As the Wofford women’s lacrosse team puts the finishing touches on the preseason, the program’s lofty expectations for the season are not lost on the team, especially the senior class. The team is hoping its senior-laden roster can carry the momentum from last year’s program-best fourth place conference finish and translate it into greater success this year.

The team has a lot of experience in the form of upperclassmen, with eight seniors and ten juniors joined by three sophomores and seven new signees. The returning players are not just experienced, but have the accolades to show for their significance to the team.

Elisabeth Ralph ’22 set a program record with 36 goals last season and was named First Team All-SoCon, while Ally Furnari ’22 and Emma Gentile ’23 were named Second Team All-SoCon. 

Shannon Wulff ’22 was also a major contributor for a Terriers team, who had their best finish in three years this past year, making it to the conference tournament semifinals. She provided eight goals and six assists to go with twelve ground balls on the season.

Returning most of the team from last year and adding the new signees bodes well as the team joins a new conference this season after four seasons in the Southern Conference.

“This season, we will be in the Big South and have the opportunity to play against the nine other teams in the conference, and we could not be more excited,” defender Abbi Pagano ’22 said. “As a senior, this season will be bittersweet. I cannot believe it is my last season, but I am so excited for the future of the program and am proud of the work we have put in the past three years.”

Coach Kim Eldredge has instilled a sense of family and community into the program that has gained traction with the players and helped with team chemistry. As with any collegiate sports program, the team “culture” is emphasized and highlighted. Distinctively, while some programs preach about culture and fail to follow through, the players here expect and demand it from each other.

“Having eight seniors on the team that have been here since freshman year has allowed us to create an amazing support system and set a precedent with our leadership,” Wulff said. “We know that with being a part of a new program, we are responsible for creating a culture and traditions that will inspire young athletes to come be a part of this. So, we as seniors hold each other and the rest of our teammates accountable for creating this.”

The team opened their fifth season in program history against the University of Akron on Friday, Feb. 18 at Gibbs Stadium. They then travel to Duke before returning for a three-game homestand, followed by games at Richmond and Delaware State to end the non-conference portion of their schedule. The team subsequently opens conference play against one of its biggest rivals, Furman.

Along with Wofford, Furman and Mercer also joined the Big South Conference this year as the Southern Conference announced it was no longer carrying women’s lacrosse as a sport. These three budding programs join Big South affiliates, such as Winthrop, Gardner-Webb and Presbyterian, to bring the number to ten members in the conference.

Regardless of what the season holds, the team is confident in their ability to compete, attain success and build a strong foundation for the underclassmen and future recruiting classes.

“We have a full roster with athletes from every class that bring young and older talent which is necessary to push each other to be better and compete,” Ally Furnari ’22 said. “I am eager to see what this season will bring. Our team, especially the seniors, feel as though we have something to prove, and this is our year to do it.”