When Winthrop freshman Maddie Malfa picked up a lacrosse stick as a little girl she was, in the words of music legend Hank Williams Jr continuing "A Family Tradition.

The Malfa family name is synonymous with lacrosse in New Jersey.

Her father, Gregg, was a high-scoring captain at Kean University in Union, NJ.

That's the same school her Uncle Keith attended. Maddie's older sister, Ryan, plays at James Madison, while little brother Tucker is a lacrosse and football at Shore Regional in West Long Branch, NJ, the same school Maddie and her sister attended. Several cousins also play the sport.

Then there's her mom, Carly, who was a three-year starter on the Rutgers field hockey team. And when you think about it, field hockey is similar to lacrosse except the ball stays on the ground and not in the air.

"When I was little, my sister played for my dad's team," Maddie recalled. "So, I just followed her around little sisters do."

It wasn't long before Maddie joined a club team and then it was off to high school where she was a four-year letter winner and standout. She scored 100 goals and earned numerous post-season awards

Following high school, Maddie knew she wanted to head south to get away from those brutal New Jersey winters. Winthrop wasn't on her radar until she made a visit.

"But after that I knew this is where I wanted to be," she said. "I loved everything about it."

Like all freshman, Maddie has had to adjust to the college game.

"First of all, in high school I was used to being one of the top three players," she recalled. But here everybody is so good.

"Then there's the college game. The speed of the game is much faster and there's the shot clock so you can't hold the ball."

Maddie's introduction to collegiate lacrosse has been slowed by an injury, but she's looking forward to the day she can become a contributor.