Many high-performing athletes have aspirations to compete at the collegiate level. While these athletes do their best to compete and showcase their skills on the field or on the court, they have little control over the offers that they hope to receive. When seniors lacrosse stars Julia and Allison Hoffman finally got that call from Lindenwood University, they were elated.
Unknown to the sisters, their lacrosse dream would complicate quickly. In an arduous journey that led to their offers being pulled and left them looking for a place to play collegiate athletics, the Hoffman twins have committed to Division II Colorado University, Colorado Springs to play girls lacrosse.
The twins’ journey started in 8th grade, when they truly started thinking about lacrosse as a potential collegiate sport. They began their high school career at West Ranch.
“During my time at West Ranch, I honestly hated playing lacrosse. The environment was really negative, and it took a toll on how I played,” Allison Hoffman said. “I started to lose confidence, mostly because of how the coach constantly compared players instead of encouraging us.”
So when the two switched to Oak Park High School, the change of scenery was astounding to them. It led to huge strides in their development and for the first time, they got a chance to play the sport they loved without being compared all of the time.
“There was a real sense of support and unity that I had never felt before,” Julia Hoffman said. “I was finally on a team where mistakes weren’t met with judgment, but with encouragement. I could just play—freely, confidently, and as myself.”
After transferring, Allison and Julia’s careers took off. Around the same time, they transferred their club teams as well, which also had a significant impact.
“When I switched clubs during my sophomore year, I noticed a significant improvement in my performance. For context, I had previously been part of a toxic club where I rarely saw the field—not because of my skill, but because I wasn’t one of the coach’s favorites,” Allison Hoffman said. “After switching, everything changed. I was playing my best, my skills improved quickly and I was getting much more time on the field.”
As they developed, the twins realized that playing college lacrosse was becoming a more and more of a real possibility. Although California is an extremely competitive state for lacrosse, it was clear that they had the potential to stand out on the field.
“By the fall of my senior year, most people had written off the possibility of me going D1. Programs had moved on to younger classes and there was no room for yet another two people to commit D1” Julia Hoffman said. “But I wasn’t done.”
Julia and Allison fought hard, and managed to fly out to Missouri for one last DI camp. They got the opportunity to visit Lindenwood University after standout performances, and immediately fell in love. A few weeks later, they committed. However, it simply could not be that easy for the two underdog athletes who just had to keep fighting for their spot.
“I found out about the roster limits when my college coach called me just two weeks before signing day. He had texted Julia and I around 7 p.m., asking if we were available for a call,” Allison Hoffman said. “Like usual, we thought nothing of it and called him that night. As soon as I heard the news, I felt crushed. I couldn’t believe my offer was being taken away so close to signing day.”
Due to a new lawsuit involving NCAA roster limitations, their offers had been revoked. The average person, the average athlete would have given up. The Hoffman twins, while thunderstruck, refused to stop fighting for what they deserved.
“I reopened my recruitment and got back to work. I attended more showcases and emailed dozens of coaches,” Julia Hoffman said. “I got interest from a few schools, even another D1, but they wanted me to change how I play. That wasn’t something I was willing to do—my style is what makes me myself.”
Allison and Julia kept working towards their goals while using their final season to help them keep calm in the midst of the chaos surrounding them. Their hard work paid off. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, they were given an opportunity to go play for the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.
“What ultimately led me to choose UCCS was the combination of the coach and the location. The lacrosse coach is incredibly knowledgeable and highly respected in the lacrosse community,” Allison Hoffman said. “He recently coached a Top 5 Division I team, is a U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee and has played professionally himself.”
The twins committed to UCCS and are now preparing to play for the university next spring.
“Throughout my journey, I constantly heard the phrase ‘trust the process.’ But honestly, that saying started to frustrate me,” Allison Hoffman said. “It always seemed to come from people who were already committed, while I was still struggling to find my place.”
Their patience and perseverance eventually paid off. Although the process may not have been easy, they would not trade it for anything else.
“My advice to younger athletes who want to play in college is to be patient and not take everything too seriously all the time,” Julia Hoffman said. “Recruiting is important, but if you focus too much on it, you can miss out on experiences you won’t get back—like enjoying the game, your teammates, and just being a kid. Take a deep breath, have fun with your sport, and trust that the right opportunities will come when they’re meant to.”
