BERKELEY – Hannah Lewis has emerged as a leading internationalist with an eye on the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The 2023 Central Regional High School graduate has earned a berth on the Puerto Rico Women’s Senior National Team in lacrosse. She led the team to eighth place in the 16-team World Lacrosse Championships in Tokyo at 6-2. It was the highest finish ever for a Latin American team.
She tied for fifth place in the tournament in goals (14), ranked high in total points (15) and finished seventh in draw controls (33) in six games. She led the team in goals. The attack attempted 21 shots on goal and caused two turnovers. She hustled to four ground balls, was charged with nine turnovers, served six penalty minutes and received three yellow cards.
“The key reasons for my success were the support I received from my teammates and the leadership provided by my coaches as well as the pride I carry for representing Puerto Rico,” said Lewis, now starring for Towson University. “I played my best to help the entire team succeed. The faith my team had in me was the most motivating factor. My pride carried me through the tournament as it shapes my perspective. It pushes me to be a competitor and to never back down in games since I am playing for something much bigger than myself.
“Competing at the collegiate and international levels is fun and meaningful in their own unique ways. At the collegiate level, I constantly have fun playing with my best friends every day and feel immense pride for my university and my team’s success. At the international level, I am playing for much more as I am representing my heritage and the island that my abuela, grandmother Marta Lewis of Ponce, comes from. To be eligible, you must have either a parent or grandparent born on the island. My abuela was born on the island.”
Lewis enjoys competing under Puerto Rico’s flag.
“It’s a pride that is truly hard to encapsulate with words and constantly feels rewarding,” she said. “Competing at the international level has given me more perspective and opportunities to compete against a variety of opponents, which has helped me grow my game significantly and directly translates to my collegiate play. It has helped me gain experience and learn more about my leadership.
“My overall experience of playing on Team Puerto Rico has been incredibly rewarding. I have met some of my best friends and have had the ultimate opportunity to represent the pride I have for my heritage.”
The team hopes to qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Its first qualifier takes place Sept. 29-Oct. 4 in Canada. The team must place among the top five teams at the PALA Sixes Championship in Oshawa to qualify for the World Lacrosse Sixes Championship in Colorado Springs, Colo., in October of 2027.
Placing in the top five at the World Lacrosse Sixes Championship would guarantee a bid. If the team fails to place in the top five, it will compete with the remaining unqualified teams for the final berth at a final qualifier in 2028. The team seeks financial assistance. The link is givebutter.com/puerto-rico-lacrosse-womens-canada-sixes-qualifier.
Lewis plays on both sides of the ball for the Sixes team and takes the draw for the women’s national team.
“I believe my strong points are dodging, shooting, leadership and draw taking,” she said. “I really enjoy playing both offense and defense on the Sixes team because it forces me out of my comfort zone and helps me embrace playing defense.”
Lewis is 3-for-3 in trying out for Puerto Rico national teams as she also landed a berth on the U20 club.
As a Towson redshirt junior in 2026, Lewis earned All-Colonial Athletic Association first-team honors, starring at attacker and on the draw team. Lewis, who started on attack in each of the Tigers’ 19 games, paced Towson in goals (46) and points (56). She scored at least once in every game and exploded for either a hat trick – or more – in seven games. She posted the highest shot percentage for the Tigers (.479). She added two game-winning goals, two ground balls, seven caused turnovers and three draw controls.
“International and collegiate play translate pretty naturally for me,” the 5-foot-10, 160-pounder said. “There isn’t much of an adjustment between the two. The key reasons for my success in conference play were my team and coaches. Their support means the world to me and I wouldn’t be the player I am today without them. My team helped me find my confidence and love for lacrosse again, for which I am eternally grateful.”
Towson attack coach Bec Lane, who competed for Australia at the World Championship, has played a large role in Lewis’ development.
“She was a great outlet for me throughout the tournament,” Lewis said. “She encouraged me before each game and gave me great advice whenever I felt either discouraged or nervous.”
The criminal justice major earned a berth on the 2026 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District At-Large team. There was a berth on the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll in 2026. She landed on the Dean’s List in 2026 and on the Dean’s List with Distinction last fall.
As a James Madison University sophomore, she saw limited action and was named to its Athletic Director’s Scholar-Athlete List in the fall. As a freshman, she scored two goals in 12 games and was named to the Dean’s List in the fall of 2023 and the Athletic Director’s Scholar-Athlete list in the spring of 2024.
Not even adversity stopped Lewis from excelling.
There was a fully torn iliopsoas (right hip flexor) suffered as a sophomore while taking a shot from eight meters during a pregame practice at Vanderbilt University.
“I missed the second half of the season,” Lewis said. “It was mentally taxing to miss the remainder of the season. I hated having to be sidelined and just wanted to be back on the field.”
Rehab session after rehab session followed.
“It consisted of a lot of mobility, strengthening and BFR (Blood Flow Restriction) exercises as well as running on the boost treadmill,” Lewis said. “When I tore my hip, I immediately knew it was a more serious injury that would keep me sidelined. I had pulled and strained my hip flexor in the past, but this time I felt a pop and knew it must have been either mostly or fully torn.”
There was a broken nose suffered in the first quarter of the CAA Tournament semifinals in a 14-11 win over Hofstra University in 2026. Lewis, who scored two goals, was hit in her face with the ball. She came off the field and learned of the injury. She sat out the remainder of the half, passed concussion testing, obtained a mask and reentered the game.
The Tigers’ season ended with an 18-7 loss to Stony Brook University in which Lewis netted three goals and caused one turnover.
“This situation taught me that I can play through adversity – even with a broken nose,” she said. “I learned some valuable lessons – especially that I can play through adversity rather than allowing it to be an excuse.”
Lewis, an aspiring women’s collegiate lacrosse coach, brings three things to the game of lacrosse.
“I bring my IQ, speed and strength,” she said.
Lewis earned numerous postseason honors at Central. She was among the top five goal scorers in the state and in the top 10 in draw controls in 2022 and 2021. She was named the Shore Conference Class A South Player of the Year in 2023 when she scored a division high 110 goals and added 13 assists, 87 ground balls, 90 draw controls and 39 forced turnovers. She netted 320 career goals and added 33 assists for 353 points, corralled 260 ground balls and added 289 draw controls and 94 forced turnovers.
She started in four seasons of varsity lacrosse and soccer and competed in basketball. She was a National Honor Society member. She was on the High Honor Roll.
