FAIRFAX, Va. - At Tuesday's Green & Gold Celebration, junior midfielder Lauren Distad was named the 2024 Aimee Willard Commemorative Award recipient. This award is given to a student-athlete who embodies Aimee's legacy and who mirror the standards of quality set by Aimee in her two-sport career: intensity, consistency of purpose, achievement, and teamwork. 
 
Distad's path to winning the Aimee Willard Award started 1,100 miles away from George Mason in Roseville, Minn. where she grew up. "I come from a very diverse area in Minnesota," said Distad. "I saw a lot of people that weren't given equitable care and opportunities that I was given. So, in high school, I started volunteering and doing stuff because I wanted to close that gap. I started a food drive during COVID, and that kind of kick-started me with community service stuff. 
 
In order for a student-athlete to be given this award, their coach must nominate them. Distad's head coach, Kara Mupo, said she nominated her because, "Lauren has been a consistent contributor to our program, her school, and her community. She continuously upholds the highest standards through everything she does and leaves a positive and lasting impact on people in all facets of her life."
 
When she chose to come to George Mason, Distad says lacrosse was the leading factor, but it's not the reason she's stayed. "Lacrosse brought me here […] but I stay because of the people that I've met here and the consistency within academics and athletics and just the people make it who it is and make Mason what it is. It's a great environment, great community."
 
Distad is a big part of making the Mason, and surrounding Fairfax community, so great. In her limited free time over the past three years, Distad has served as a member of the Student Athletics Advisory Committee, as a George Mason Ambassador, a University Chooses Kindness Ambassador, and is heavily involved in the Morgan's Message club. She is the founder of the One Love club on campus, a group that raises awareness about relationship violence by hosting events, workshops, and fundraisers. The junior has also excelled in the classroom, twice named a GMU Athletics Provost Scholar and has been on the Dean's List for every semester she's attended George Mason. Distad also works two on-campus jobs in the athletics department. 
 
In March, she received an OrthoVirginia Student Achiever Award which recognizes George Mason student-athletes that excel in all areas; academics, athletics, and service to the community. 
 
Off campus, Distad has volunteered at the Lloyd Moss Free Clinic as a medical scribe and has worked with FACETS at the Wedgewood Community Center helping with after school enrichment. She also spent last summer as a volunteer in the birth center and breast health care center at Regions Hospital in Minnesota. The biology major is on a pre-med track and is set to take the MCAT this fall with the hopes to specialize in pediatrics or as a fertility specialist, but that's not the only reason she picked her volunteer work. Distad said, "I just like to see people happy. I know it sounds super simple, but everyone deserves equitable care and to be happy and to be cared for and seen."
 
On the field, Distad has played all over, but has become the team's draw specialist this year, tallying 87 draw controls, good for third most in the A-10. And while she's led the draw team to be top-25 in the country in draw control percentage, she humbly credits her teammates and coaches as the reason for their success: "I couldn't do it without my draw circle. We work really well as a team. There's a lot that goes into it and it's very skilled and people don't really notice that. […] And our circle game was really good last year, but [assistant coach Riley Ewing] enhanced our on-draw calls. I'm very fortunate to have a good team that supports me in [the draw specialist] role and who has my back."
 
Distad and George Mason Lacrosse are headed to the Atlantic 10 Championships for the first time since 2019 and the first time under Coach Mupo. Heading into their first-round match up against Davidson, Distad said she's "excited for it. Feeling ready. Underdogs are the best place to be, so a big mentality going into this game. We're going to give Davidson a run for their money. They don't know what's coming."
 

The Patriots will play Davidson on May 2 at 3 p.m. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.