ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Baptist University women's lacrosse team has named its captains for the 2026 season. Leading the Spartans will be Emily Goewert, Delaney Pechnik, Hayley Schnefke, and Alexis Taylor. All four are serving as captains for the first time, stepping into the role after three of last year's leaders graduated.
Goewert, a junior from O'Fallon, Mo., returns this season after a standout career at Fort Zumwalt West High School, where she was a varsity captain her senior year. In her two seasons at MBU, she has established herself as a strong presence on defense while excelling academically. Last year, she was one of just two sophomores on the women's lacrosse team to earn CSC Academic All-District honors. Goewert also earned Daktronics NAIA Scholar Athlete this past season.
Pechnik, a 5'7" junior midfielder from Groveland, Fla., and Lake Minneola High School, returns to the Spartans after an impressive 2025 season. She earned Second Team All-HEART honors after tallying 34 goals and five assists, while also proving to be a force on the draw with 65 career wins to date. Off the field, Pechnik shines academically as well. She was the other sophomore alongside Goewert to receive CSC Academic All-District recognition and also earned Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors in 2025. A natural leader, she also captained her high school team during her senior season at Lake Minneola.
Schnefke returns for her second season with the Spartans as a graduate student defender from St. Louis, Mo. A former captain at Rosati-Kain Academy, where she led the team her senior year, she went on to compete at McKendree University, serving as a senior captain there as well before joining MBU. In her first year with the Spartans, Schnefke earned Second Team All-HEART honors after collecting 28 ground balls and forcing seven turnovers.
Taylor, a midfielder from Lindbergh High School in St. Louis, Mo., joined the Spartans last season and made an immediate impact. She appeared in all 20 games during the 2025 campaign, scoring 25 goals and adding two assists. In addition to her offensive contributions, Taylor collected 21 ground balls and forced 12 turnovers from the midfield. A proven leader, she also captained her Lindbergh team during her senior year.
