Meet the Generals - First Year Cara Mulligan

After a big win over Stevenson on Saturday 10-8 that featured great play by a lot of our first years, we thought it only fitting to introduce our freshman shot stopper to you all!

1. Name: Cara Mulligan

2. Year: 2015

3. Position: Goalie

4. Major: Possibly Business Administration/Accounting

 Some frandz hanging out!

5. Where do you live on campus? Graham-Lees 426 with Sarah Gray - holla at us!!
6. Favorite lacrosse memory? As a senior, my high school team won the Group I State Final for the first time ever!  In the same day, the boys' team also took the state title.  It was an incredible day for both teams and our town as a whole.
7. Goals for 2012? My biggest goal for the team is to push ourselves further than we think we can.  As a personal goal, I need to get down for those low shots and also work on communicating with the team on the defensive end.

 Some laxas looking nice for dinner!

8. What do you miss most from home? Hanging out with my family, my mom's cooking and REAL bagels.
9. Favorite thing about W&L? How small the classes are and the ability to wake up ten minutes before class but still be on time!
10. If you could have a super power what would it be? Definitely would be the ability to travel back in time/teleport places.

Some of the family during the summa!

Thanks to Cara, specifically for such great captions spoken in true Cara fashion!  The team heads to F&M this weekend for another overnight road trip.  Check the blog next week as one of our first years who has been patiently waiting to be introduced makes her debut on the blog!

Meet the Generals - First Year Adele Irwin

While the weather here in Virginia has certainly kept things interesting for February break, the Generals have rolled with the punches.  After a monsoon prediction in Newport News, the Generals were able to battle Monday for our season opening win over CNU 10-9.  Check out our Facebook page to see who won the game ball for their outstanding play!

To keep themselves busy during break this week the team travelled up to Charlottesville today to do a little shopping, watch some friends play in the UVA vs. Richmond game, and have dinner at Fry's Spring Station.  Thanks to our alums for coming out to spend the evening with us too!

While we continue to prepare for Stevenson this weekend, we wanted to introduce you to another one of our first years, Adele Irwin!

1. Name: Adele Irwin

2. Year: Freshman

3. Position: Defense

4. Major: Biology

 Cara and I at the men's lacrosse game!

5.  Where do you live on campus? Graham-Lees
6. Favorite lacrosse memory? Last year my high school team, Kent Place, beat our all-time rival school, Oak Knoll, by four goals.  It was the first time we had beaten them in eleven years.  We ran out and met our fans who were all storming the field.
7. Goals for 2012? My goals for 2012 are for our team to make it to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament, to get as much playing time as I can, and to have a great time with my friends!

 My fav fam, the Ericksons!

8. What do you miss most from home? I miss my dog Holly and dinners with my family.
9. Favorite thing about W&L? My favorite thing about W&L is Sarah Gray Erickson!!!
10. If you could have a super power what would it be? It would be to never lose anything... I have a tough time keeping track of all my stuff.

My parents and I!

Thanks to Adele for her answers to the Meet the Generals survey.  We will continue to feature the class of 2015 next week as we keep you updated on the season as well!

Generals Head to DC for Some Windy Scrimmages

The 7am departure time and the windy, chilly conditions may not have been ideal for a day of scrimmages at Catholic University, but the Generals didn't let anything stop them from having a productive day up in the nation's capital.

The day started with the Generals facing off against Division II Holy Family from outside of Philidelphia.  W&L came out on top at the end of 2 twenty minute running time halves only to head straight into the next game against St. Mary's of Maryland.

 Sophomore attacker, Greta Witter, finishes a low shot for a goal.

The Generals were again able to come out with a win over St. Mary's despite having numb fingers and toes!

Generals' midfielder, Meade Brewster, takes a draw.


After a quick break filled with friends, family, alums, and a great food spread, the girls were back on the field to finish the day against the home team, Catholic University.  The Cardinals were able to come out on top after one thirty minute period and one ten minute situational session with random yellow cards being thrown to work on the new man up man down rules.  The Generals were able to capitalize on almost every possession but were unable to put all the pieces together.

 Senior goalkeeper, Jennifer Linder, preps for a save.

We are incredibly greatful for all the support we received on a pretty unpleasant day from families from near and far, as well as some of our local alums.

 The Generals' support section toughs out the wind and cold with gusto!

After the games were finished the girls jumped on the bus for a quick trip up into Maryland for a team meal at the Benedetti's house.

 After three scrimmages, the girls deserved a little something to eat!

Enjoying each other's company and some great food before heading back to Lexington!

