US Lacrosse Magazine released the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Preseason Top 20 on Dec. 17. Team-by-team previews will be unveiled on uslaxmagazine.com through the end of the month and will also appear as part of the magazine’s NCAA preview edition in February.

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No. 5 Boston College

2019 Record: 22-2 (7-0, Atlantic Coast Conference)
Coach: Acacia Walker-Weinstein (8th year)
Assistants: Jennifer Kent, Kayla Treanor, Sam Apuzzo

All-Time Record: 267-220
NCAA Appearances: 6
Final Fours: 3
Championships: 0

2020 Schedule

Save the Date
March 28

Last May, Boston College and North Carolina played perhaps the best women’s lacrosse game of all time in the NCAA tournament semifinals. Boston College won 15-14 in double-overtime when Sam Apuzzo found the back of the net. This after the Eagles erased a 7-1 first-half deficit. Anytime these two ACC rivals play, it’s must-see TV. Tune in on March 28.

Transfers Boost BC’s Post-Big Three Prospects

Boston College has gone from the definition of consistent to the definition of unknown.

With the graduation of a record-setting, trail-blazing senior class, the Eagles are in uncharted waters. There’s still a stable of talent on the roster, but who plays where and who takes charge is still somewhat up in the air.

“Even the coaches don’t know who’s going to start,” coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein said.

There are a handful of guarantees, mostly on the attack. Jordan Lappin, Sheila Rietano, Cara Urbank and Duke transfer Charlotte North will look to carry on the legacy of Boston College’s high-profile offense the past four years.

Losing Sam Apuzzo, Dempsey Arsenault and Kenzie Kent could cripple a program, but the addition of North — along with larger roles for talented players like Urbank and Rietano — could mean the Eagles have enough to weather the storm. North, who originally was scheduled to miss 2020 because of ACC transfer rules, was declared eligible in October.

“She’s incredible. She’s a really good kid,” Walker-Weinstein said. “She’s fit in really nicely with our culture, which is obviously your biggest worry when you have transfers. She’s so loved and she’s so fun. In my opinion, she’s one of the most dynamic players I’ve seen in years. Some of the things she does reminds me of Kayla Treanor.”

Walker-Weinstein said she hasn’t had discussions with North about replacing any of the Big Three.

“That’s not who she is,” Walker-Weinstein said. “She’s organic. She’s very secure in her game. She’s not trying to be Sam. She’s not trying to be anybody but herself.”

The offense’s role (at least early on) will be to cover for a defense that will feature four new starters. Freshman Sophia Taglich and senior Jillian Reilly should have roles, and junior Abbey Ngai returns in the cage.

But Ngai could be challenged by Oregon transfer Rachel Hall and freshman Kaitlin Devir.

“It was a gigantic senior class to lose, but we have a really powerful senior class now,” Walker-Weinstein said. “Adding Charlotte and Rachel into the picture, it alleviated a lot of the pressure, I think, on everybody.”

Keeping Apuzzo on board as a graduate assistant alleviated some pressure, too.

“She’s controlling and teaching all the details and strategy of the draw, along with mentoring Charlotte,” Walker-Weinstein said. “It’s an asset. It’s definitely another weapon having her around. We were not going to lose her.”

Projected Starters

D – Sophia Taglich – Fr. – (high school)
D – Jillian Reilly – Sr. – 8 GB, 4 CT
D – Morgan Tedeschi – Sr. – 6 GB, 2 CT
D – Mary McWright – Fr. – N/A (high school)
M – Maggie Casey – Jr. – 9 G, 3 A
M – Ryan Smith – Fr. – (high school)
M –  Kate Taylor – Sr. – 14 G, 77.8 SH%
A –  Jordan Lappin – Jr. – 23 G, 22 GB
A –  Sheila Rietano – Sr. – 35 G, 24 DC
A –  Cara Urbank – Sr. – 55 G, 19 A
A –  Charlotte North – Jr. – 82 G, 23 A (at Duke)
GK – Abbey Ngai – Jr. – 153 SV, 48.4 SV%

Tewaaraton Watch
Charlotte North, A, Jr.

Initially ruled out for 2020 due to ACC transfer rules, North was ruled eligible for the upcoming season in late October. The Dallas native torched the ACC for 82 goals last season and will immediately shoulder much of the scoring load vacated by the graduation of Boston College’s Big Three. She was on the Tewaaraton Watch List last season.

X Factor
Sheila Rietano, A, Sr.

With Sam Apuzzo out of the picture, the competition for the draw has come down to Charlotte North, Courtney Weeks, Sheila Rietano and Ryan Smith. Apuzzo is the program’s all-time draws leader, and Dempsey Arsenault is second all-time. Rietano corralled 24 draws last year. Needless to say, whoever’s on the draw has big shoes to fill.

National Rankings

211

The number of goals combined between Sam Apuzzo, Dempsey Arsenault and Kenzie Kent, all of whom graduated after three straight trips to the NCAA championship game. This is a massive hole to fill, but the addition of Charlotte North and the continued rise of Cara Urbank should help alleviate some of what’s missing. Having Apuzzo on hand as a graduate assistant could help shape some of the program’s future, too.

Enemy Lines

“Obviously they lost quite a bit; a big, big chunk of their team. But they got a tremendous goalie in Rachel Hall as a transfer from Oregon. She is just really a special talent. And then also they got Charlotte North, and she’s obviously dominant. I didn’t think that she was going to be able to play this year, but she got approved to play, so with those two additions, they’re probably going to surprise some people for sure.”