For the past three weeks we have been taking a look back at Rockhurst University's Top 20 highlights over the past 20 years in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. This week we wrap up the Top 20 list with the five most recent highlights.

Women's Soccer captured its first GLVC Tournament championship in 2018. Women's Volleyball collected its third NCAA regional title and its second final-four finish in 2019. Men's Lacrosse won its first GLVC Tournament trophy in 2023. Women's Lacrosse and Women's Tennis made history in 2025 with their NCAA Tournament appearances.

2018 Women's Soccer
The Hawks captured their first GLVC Women's Soccer Championship in dramatic fashion in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Maddie Dierkes scored the winning goal in overtime to give the seventh-seeded Hawks a 1-0 victory over fifth-seeded Bellarmine. Dierkes scored off a long free kick from Cathy Rometti in the first overtime period.

Rockhurst opened the GLVC Tournament with a 2-0 win at second-seeded McKendree and edged third-seeded Southern Indiana on penalty kicks to advance to the GLVC title game. Caroline Romme made the winning penalty kick in the fifth round.

Stephanie Ostrander and McKenna Leetch combined for 19 goals to lead the 2018 Hawks, who ended their season with an 11-8-2 record.


2019 Women's Volleyball
The Tracy Rietzke era at Rockhurst ended in 2019 with the Hawks' third NCAA Elite Eight appearance in five years. Rietzke's 32nd and final season at Rockhurst ended in the national semifinals in Denver, Colorado.

The 19th-ranked Hawks upset 10th-ranked Hillsdale, 3-0, in Romeoville, Illinois to capture their third NCAA regional championship. The Hawks defeated Carson-Newman in the national quarterfinals before falling short against undefeated Nebraska-Kearney in the NCAA semifinals.

Rietzke was named the AVCA Division II National Coach of the Year. Senior outside hitters Karli Reichert and Alyssa Woodman received All-American honors.


2023 Men's Lacrosse
The second-seeded Hawks scored three goals in the final period to rally for a 9-8 victory over fourth-seeded Lewis in Indianapolis to earn their first-ever GLVC Tournament championship. Freshman attacker Tyler Smith scored two of his team-high three goals in the fourth quarter.

Rockhurst (10-5) earned a spot in the GLVC title game with a 14-9 win over Maryville in the GLVC semifinals. Jake Fisher, Ricky Bloom and Grant Brunsvold each scored three goals in the win over the Saints.

Head coach Kevin Kelley was named the GLVC Co-Coach of the Year. Luke Goetz received Third Team All-American and First Team All-GLVC honors.


2025 Women's Lacrosse
In their 12th year as a program, the women's lacrosse team made history by earning their first ticket to the NCAA national tournament earlier this year. Head coach Molly McCourt directed the Hawks to a school-record 13 wins and a third-place finish in the GLVC.

Rockhurst fell to Indianapolis in the semifinals of the GLVC Tournament and lost to Grand Valley State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in St. Louis.

Freshman Kylee Pickens (below) led the country in draw controls and was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year. McCourt was voted the GLVC Coach of the Year.


2025 Women's Tennis
The women's tennis team got hot in April and May earlier this year, winning 12 consecutive matches. The Hawks won their first GLVC Tournament Championship and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 for the first time in school history.

Rockhurst defeated Indianapolis for the first time in 13 years to collect the GLVC trophy under GLVC Coach of the Year Jamie McDonald. The Hawks posted nail-biting wins over Findlay and Indianapolis in the NCAA Midwest Regional in Allendale, Michigan to earn a trip to Florida.

Sophomore Ella Coleman (below) was named the GLVC Player of the Year for the second year in a row. She finished 11th in the final ITA singles rankings to earn All-American honors.