You know you’re doing something right when the expectation for your program is at least a Final Four appearance before the first game of the season is even played. That’s where the BC women’s lacrosse team is at when the season opens Saturday against No. 16 USC inside Fish Field House.

Unfortunately, spectators can’t attend because of the limited space, but the Eagles have plenty of eyes on them and support behind them as they begin the quest for a trip to a sixth straight national championship game.

Not only do the Eagles expect to be in Cary, North Carolina in late May, but they don’t shy away from talking about it regularly either.

“It’s a little bit of both,” said head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein after practice earlier this week when asked how she balances conversations about those expectations with keeping her team in the present. “Ultimately they know the goal is to win a national championship and we talk about it all the time, but we also focus on the first opponent. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. People ask me that all the time, is it one or the other? How do you talk about championship expectations with 12 games between now and then or 17 games…we talk about both (the now) and that ultimate goal.”

Junior Annabelle Hasselback reiterated that the expectations are sky high.

“It’s definitely acknowledged every day, because that’s the goal, a national championship. That being said, it’s very hard. We actually talked about it the other day. Getting to that game, it’s not certain just because it has been since I’ve been here and before my time, you can fall into the trap easily you’re definitely going to be in that game and it’s just not the reality. Every game is a competition and very hard. We talk about it a lot.”

Winners of the 2021 title, BC enters this season ranked No. 3 in both the Nike/USA Lacrosse Magazine and Inside Lacrosse polls. That’s all without arguably the best player in all of women’s lacrosse returning. Charlotte North’s historic career ended at BC, but the Eagles had six players named to Inside Lacrosse/IL Women Magazine Preseason All-America Team.

Belle Smith (Jr., Westhampton Beach, N.Y./Westhampton Beach) and Jenn Medjid (Gr., Garden City, N.Y/Garden City) were named to the first team. Sydney Scales (Jr., Walpole, MA) received second-team honors, Hollie Schleicher (Sr., Sag Harbor, N.Y./Westhampton Beach) was named to the third team. Cassidy Weeks (Gr., Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) along with Kayla Martello (Jr., Rockville Centre, N.Y./Garden City) were named honorable mentions.

Smith finished third on the team in goals with 55 and also added 28 assists for 83 points in 2022. A unanimous first-team All-American and ACC selection, she was the only player in the league to score at least 55 goals, 25 assists, and also force 20 turnovers. She was the sixth-fastest player in school history to reach 100 points and played with Team USA in the Sixes Games and the USA Fall Classic. Smith was also a USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-Americans earlier this offseason.

Medjid’s back for her fifth year after a career-year in goals (74), assists (28), and points (102). She was a unanimous All-American and an All-ACC First Teamer. Medjid opens this year with a 53-game point streak in-tact dating back to 2019. She’s also fifth all-time in goals with 169 and eighth in points with 225 heading into the opener.

“Everyone came here to win a national championship<“ said Medjid. “It’s nice to hear about it every day because it’s on everyone’s mind. It’s nice to hear coach talk about it because it’s so inspiring…it keeps that standard high. We also know it’s not just going to be given to us because we’ve been there five times. We know we have to work to get there, we want to talk about it, but everyone is also going to talk about the road we have to take to get back there.”

Scales was named a preseason IWLCA Second-Team All-American. Last year, Scales tied for the team lead with a career-high 26 caused turnovers and also added a career-best 46 ground balls to lead the Eagles and put her fourth in the ACC.

Schleicher finished second on the team and sixth in the ACC with a career-best 108 draw controls and everything will start with her again this season. She also had 33 ground balls and posted a career-high 21 caused turnovers in 2022. Schleicher was named to the All-ACC Second Team and earned Inside Lacrosse/IL Women All-American Third Team honors. She enters the 2023 campaign fifth all-time in school history with 218 draw controls.

“It’s really unique that we get the opportunity to talk about chasing a national championship,” said Schleicher. “We’ve been focusing on a lot of manifestation and visualization this year. I think that’s something that could have given us a competitive edge in years past and we’re learning from years past, which is obviously a great tool. It’s fun. It makes the season really fun, you’re looking towards the ultimate goal. Everyone on this team has the same dream to win a title, so to openly talk about that and keep that in the forefront of your mind is a privilege and motivates us. We’ll do anything to get there.”

Weeks also had career numbers last season with 30 goals and 10 assists The most impressive part is how she came up clutch in big moments, with half of her goals coming during the postseason run, including the game-winning goal against Maryland in the National Semifinal. Weeks kept it rolling in the title game with a hat trick and she was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.

Martello finished with 45 goals last season, fourth on the team and a ridiculous 39-goal increase from her freshman year. The 51 points she tallied were fifth and she also had nine hat tricks. Martello was also very consistent, with a 13 straight game point streak during the season she also added nine goals in the NCAA Tournament.

