Johns Hopkins University Athletics

The transformation of the Johns Hopkins women’s lacrosse program from Division III to Division I in 1999 drastically changed the recruiting focus of head coach Janine Tucker. Two years after making the jump, Tucker welcomed Heidi Pearce to Homewood to join her program; four years later Pearce graduated as one of the truly great players in school history.

Pearce was a dominant force for the Blue Jays on offense and between the lines as a standout two-way midfielder. She concluded her career with 152 goals, 49 assists and 201 points with her marks for goals and points still standing as the school record for totals by a midfielder.

In addition to her prowess on offense, Pearce was also exceptional in unsettled situations as she ranks among the school career leaders in ground balls (230) and caused turnovers (109).

Pearce’s talents were recognized at the conference and national levels as she built a resume that includes numerous honors. She became Hopkins’ first Division I First Team All-American when she earned a spot on the top squad from the IWLCA as a senior and also twice earned All-America recognition from Inside Lacrosse. The two-time team captain was also a three-time All-American Lacrosse Conference selection, grabbing first team honors as a sophomore and senior and second team as a junior.

Pearce helped Johns Hopkins to a four-year record of 44-24, the 2001 ECAC Championship and the program’s first NCAA Division I Tournament appearance in 2004. She led the Blue Jays to their first-ever wins against teams ranked in the top 10 in Division I as a senior (#9 Vanderbilt and #6 Notre Dame) and helped transform the program into a perennial top 20 team at the highest level of the sport.