Taylor's 10: Farewell to Another Spring

Taylor Cummings is a three-time Tewaaraton Award winner, a two-time gold medalist with the U.S. women’s national team, the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse champion and the former head coach at McDonogh (Md.). “Taylor’s 10” is presented by Gait Lacrosse. Be legendary.

And just like that, the 2023 women’s lacrosse season has come to a close. This time of year always feels bittersweet because the journey that was so much fun to watch is also the journey that is now over.

I already miss my triple-screen viewing parties, weekend watch polls and group chats with Terp alums about the upcoming games, and I’m counting down the days to next spring.

There is one thing that is purely sweet about the season ending, though, and that is that our future is brighter because of what happened this spring. In short, our sport got better. The talent on the field was insane, and the IQ on the sidelines was elite, which resulted in the passion from the fans growing and the visibility of the women’s game skyrocketing each week.

Players like Izzy Scane and Meaghan Tyrrell inspired the next generation of girls, while coaches like Kelly Amonte Hiller and Liza Kelly fueled the growth of up-and-coming coaches near and far. Together, the teams and coaches of this 2023 season brought together so many people and created momentum for the future. I’m so hopeful for our sport moving forward and cannot wait to see where it’s headed next.

With that, here are my final takes from the 2023 season, as well as what I’m already looking forward to next spring!

Liza Kelly should win Coach of the Year.

What Liza Kelly was able to do with her Denver Pioneers squad this season was nothing short of spectacular. To play as many away games as they did and to then win those games against ranked opponents is special. She inspired her team to believe that it could compete with every team in the country, and the Pios did so by earning their first-ever Final Four appearance. Kelly’s joy and humbleness were palpable, and I know there are only bigger and better things to come in Denver’s future.

Izzy Scane should win the Tewaaraton.

All of the finalists for the Tewaaraton Award are incredible players and vital to their respective teams’ successes. They helped their teams win big games and accomplish their goals and are very deserving of the recognition. But Scane was simply in a class of her own, especially in the last few weeks, as she put Northwestern on her back when it mattered most during NCAA tournament time. Her electrifying goals, chaos-inducing ride and poise under pressure helped secure her Wildcats a ring and herself a Tewaaraton.

Sam Thacker is the Defender of the Year.

I may be biased given that I coached Thacker in high school, but her play this spring was simply outstanding. She played a vital role on the top defense in the country as the rover/backer, and her excellent play was a huge contributor to Denver’s run to the Final Four. My favorite moment from Thacker this season was her interception at the end of regulation against North Carolina because it encompassed everything that makes her great — her IQ, her risk taking, her stick handling and her confidence to just go for it with the game on the line.

Madison Taylor is the Freshman of the Year.

Madison Taylor’s performance this spring was so impressive. As a freshman, she amassed 53 goals and 17 assists along with 32 ground balls, nine caused turnovers, 56 draw controls and one national championship. She never played like a freshman, always having a confidence and poise about her. She even scored the first two goals in the national championship game, and that says something in and of itself. I’m excited to see her continue her career, and I have a feeling I’ll be writing about her for years to come.

Meaghan Tyrrell and Megan Carney will be missed.

I love watching Tyrrell and Carney, both as individuals and as a combo. They are such different players but work so well with each other and with their teammates. Tyrrell provided the steady, calm confidence, while Carney brought the heat and passion to this year’s Orange squad. The Megs are a pair that will be difficult for Syracuse to replace and one that the college lacrosse world will miss watching.

The BC Eagles are officially the comeback kids, especially against Syracuse.

The Eagles are known for their grit and determination, even more so when they’re down by a few goals. They made a habit of pulling off some excellent comebacks this season and found themselves doing so twice against Syracuse. In the Final Four, Boston College was able to dig itself out of a hole thanks to excellent goalie play from Shea Dolce and the shooting prowess of Tewaaraton finalist Jenn Medjid. An incredible back check from midfielder Belle Smith sealed the deal for the Eagles’ sixth straight national championship game appearance. They never doubt themselves, and I’m confident that resiliency will continue.

North Carolina’s youth is primed for an excellent 2024 campaign.

UNC returns a ton of young players for 2024 and brings in an excellent freshmen class as well. Their youth was their Achilles’ heel at points this spring, but the Tar Heels will be a whole lot scarier come next season when that youth turns into experience. Caroline Godine, Marissa White, Kiley Mottice and Kaleigh Harden will be just sophomores next spring but will have a ton of games under their belts and chips on their shoulders from an Elite Eight exit. The lacrosse world needs to be prepared for this group, and I’m excited to watch them grow together.

Empty net goals need to be gone!

As of now, when a goalie commits a foul in the critical scoring area, they have to go behind on the 8-meter arc, leaving the cage open. We saw this happen twice during Championship Weekend, which is unfortunate for many reasons. Instead of the penalty being assessed to the goalie, I think this rule needs to be changed to a green card with a 30-second penalty and woman-up opportunity for the offensive team. The offense will still get an advantage for the foul but not a wide-open net and guaranteed goal.

Championship Weekend needs to move away from Cary, N.C.

After an incredible final weekend at Homewood Field in 2022, this year’s event in Cary, N.C., seemed far less jubilant. There was a sellout crowd for both dates in 2022, but the stands looked sparce for all three games this year. Wet weather might have played a factor. I’m all for growing the sport and getting these games into areas with budding lacrosse interest, but I also think that getting the best crowd is key to both growth across the country and to the player-fan experience. I’d like to see the Final Four go back to one of the hotter beds of lacrosse in the future — Baltimore, Long Island, Philadelphia or Boston — and sell it out again.

Northwestern could repeat.

The NCAA champion Wildcats lose Molly Laliberty, Hailey Rhatigan and potentially Erin Coykendall, among others, to graduation but still bring back a scary amount of talent and experience. Izzy Scane, Sammy White, Madison Taylor and Co. return with what I imagine will be a “repeat or bust” mentality. Amonte Hiller will have plenty to work with as she looks to get to the top of the mountain once again, and the Scane Train will have her eyes on another prize.