It seems like just yesterday I wrote one of the most meaningful columns of my life. As a junior back in 2007, I wrote in defense of men’s lacrosse. As the former manager of this school’s men’s lacrosse team in 2005, I took a stance against those who were too quick to jump to conclusions made about the lacrosse community as a whole, with unwarranted accusations of brutality, sexism, abuse and racism regarding Duke’s 2006 lacrosse team and the false accusations of gang rape. Three years later, not only do I still defend those three men from Duke — one of whom touched my own life personally — to the very core, but my team as well as the sport I love.

When I heard about the University of Virginia’s tragic situation on Monday afternoon, I was shocked and devastated. This touched very close to home. I can not begin to comprehend the feeling of loss and grief Yeardley Love’s family and friends are enduring at the moment. It was a senseless crime. If convicted, I hope the suspect, George Huguely, serves a just sentence to the fullest extent of the law.

But, much like the Duke lacrosse case, I see people crawling out of the woodwork looking for a chance to slander those who are associated with the accused only by a sport. I am hearing rumblings and seeing blog comments and posts about entitlement; a “culture of brutality” among lacrosse players that became obvious in this recent tragedy. I am being told that Huguely’s summer house in Palm Beach, his father’s business, his education at the Landon School and his economic status, along with his lacrosse background, were all part of a perfect breeding environment for a violent killer. None of this is true. And while I am in no way supporting the actions of the accused, I will support his right to a trial — one unbiased because of his race, his economic status or the sport he played.

I have had the privilege of getting to know many lacrosse players in the last six years. This university, Duke, Georgetown, Princeton, Brown — you name the team, I guarantee I know one of its players very well. As the former girlfriend of a lacrosse player, I spent an inordinate amount of my senior year at games, watching diets during the season and being supportive after bad games, surgeries and tough losses. I do not, for one minute, regret being a part of that.

When I was a freshman working with our team, I considered those men the older brothers I never had. I spent more time with them than I did anyone else that year, on the weekends at games, at hotels playing pranks on each other on away trips and around College Park in classes, at parties, out for lunch or in the bars. I knew a team of men who oftentimes protected me from other guys who were out of line at the bars and who made sure I got home all right. Who still, to this day, worry about my well being and call and text to make sure I am doing OK. This is the lacrosse I know.

My heart is broken for Love’s family and friends. But keep in mind, she was a proud member of the lacrosse community too. And tarnishing it with lies, assumptions and false accusations is not a way to honor her memory. The actions of one member of that team do not, by any means, represent the beliefs or actions of the other members of the team, nor of any other player in NCAA lacrosse.

Before you move forward with a cruel comment about any of these men or the teams they play for, particularly in the name of Love, take a moment to think if she would want you to say that about them. Honor her memory, her beauty and her talent not with false rumors and stereotypes, but with respect and understanding that one person does not represent an entire community. Lacrosse is a tight-knit family, and while I would love to see this school take home the national championship this year, I truly hope to see Virginia’s men take the field with the honor, pride, faith and loyalty I know they have always shown. 

Stefanie Williams is an alumna, former Diamondback Opinion Editor, and former men’s lacrosse manager. She can be reached at StefanieWilliams25 at yahoo dot com