A big thank you to all the family, friends, and alums who came out to support us this weekend.  Also, thank you to the Bendetti's for opening up their home to 22 exhuasted girls, 3 tired coaches, and a frozen trainer.  Thank yous and photo credits to Bob Ramsey... check out the Facebook page for more shots from the scrimmages!  Next week we head to CNU and get lots of lax time as we head into February break; check the blog to see what the Generals are doing to keep busy while school isn't in session!

Meet the Generals - First Year Sarah Gray Erickson

This week the blog highlights First Year midfielder Sarah Gray Erickson with her player profile.

1. Name: Sarah Gray Erickson

2. Year: 2015

3. Position: Midfield

4. Major: Undecided, but probably Business with a minor in Poverty Studies

My sister and I on top of Grey's Peak - 14,270 ft!

5. Where do you live on campus?  Graham-Lees 4th floor... biggest room in the dorm!  Shout out to my roomz Cara Mulligan.
6. Favorite lacrosse memory?  The spring break trip to San Francisco my senior year of high school.  It was so exciting to be in such a fun city with my team, as well as beating some of our biggest competition in the West.
7. Goals for 2012:  Not to lose my swipe card!  But also have a lot of fun with my new team and have a successful season!

 My besties and lax friends Cara and Kirby!

8. What do you miss most from home?  I really miss my family and my house.  I also miss seeing the Rocky Mountains every time I faced West!
9. Favorite thing about W&L?  Everything about this school is incredible.  It is so beautiful, the people are awesome, the classes are interesting and everything else is fun!  I can't pick one favorite thing about this school!

My family and I over Parent's Weekend.

10. If you could have a super power what would it be?  Teleporting - how cool would it be to go wherever you want whenever you want?

Thanks to SG for her candid answers!  Check back next week to hear about our first scrimmages (and our first bus trip) up at Catholic!

Generals Alumna Lisa Costello '93 Inducted into the Hall of Fame

On January 21st, 2012 Generals alumna, Lisa Costello class of 1993, was inducted into the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame, Greater Baltimore Chapter.  The class of inductees also included W&L's Rob Lindsey, class of 1976.  While both were already members of the W&L Hall of Fame, this was an incredible honor that we want to celebrate!

Lisa with friends and family of the late Rob Lindsey at the induction ceremony.

Upon graduation Lisa held ten school records in lacrosse and was the first player to earn First-Team All-American honors.  She also helped lead the Generals to their first ever NCAA tournament.  The induction ceremony was held at the Hillendale Country Club in Baltimore, where Lisa grew up and where she now lives.  Each inductee was presented by a close friend or colleague, and Lisa's presenter was her co-coach at Notre Dame Prep, Mary Bartel.

I had the chance to catch up with Lisa following the induction ceremony as she shared some stories of her life now, her time at W&L, and her advice to the current Generals.

 Lisa on the field during her time at W&L.

Lisa is now the co-coach of the varsity lacrosse team at Notre Dame Prep in Baltimore where she taught for many years.  She also works part time for another W&L alum, Josh Levison, in his running store.  Lisa said she decided to stay involved with the sport after graduation because of the great college experience she had.  She loves the sport and loves being able to continue to be involved.  One of her favorite parts of coaching now is keeping some of the traditional aspects of the game alive in her players.

When asked what her favorite lacrosse memory from W&L was, Lisa struggled to pin it down to just one memory.  She mentioned the first time they beat Roanoke, her junior year winning the ODAC championship, and of course the NCAA tournament her senior year, but another of her favorite memories had nothing to do with her time on the field.  Lisa remembered all of the fun she had with her teammates, especially in the vans, no buses for away trips back then.  Lisa said that lacrosse wasn't a job for she and her teammates which made things even more fun.

Lisa's responses to what her favorite parts of W&L as a school were show just how little the school has changed over the years.  She talked about the sense of community and the honor code, the small, tight-knit campus, the great friends, and the great education.  All things that our Generals now talk about as well, although Lisa did have one more thing on her favorites list that our girls don't have yet.  She met her husband here at W&L as well.

    While the sticks and uniforms have changed, the excitement behind Generals lacrosse has not!

Lisa and I ended our conversation with her advice for our current Generals to which she said, "Enjoy the school.  You have a great tradition to follow, and just have fun with it!"  In her acceptance speech at the induction ceremony she also gave a little advice to those girls who are our future Generals, "When it came time to apply for college, lacrosse was truly an afterthought.  In those days, there were few scholarships, and girls did not sign letters of intent at age 10.  I chose W&L because I loved the school."

Of course before I let Lisa go I had to ask her one more burning questions that all of our blog subjects answer... if you could have a super power what would it be?  "To run a marathon without all of the pain and training!"

Thank you and congratulations again to Lisa!  Next week we introduce another of our first years.