Attacker Alexa Capozzoli broke St. Joe’s career assists record. She wants to achieve more.

When Alexa Capozzoli was a freshman at St. Joseph’s, she was trying to find her way in the Hawks’ lineup. The attacker started the first game of the 2023 season against Maryland and earned another the following game against Lehigh.

However, her playing time was limited, but an an injury bumped the Episcopal Academy graduate up the line, and she got the chance to prove her role.

“I stopped playing a little bit and that definitely got in my head,” said Cappozzoli, now a senior. “I felt like I kind of played with a little bit of a nothing to lose mentality where I was like, ‘If I have one chance on the field, I got to just give it my all.’ And it kind of worked out.”

Capozzoli finished the season with 26 goals and 12 assists in six starts and earned the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year.

She’s become a staple in the Hawks’ program. She made the all-conference team last season and was named preseason all-conference player entering this year. Capozzoli is eighth in the Atlantic 10 in points (37) and seventh in assists (17).

The attacker also etched her name into history on Hawk Hill, breaking the program’s all-time assist record of 110 on Feb. 27 against Georgetown. She hopes to eclipse the career record in points (245). Entering Saturday’s matchup against La Salle, Capozzoli currently has 120 career assists and 216 career points.

“Breaking the record was super exciting,” she said. “I was really proud of myself for accomplishing something so amazing. I knew I was close, but never thought about it too much. The more I think about it, the more stressed I’m going to be when I’m playing. So I was just thinking, ‘If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.’ I just want to do the best I can in every game.”

While Capozzoli cemented her name into the program’s legacy, it also kept her families name alive. Her parents, Erica and Chris, played college lacrosse. Her mom was a defender at the University of Massachusetts from 1993 to 1997, while Chris was a defender at St. Joe’s from 1994 to 1998. They both have seen their daughter grow since she began playing the sport.

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“It’s so important,” Erica said. “I feel like at the end of all this lacrosse is going to have meant nothing but the lessons that you learned through being part of a team. Learning how to get through difficult times and good times, and how to handle yourself, are just good life lessons for your future.”

Alexa had a lacrosse stick in her hand since she was a child. It was a sport that surrounded her family. Besides Alexa’s parents, her aunts played at Penn State and an uncle who played at Rutgers.

Alexa began playing in kindergarten while also doing basketball and softball, but there was a different feeling when she picked up a lacrosse stick.

Both parents were part of their daughter’s sports journey. Her mom coached Alexa in lacrosse until middle school. Chris coached her in soccer and basketball.

Ultimately, lacrosse was the sport Alexa wanted to continue her athletic career in, and St. Joe’s wasn’t on her radar until she spoke to assistant coaches Julia Braig, Caroline Steele, and head coach Alex Kahoe.

“I’d never been super interested in it because my dad had gone here, I wanted to make a name for myself somewhere else,” Alexa said. “But then once they started saying I should look there, I was like, ‘OK, I’ll start reaching out.’

“The second I stepped on campus, I was like, ‘OK, this is the place for me.’ I was just telling them how much I loved it.”

Chris and Erica make it an effort to be at every game, as they reside in Ridley Park. Even for away games, her parents will try to be in attendance.

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“There’s certain games where I look up, and if I know I’m having a good game, I’ll see my mom or my dad give me a thumbs up,” Alexa said. “Or give me a, ‘Come on let’s go!’ If I’m off a little bit. ... I know exactly where they’re sitting in every game. I always look up in the stands, it makes a difference for me in my game, knowing that they’re up there.”

With six games remaining, the Hawks are 4-6 record and 3-1 in the Atlantic 10, tied for second in the standings. While breaking records is nice, her end goal is to help St. Joe’s earn a conference title.

“Obviously I would love to continue scoring and assisting,” Alexa said. “But my goal this year, being a senior, is to ultimately win the A-10 and go out with a winning record and win the most games that we can. Whatever way I can do to be part of that I would love to do that.”