Armor team Philadelphia as a sophomore and junior. How did growing up in the area influence your decision to come to Drexel?
Corinne Bednarik: I’m a homebody. I love being close to home, but I also think about just playing with girls from the area, because I was playing with the best in Philadelphia. I think that shaped me as a player. Also, I played with Belle McHugh, one of our best defenders, growing up. So it’s been pretty cool, I think Philadelphia was not known as a hotbed of lacrosse, and slowly it is, so I think that’s pretty awesome.
JB: Absolutely. You’ve been a part of a lot of Drexel Women’s Lacrosse history. You were a starter for the program’s first NCAA tournament game, in 2022 you were a part of the first team to win the CAA championship, and now you’ve broken Drexel’s single-game point record against Binghamton. Were any of these moments, or maybe a different one, a memory you’ll look back on the fondest?
CB: Honestly that’s a tough question because they all weigh differently but they all have the same effect. I think starting every game since freshman year has really made me grow. All the older girls I played with before were such great leaders and role models, so I give a bunch of my credit to them. I think treating every year like it’s my last, and obviously, this is my last year, I’ve been holding onto every memory tight. My eleven-point game against Binghamton was awesome but I can’t take away all the other little achievements that got me to that point.
JB: You definitely come from a big family with a history of college athletes. Your grandfather played football at Drexel, your brother played college lacrosse, and your dad played college football. So I have to ask, what kind of competitive sports spirit goes down at the Bednarik house?
CB: We are a very competitive bunch. My brother is six years older than me, and I always wanted to do what he did. He played Division III Lacrosse growing up at Elizabethtown, so I’d always play pass with him in the backyard growing up. My mom always made me put on a helmet because he did not let up, even when I was six and he was twelve. My sister too was a huge motivator, she played sports growing up as well. I think our drive as a family, and my parents always wanting us to be better and push each other in the best way, definitely helped us succeed.
JB: It sounds like you definitely had the right upbringing to dominate college lacrosse. You were CAA attacker of the year last year, scoring 47 goals, and helping Drexel earn their third consecutive NCAA tournament bid. Now as a fifth year, how do you as a veteran presence and a captain help elevate your younger teammates and grow the program for the future?
CB: I think just being a leader on and off the field, regardless of how many points or goals I have in a game. I try to lead by example and open my arms to the younger girls around me, and whether they play or not, emulate what a good leader is. It doesn’t always have to do with points and goals and stats, I think just being a great leader is what I want to leave at Drexel and leave with all the younger girls that are going to fill my shoes when I leave.
JB: You’re off to a 2-2 start with big wins over Binghamton and Wagner and tough losses to two top-15 teams in the nation in UPenn and Maryland. What’s one thing you believe you and your teammates can improve on as the season goes on?
CB: I think it starts with believing and trusting in each other. Our schedule is not easy, but I think we’re set up for success. We have Penn State and Navy coming up, which are two tough teams, but two winnable games if we play Drexel lacrosse. These past two losses are great learning points. As I said, these games are setting us up for success, and moving forward as a unit is what’s going to guide us through the rest of the season.
JB: You’ve been in University City now for five years, so I have to ask, what’s your favorite coffee shop on campus to get some caffeine before a tough practice?
CB: So, every gameday I get Dunkin, because there’s a Dunkin everywhere you turn, so it’s become my ritual. Recently though, Greek from Greece has definitely been my go-to. I always get the Iced Vanilla Latte, and it’s so delicious. Pregame is always Dunkin and after a hard practice, I go GFG. I’ll pay $6 for a coffee.
JB: That’s good to know, I’m a big GFG guy myself, so I appreciate the love. As this is your final season, do you have goals for yourself to finish off your career, or goals for your team as a whole this season?
CB: Goals for myself start with being a better person and better player than I was last year. Again, disregarding stats, I think I want to be an all-around better player, leader, teammate, and even a better friend. For the team, I want us to get further than we did last year. We always make it to the first round of the NCAA tournament, and last year it didn’t really go the way we wanted. I hope in my last year we can move on, have a great year, go to the NCAA tournament again, and maybe make it a little bit further.
JB: That would be amazing. Thanks so much, Corinne, best of luck on the rest of your season.
CB: Thank you so much!