“I think we’ve got a lot of depth and experience on all ends of the field,” said Walker-Weinstein. “I think there’s a sense of confidence with the team on that. That’s one of the most exciting things about a new team is to see who steps up. We’ve had so many good, competitive practice days where we’ve seen a lot out of a lot of different players. We have a lot of depth and experience, but we also have a lot of new people stepping into roles.”

The biggest competition standing in BC’s way - as it is seemingly every year - is No. 1 ranked North Carolina and No. 2 ranked Maryland. The defending unbeaten, national champion Tar Heels also lost a superstar in Jamie Ortega, but they begin the year as the clear-cut favorite. As for Maryland, BC lost in both the 2017 and 2019 championship games to the Terrapins. Maryland has been involved in eight championship games since 2010, winning five titles.

BC was picked to finish second in the preseason ACC poll, while five Eagles were named to the all-preseason team. North Carolina was picked to win the league (92 points) and got seven first-place votes, while the Eagles (86 points) had one first-place vote. Syracuse (85 points), Duke (65) and Notre Dame (64) were all in the top five.

“The other goal is to win the ACC championship,” added Walker-Weinstein. “I think the conference itself prepares you. It’s so competitive and it’s such an elite level, our girls know they can’t take a day off, they can’t take a game off. I think being in the ACC is one of the best privileges you can have as a lacrosse player.”

There is a quiet confidence swirling amongst the Eagles. It’s as if North’s departure is providing a “we’ll show them” mentality, which could be very, very useful. Pundits are forgetting how much experience the Eagles are bringing back.

Not only is the goalie position loaded with Rachel Hall (Gr.), Maddy Manahan (Jr., Morristown, NJ/IMG Academy), Emily English (Sop., Hingham, MA/Thayer) and Shea Doice (Fr., Darien, CT), but there are plenty of highly skilled, motivated veterans like Medjid and Schleicher looking touring BC back to the top of the mountain. The Eagles are also very well-balanced, with five graduates, five seniors, 10 juniors, five sophomores and nine freshmen. Plenty of big-game experience is on their side.

“No, I think the girls are in a really good place,” Walker-Weinstein said when asked if she worries about players trying to do too much to fill the void left by North. “Everyone’s learning their role and figuring out their role. I think there’s a really good balance. We’ve got great leadership in all three areas of the field and I feel really secure in that.”

Medjid doesn't believe it will be a problem for others to elevate their game.

“Obviously, everyone knows (North) is such a big loss on the offensive end, but we also have so many weapons. So many people are going to step up. Charlotte was obviously a part of this program for so long, but we’re excited because it’s going to be a different look without her. I think it’s motivating (when people doubt you), but I think it’s motivating every year when you lose a national championship.”

Schleicher echoed the comments, both about North and the succession plan by committee.

“There’s definitely an emphasis on teamwork and camaraderie and chemistry,” added Schleicher. “Charlotte was a once-in-a-lifetime player and we miss her so much, but I think it also gives a lot of other people on the team an opportunity to work together and kind of find out new strengths and grow. It gives the younger players an opportunity to kind of step up and find a leadership role too.”

There are also 10 girls from Massachusetts on this year’s squad, something Walker-Weinstein is thrilled with and something that's helping to rapidly grow the game in this area.

“I think it’s awesome and I think it shows the growth of the game,” she said. “Not only are they playing at those ACC schools, they’re starting at those ACC schools, which is a testament to the youth programs around here and it’s a testament to our girls. They’re putting a lot of butts in the seats and a lot of kids are inspired to go play and go play at a high level. It’s great.”

Heading into the opener Saturday, Walker-Weinstein isn’t exactly sure what to expect, but one thing is certain, there will be a focus on details, execution and setting the standard for the next three months.

“We just expect them to go out and execute our strategies,” she said. “We’re not going to make it this big emotional (pregame) message because they just have to play lacrosse. We’re further along than we were at this time last year, so I just think the expectation is to execute strategies to the best of their abilities, be really good teammates to each other and build a foundation off of that.”

Players may play the games and BC will have to execute on the field to out duel the likes of Maryland and UNC to reach the ultimate goal, but having a Hall of Fame coach at the helm of it all certainly doesn’t hurt either. Walker-Weinstein was recently inducted into the Greater Baltimore Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame and has done an incredible job turning the program into a national powerhouse, setting the bar for every other athletic program at Boston College.

“Every year, we try to get a little more detailed, a little more organized, we try to be better recruiters, we try to communicate better,” added Walker Weinstein. “Everything we do, we try to get better with our operation. I don’t think we’re comfortable being the same year after year. One of the things we said to our girls is ‘every year we need to be a little bit different if we want to be better,’ so that’s the mindset.”