ST. JOSEPH, Minn. -- Whenever things get a little tough or an obstacle emerges in her path, Ella Steinke asks herself a simple question.
 
What would her mother do?
 

Amy Steinke has battled multiple sclerosis for over 30 years now – a fight that started well before Ella, now a senior at the College of Saint Benedict, and her older brother Jack were even born.
 
She is also a cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2020. Yet she continues to thrive and persevere, consistently inspiring those around her.
 
"If I'm going through a rough patch, I think about her example and the way she handles everything with such positivity and grace," said Ella of Plymouth, Minn.
 
"I didn't know what she was dealing with wasn't a normal thing until I was in middle school, and not because she hid it from us," she continued. "She always stresses vulnerability is super important and that you need to let the tough times show. We knew she had MS, but she never let it stop her from doing anything with us. And even later, when her MS started to become a bit more progressive, she'd still make an effort to do everything at least once." 
 
"That's one of the many things I love so much about her," said Ella of Plymouth, Minn. "She doesn't let obstacles prevent her from doing what she wants. And my dad (Kenneth) is a big inspiration to me as well, as he shows what true support of someone you love looks like. Their teamwork is really beautiful to watch. He thinks she's the best human alive, and she feels the same about him, and in both cases they're right. He's always so helpful around her. It's really sweet to see."
 
Ella has found plenty of ways to be helpful herself. Along with the rest of her family, she's actively involved in fundraising efforts for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, including taking part in an annual MS walk in Minneapolis.
 
Beyond that, as a member of the CSB Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, she played a key role in an on-campus cancer awareness initiative last fall in which Bennie athletic teams and their families – as well as CSB and SJU faculty, staff and fans – purchased and wore a specially designed cancer awareness t-shirt as a way of showing their support for those battling all types of the illness.
 
Proceeds raised went to the CentraCare-Coborn Cancer Center in St. Cloud.
 
"(Giving back is) a big focus and priority of mine," she said. "It's why I want to be involved in things like that.
 
"My mom is one of the biggest parts of my life, and giving back wherever I can helps me show how appreciative I am of everything she's given me."
 
But Steinke isn't just a leader off the field. She's also a pivotal veteran voice in the CSB lacrosse program and one of the pioneers who've helped the Bennies establish themselves the past few seasons.
 
In fact, it was Steinke – then a first-year midfielder – who scored the program's first goal when the Bennies began their debut season with a matchup at Wisconsin-River Falls on March 20, 2023. It came on a free position shot with 9:31 remaining in the second quarter.
 
"It feels like I blinked and here we are now," Steinke said. "It's amazing how fast things have gone, but also how much we've accomplished since then and how much things have changed. We have come so far as a team these past four seasons."
 
Steinke has been a big part of making that happen. She had 27 goals that first season as CSB finished a surprising 11-3 and advanced to the Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference championship game.
 
She then had 16 goals as a sophomore as the Bennies returned to the MWLC title game before transitioning to defender as the program began play as an affiliate member in the rugged Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference a year ago. Led by Steinke, the Bennies finished second in the WIAC.
 
She is again anchoring CSB's defensive corps as the Bennies have gotten off to a 2-2 start this season.
 
"We wouldn't be where we're at now without Ella and the contributions she's made," CSB head coach Patrick Crandall said. "As a head coach, especially when you're starting a program, you look for athletes who have that it factor. The ones who can become a focal point for their teammates, and she's been that since Day 1."
 
"She's a great sounding board for me and a go-between between the coaching staff and the players. But she's also someone who will do whatever is needed to help the team succeed," said Crandall. "I know she misses playing up front offensively, but we needed her to be a veteran presence on the defensive end. She took on that role without any complaint. It's always the we and never the me with her."
 
Indeed, while Steinke said she misses the rush of scoring on a regular basis, she's also found plenty of satisfaction as a defender.
 
"We've built such a strong, veteran defensive group and I'm really proud to be part of it," said Steinke, who had experience at defender during her time playing club lacrosse for Crandall in high school.
 
"You have to see the field a little differently on defense. You have to know who we're playing and how they like to drive to the net," she said. "Whether they're right or left-handed and whether they normally attack high or low. It's a different perspective on things and I like the challenge."
 
Steinke is a biology major on a pre-physician assistant (PA) track. She also works as a student medical assistant for the CSB athletic department and completed an internship at Children's Minnesota in Minneapolis last summer
 
She plans to work in the field for a couple of years after graduating this May before eventually going on to PA school.
 
"That goes back to my mom as well," she said. "I went to a lot of her appointments growing up and I met with the providers who took care of her. I remember talking with one of the PAs while they were examining an MRI of her brain scan to see how the MS was progressing. I was really fascinated by how they worked and it planted the seed for me."
 
Before that seed grows, though, Steinke hopes to end her collegiate lacrosse career as successfully as possible.
 
"I do feel like kind of a pioneer here," she said. "I'm proud of where this program is at now. I know it will go on long after I'm gone, but I hope I've been able to leave my stamp on it."
 
"I just want to see us continue to show our potential," Steinke said. "We have insane talent on this team and there's no limit to how far we can go if we play our best game."