Marquette University Athletics
Senior Spotlight: Logan Dobratz
4/9/2020 4:03:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
The Lakeville, Minnesota native battled through two major knee injuries during her time at MU
MILWAUKEE – In days leading up to the 2019 season, senior midfielder Logan Dobratz was practicing with the Marquette women's lacrosse team in preparation for its season opener against Notre Dame.
One of nine seniors on the team, Dobratz was expected to be one of the key cogs on a talented roster. Her plans were swiftly thrown out the window when a misstep turned into a torn ACL – the second major knee injury of her career at MU.
"It was really hard to go through that again," Dobratz said. "I knew the type of injury it was and the strenuous process of rehabbing to come back. Even though it was tough at first, I had no doubt in my mind I wanted to come back and be a part of this special group for one more year."
A double major in secondary education and spanish, she wanted to finish out her collegiate lacrosse career with a team that head coach Meredith Black called "the most connected group" she's had during her nine-year stint at Marquette. Black was thrilled to hear from her senior leader that she wanted to come back for one final run in the blue & gold.
Logan Dobratz with the GOAL!
— Marquette Women's Lacrosse (@MarquetteWLax) February 23, 2020
MU: 5, NU: 0#WeAreMarquette 💙💛 pic.twitter.com/YgErNageEb
"Not only is Logan an incredible athlete, but she's an incredible person who is driven by faith and cura personalis," Coach Black said. "Because of her injury, we were lucky enough to have Logan for five years and not just four. The way she handled her injury and bounced back from it was inspiring to all of us."
After not playing a game for almost two years, the Lakeville, Minnesota native made her mark in the team's first victory of the year – a 17-6 victory against Cincinnati at Valley Fields. She scored one of her three goals on the year in the midst of an 11-2 run that helped the Golden Eagles put the game out of reach.
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"Being able to get back on the field with my teammates after that long process of rehabbing felt amazing," Dobratz said. "Getting through these injuries helped me prove to myself that I can overcome adversity and get back to doing what I love if I set my mind to it. I truly believe I've become a better person because of what I've been through here [at Marquette]."
Looking back at her time in Milwaukee, Dobratz was unsure if Marquette was going to be the place for her. She'd always thought that she'd go to a bigger school in a less densely populated area. After talking with the coaches and realizing what it meant to be a Golden Eagle, she was sold on MU.
"Initially I wasn't so sure about Marquette as I didn't think I'd ever be attracted to a city school," Dobratz said. "But once I got to learn more about the [school] pillars – excellence, leadership, service and faith – those really aligned with my personal values and what I was looking for. The atmosphere created by Coach Black and her team sealed the deal for me."
In her head coaches' opinion, Dobratz is the ultimate team player and embodies what it means to be a Marquette Golden Eagle.
"She is an extremely hard worker and will do anything for the team," Black said. "She is someone that we can all rely on for anything. If it's on the field, she will do it. Off the field, if someone needs a helping hand, Logan is first to be there. She is amazing and we have loved every second of her time at MU."
H1 | 1:04
— Marquette Women's Lacrosse (@MarquetteWLax) March 4, 2020
Graduate student Logan Dobratz scores her 3⃣rd goal of the year on a feed from Menzuber!#WeAreMarquette 💛💙 pic.twitter.com/ee5fxnmgsE
Although she wanted to end her career on a better note with a run in the BIG EAST tournament, the five-time Academic All-BIG EAST honoree feels like she made the most of every moment at MU, both on and off the field. She plans to carry on the lessons she's learned in the next stage of her life as a teacher.
"It's crazy that this stage of my life is coming to an end," she said. "From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank my coaches, teammates and everyone I've been involved with at Marquette for the best five years of my life."
Keep up with the Marquette women's lacrosse program all season long through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteWLax) and Instagram (@MarquetteWLax) and `liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteWLax).
