Women's college lacrosse is a top-heavy sport. Maryland and Northwestern have 21 NCAA championships between them. No other program has more than three.
But, every so often, a school breaks through. Virginia did it in the '90s. Princeton followed. Next was North Carolina. And, starting in 2017, BC made its move.
That year, the Eagles made a Cinderella run to the National Championship despite being unseeded. While they lost to Maryland in the national title game, they have returned to that stage each of the past four full seasons, even hoisting the trophy in 2021.
Acacia Walker-Weinstein has been the architect of that success.
And, on Friday, the 10th-year Eagles head coach signed a five-year contract extension through 2027.
"I remain honored, humbled and excited about the long-term commitment BC has decided to make to me and our program," Walker-Weinstein said in a BC Athletics statement. "While this year's outcome wasn't the one we dreamed of, my staff, girls, and I remain laser-focused on remaining a perennial program that competes every year for a National Championship."
Since new athletic director Blake James doesn't officially take over until July 1, interim AD JM Caparro, also the sport administrator for BC lacrosse, facilitated the extension.
"We are thrilled to have Acacia continue to lead our women's lacrosse program," Caparro said. "The championship culture she has built with the women's lacrosse program has made a tremendous impact throughout the athletics department and Boston College as a whole. She has firmly established BC as one of the consistent powers in the NCAA and within the lacrosse community."
Even though BC is 1-4 in National Championship games during its surge, the Eagles have yet to lose a national semifinal game and have lost those four national title games by a combined seven goals.
Over the last four full seasons—BC played only seven games in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign—the Eagles are 81-11 overall with a 28-4 mark in ACC regular season play. BC stitched together perfect regular seasons in 2018 and 2019 but lost in the ACC Championship and National Championship both years.
In 2018, though, Sam Apuzzo became the program's first-ever Tewaaraton Award recipient. Apuzzo is now an assistant coach who helped mentor Charlotte North, the face of NCAA women's lacrosse the last two years. North, a back-to-back Tewaaraton winner, fueled BC's national championship season with a record-setting 102 goals. This year, she became the sport's all-time goals leader.
Walker-Weinstein helped reel in North (Duke) from the transfer portal ahead of the 2020 season as well as goalie Rachel Hall (Oregon). Both were critical in getting BC over the hump. Walker-Weinstein has also enjoyed success recruiting at the high school level for years—the kind of success that builds on top of itself.
In total, Walker-Weinstein has posted a 154-48 overall record in her decade at the helm. That includes a 44-22 mark against ACC competition.
She's hardly one to take credit, though. Or all of the spotlight. Also on Friday, longtime defensive coordinator Jen Kent was promoted to associate head coach.
"Jen Kent deserves this recognition and promotion to associate head coach," Walker-Weinstein said. "She has been with me since the beginning and her tireless work ethic has lifted us to the highest heights. I can't thank her enough."
Walker-Weinstein recognized Apuzzo and fellow assistant Callahan Kent—one of Jen's daughters—in the statement, too, for their dedication to the program.
"Thank you to JM Caparro, our support staff, and the BC administration for the commitment, focus, and attention they continue to show on a daily basis," Walker-Weinstein said. "It has allowed our coaching staff to solidify ourselves as a program that demands attention and everyone's best shot."
