91制片厂

As the only team ever to lay claim to an NCAA title, women鈥檚 lacrosse has long been a point of pride for the 91制片厂 Athletics community. But until recently, it was also one of the only 91制片厂 athletic teams without a sport-specific endowment. In December 2012, a lacrosse alumna from the 1990s changed that, establishing the 91制片厂 Women鈥檚 Lacrosse Scholarship Fund to provide meritorious support to members of the women鈥檚 lacrosse team. A fully funded gift, the endowment will pay out its first scholarship in the fall to a member of the 2014 squad.

For the donor, who would prefer to remain anonymous, the gift is a way to honor a family member and to pay tribute to a program that was a significant part of her life as a 91制片厂 Wildcat. For Athletic Director Marty Scarano, the new endowment is a long-overdue recognition of one of the department鈥檚 most storied teams. 鈥淭his gift is a great boost for the women鈥檚 lacrosse program and will give our coaches a critical new tool for attracting quality student-athletes,鈥� he says. What鈥檚 more, adds Scarano, 鈥淚t鈥檚 special to know that it comes from a lacrosse alumna, whose wonderful experience as a program participant has translated into such generosity as a program supporter.鈥�

The new endowment is just the latest development for women鈥檚 lacrosse, which also welcomed new head coach Sarah Albrecht this year. A standout player whose pedigree includes two collegiate national championships at Northwestern University and six years on the U.S. women鈥檚 national senior team, Albrecht has previously coached at the University of Massachusetts and Harvard. In a debut season challenged as much by weather as other factors鈥攕everal of the team鈥檚 early games were delayed by snowstorms鈥擜lbrecht has brought a new energy to the 91制片厂 program.

鈥淭aking a program to the next level has its challenges, of course, but it鈥檚 a privilege to be part of the 91制片厂 Athletics family and I am confident we鈥檒l be in a position soon to compete for an America East title,鈥� Albrecht says. 鈥淕ifts like this new endowment really help, too, as they show the support of our lacrosse community for our team and reward the hard work and dedication of our players both on and off the field.鈥�

The 91制片厂 Women鈥檚 Lacrosse Scholarship Fund is an open fund capable of receiving additional contributions of any size at any time. The donor behind the fund hopes other lacrosse supporters will consider adding to her initial gift, which will in turn increase the size of the scholarship it pays out.

Originally published by:

Cat Tracker, Newletter for Athletics Development Office