DETROIT (8/11/2020) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's lacrosse program and head coach
Dwayne Hicks has announced the signing of local product
Julia Fortino (Bloomfield Hills, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills) to a National Letter of Intent. Fortino is set to join the Titan program for the 2020-21 school year.
Fortino is the 10th member of the 2020-21 signing class and is the third signee from inside the state of Michigan. The class also represents Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina and Ohio.
"We're very excited about having Julia join our team," Hicks said. "She is very athletic and provides that dynamic element that we're looking for as we evolve as a team. She's got a great shot and she's tough between the lines. We'll need that kind of toughness to compete at the higher levels of the game. She is a great addition to our squad."
Fortino was an All-State player and captain for the Blackhawks and helped the squad to a Division 1 regional championship and state quarterfinal appearance in 2018. She registered 53 goals and 26 assists for 79 points in 16 games as a junior during the 2019 season for Bloomfield Hills High School, coached by former Titan student-athlete Emma Mucci. She missed her senior season due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Fortino, who earned Division 1 Second Team All-State laurels during her career, also earned a spot on the Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Midwest Team in 2018. She played club lacrosse with the Detroit Coyotes for the past five years and also lettered in swimming in high school for the Blackhawks.
Fortino joins a deep, incoming signing class of 10 student-athletes overall, including
Ella Brandt (Mundelein, Ill. / Mundelein HS),
Emma Donahue (Hartland, Mich. / Hartland HS),
Lena Kinczel (Highland Park, Ill. / Highland Park),
Cat Kopchia (Brighton, Mich. / Brighton HS),
Kristine Kropp (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville HS),
Sarah Meek (Indianapolis, Ind. / Bishop Chatard HS),
Kaileigh Nuessgen (Beavercreek, Ohio / Beavercreek HS),
Abby Schillinger (Avon Lake, Ohio / Avon Lake HS) and
Cecelia Vergara (Sunset Beach, N.C. / West Brunswick HS).
The Titans, entering their first full season under with Hicks at the helm, are in a new conference in 2020-21 with the Mid-American Conference (MAC) sponsoring women's lacrosse for the first time in the upcoming school year.
