With a patented, whipping sidearm shot; a juxtaposition of ferocity and exuberance; as well as record-setting marks, Charlotte North is the face of college women’s lacrosse.
The reigning Tewaaraton Award winner was named USA Lacrosse Magazine’s Preseason Player of the Year Wednesday. Earlier in the week, she was one of five Boston College players to be recognized as Preseason All-Americans by the national outlet.
North and defender Hollie Schleicher earned spots on the first team, while attacker Jenn Medjid, midfielder Belle Smith and graduate transfer defender Courtney Taylor landed on the second team.
North broke the sport’s single-season record for goals last season with 102. And she did that in 21 games. To put that in perspective, BC’s first and only other Tewaaraton Award winner, Sam Apuzzo, set the previous program record with 94 goals in 24 games back in 2019. North shattered the NCAA Tournament goals record, registering 23 through the Elite Eight and 31 total when all was said and done.
North was also masterful in the circle, winning 174 draws, including four in the national title game. She dominated the rest of the sport, men’s and women’s, in expected-goals-added, according to Lacrosse Reference.
Schleicher held down the fort at the other end of the field. The All-ACC first teamer logged 33 ground balls and caused 16 turnovers. She was BC’s 1B option in the circle, winning 92 draws. Schleicher played a significant role in the Eagles holding Syracuse to two second-half goals in the National Championship. She scooped up five ground balls in that game, in addition to forcing a pair of turnovers and corralling eight draws, en route to NCAA All-Tournament team honors.
Medjid upped the ante last season. And, like North and Schleicher, she turned it on in the NCAA Tournament, where she, too, was part of the All-Tournament team. The Garden City, New York, native scored 19 goals and tallied seven assists during the Eagles’ title run.
She finished the year with 61 goals and 18 feeders. Medjid, an All-ACC second teamer, popped off in the second leg of a weekend doubleheader against Louisville last year. She scored seven first-half goals and ended the day with a total of nine, tying Apuzzo’s single-game program record for goals.
Smith was the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2021. The 5-foot-5 Westhampton Beach, New York, native set the BC freshman record for points (65) and goals (47). The All-ACC first teamer did it with consistency, notching eight hat tricks. Efficiency helped as well. Smith was 35th nationally in shot percentage (56.6%).
Taylor is a new arrival from Temple, where she led the nation in ground balls (67) and ranked second in caused turnovers (42) last season. Keep in mind, no BC defender—not even Schleicher—forced more than 16 turnovers in 2021. Taylor made 45 starts in her four years at Temple. Without her, the Owls probably wouldn’t have won their first NCAA Tournament game in 23 years last year. Temple held off a UMass comeback in the second half, prevailing for a 14-13 opening-round victory. Taylor won five draws, caused three turnovers and collected two ground balls in the monumental win.
