Lauren Wells - Athlete of the Week

As a star lacrosse player at Chaparral High School in Parker, Lauren Wells was expected to take her talents to the next level.

However, a fateful night when she was 16 nearly changed everything.

"I was sitting in the front seat of a friend's car coming home from a football game, and we were t-boned," recalls Wells.

The accident left Wells with a broken pelvis and broken tailbone.

The injuries were supposed to keep Wells away from the lacrosse field that season, but she had other ideas.

"I had internal injuries that were so bad that if I got bumped it could have been bad, but lacrosse was such a big part of my life that I thought it was more important that I play and I had a lot of determination," she says.

Wells managed to return quicker than everyone expected. She was on the field for the season opener, and was once again, an All-Continental League selection.

In coming to Mesa State after graduation, some expected she would sit her Freshman year, but that quickly changed.

"We had another goaltender that left the program, so Lauren was given a chance and when I saw her I was glad I didn't have another goaltender, she's phenomenal," said Head Coach Abby Simpson.

Now, as the Mavs' starting goaltender in their inaugural season, Wells says she doesn't dwell much on what might have been, but instead, is grateful for what she has.

"I'm definitely loving Mesa and I'm not mad about what happened at all," says Wells.