3 Pfeiffer Players Excel in Classroom After Best Season in Years

Three Pfeiffer University lacrosse players are proving that success on the field and in the classroom go hand in hand.

Junior midfielder Lola Cabaniss-Ali and senior midfielders Rylee Honeycutt and Emma LaFave were named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association's 2025-26 Division III Academic Honor Roll. All three maintained grade-point averages of at least 3.50 while helping the Falcons achieve their best season in years.

The timing makes this recognition even sweeter. The academic honors followed a turnaround season where Pfeiffer finished 11-6 overall, marking the program's first winning season since 2019.

Under second-year coach Julia Barbato, the Falcons climbed to fifth place in the USA South Athletic Conference with a 5-4 conference record. That winning conference record was the first for the program since 2021.

The transformation was dramatic. Just one year earlier, during Barbato's first season, Pfeiffer went 2-11 overall and 1-8 in conference play.

The Ripple Effect

The three Pfeiffer honorees joined 1,347 student-athletes from 174 Division III institutions nationwide recognized for academic excellence. Across the USA South Athletic Conference, 18 student-athletes from seven programs made the list.

The academic honor roll requires more than just good grades. Players must be juniors, seniors or graduate students who balance rigorous athletic schedules with demanding coursework.

Pfeiffer's lacrosse program, founded in 1999, has compiled a 225-176 overall record. Next spring, the Falcons will try to post consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2018 and 2019.

For Cabaniss-Ali, Honeycutt and LaFave, the recognition shows that dedication pays off in multiple arenas at once.