Natalie Wills, a former collegiate lacrosse standout who became a respected coach and youth development leader, has died after battling breast cancer. She was 36.
Videos by FanBuzz
Wills died Tuesday following a fight with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, according to friends and colleagues. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 and was cancer-free for about a year before the disease returned.
Known throughout the lacrosse community as "NatLax," Wills was widely recognized for helping grow the sport at every level.
A four-year starting goalie at Vanderbilt University after starring at St. Mary's High School in Annapolis, Maryland, Wills later coached at Boston College and the University of Maryland before joining USA Lacrosse. There, she helped develop the organization's national youth development program, expanding opportunities for young athletes across the country.
"Natalie never knew a stranger," longtime friend and McDonogh School coach Megan Nicotra told WMAR. "She was just one of a kind."
Nicotra said Wills was passionate about helping girls build confidence through sports and believed lacrosse could serve as a platform for personal growth.
Even while battling cancer, Wills remained optimistic and continued advocating for breast cancer research.
"So many women have done years and years and years of fundraising to fund research around breast cancer," Wills said during an interview last year. "I know there's a cure just around the corner."
Last September, more than 400 supporters gathered at a fundraiser to help Wills during her treatment. Following her death, a memorial fund established in her honor has raised thousands of dollars to support breast cancer research and provide opportunities for young female lacrosse players.
Friends say Wills' legacy extends well beyond the field.
"I knew Natalie was special," her mother recently told Nicotra. "But we're all kind of floored by how many people Natalie touched."
