MENOMONIE — Mai Nou Vang is a senior standout for the UW-Stout women’s lacrosse team.
In 2024, Vang scored a total of 26 goals and tallied seven assists. With the regular season still in play, she has surpassed both those statistics.
Blue Devils coach Mikayla Knudson said Vang is the type of player that the team clears space for. She said the team wants to put the ball in her possession.
“When you’ve got someone like that who can put the ball in the back of the net, handle the pressure that she handles, who is gritty on the ground balls, it really excites everybody,” the coach said. “We do things we normally wouldn’t do if the team didn’t have someone with her caliber on our team.”
On March 10, Vang scored seven goals against Beloit College. The Blue Devils defeated the Buccaneers 13-12.
The Blue Devils are 7-5 on the season. Vang has scored at least one goal in every game this season. In 12 games, she has 30 goals with 13 assists. The team has two games remaining in the regular season.
Vang is a captain for the Blue Devils. Knudson said Vang is not the most vocal person on the field but she is a great leader by example.
“She knows how to motivate the team with her actions and that is important to have,” Knudson said. “Mai Nou really just gets out there and she’s gritty, she’s working hard and it makes everybody else want to work hard with her.”
Knudson said the team can count on Vang when those last second goals are needed. She said Vang knows how to put the team on her back and do what needs to be done in order to win.
She added that Vang is a prominent draw taker for the Blue Devils. Last season Vang had 13 draw controls and this season she has dominated with 63 draw controls.
“There has been a big difference in how much she has been enjoying the game,” Knudson said. “I think she has found her passion in her senior year and is really going out there to have fun and that is when she plays her best lacrosse.”
UW-Stout women’s lacrosse began competition in spring of 2023. Vang said she chose UW-Stout because of their schooling, but she also wanted to be part of the up-and-coming lacrosse program.
She said her years on the lacrosse field have fulfilled her dreams of being a college athlete.
“With lacrosse not being a sport that people know a lot about, it has been exciting to see the support from friends and family,” she said. “We get to share the moments of the sport and that is special.”
Knudson talked about Vang being a team player, and Vang proved that to be accurate. She said her competitiveness is driven from her teammates.
“I just give it all for my team,” Vang said. “Even if I don’t score, I know I need to show up on the draw or ground balls and do whatever I can to help the team.”
Vang said this team is special and the family bonds she has created over the years at UW-Stout will last a lifetime.
