Teams: Women's Lacrosse: Team Overview

The Tufts University Women's Lacrosse program has earned a reputation as one of New England's most competitive teams since its inception in 1975. As members of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), Tufts is among the best teams in the region year in and year out.

The 2009 team finished first in the NESCAC with a record of 8-1 and led the league in goals, assists per game, ground balls, draw controls and shooting percentage.  The team was the first in the history of Tufts Women's Lacrosse to earn an NCAA Tournament berth. The Jumbos proved to be a worthy competitor in each of the NCAA matches, attaining a season record for goals scored in a game in the first two matches.  Tufts defeated Drew University 22-15 in the first round and went on to secure a 20-18 victory against St. John Fisher.  In the NCAA quarterfinals, the Jumbos lost to eventual 2009 NCAA Champion Franklin & Marshall, 12-7.

Carol Rappoli, who was inducted into the New England Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2002, enters her 25th season as coach of the Tufts program. A 1978 graduate of Northeastern University, she was a member of the U.S. National Lacrosse Team from 1977-78 and in 1980. Previously the coach at Colgate University and Wellesley College, she reached career milestones during the 2007 season with the 250th victory of her career overall and the 200th win of her tenure at Tufts.

Since her arrival as coach of Field Hockey and Lacrosse in 1985, Rappoli has built a winning tradition. Her lacrosse teams have compiled a 226-102-1 record (68.9 winning percentage). She has an impressive 281-147-4 career record in 30 seasons. According to the NCAA record book, she was just the eighth coach in NCAA history regardless of division to reach the 250 victories milestone. The field hockey/lacrosse coaching position at Tufts was split in 2004, allowing Rappoli to give full-time attention to the lacrosse program. Her success as field hockey coach until 2003 included two NCAA Tournament appearances and two Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championships.  This past season, Carol Rappoli won the NESCAC conference's Coach of the Year.

Tufts Lacrosse has not finished with a losing record in any of Rappoli's seasons. Last year's team earned a #7 national ranking in the final poll, the highest final ranking ever accomplished by Tufts Women's Lacrosse. The team had wins over #6 Middlebury, #9 Colby and #13 Babson, along with a one-goal overtime loss to #11 Williams. Five team members were voted on to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Association (IWLCA) All-Region team, including three returning players: Alyssa Kopp, Amanda Roberts and Emily Johnson. That marked the fourth straight season that the Jumbos have placed four or more players on the All-Region squads. Tufts players regularly earn All-American status, including 2009 honorees Chrissie Attura, Roberts and Kopp.

The Tufts program won six ECAC Championships, including five straight from 1985-89, before NESCAC discontinued participation in the tournament in 2001. Rappoli coached four straight ECAC Championship teams at Tufts from 1986-89, and her 1995 squad added another regional title. NESCAC teams were not allowed to play in the NCAA Tournament until 1993, but the Jumbo teams of the 1980s were among the best nationally. The program put together a 35-game winning streak from 1987-90 that was an NCAA record at the time.

As members of NESCAC, Tufts plays in the nation's most competitive small college conference academically and athletically. Five conference teams were ranked in the final IWLCA national top 20 last season. Four conference teams earned NCAA Tournament berths in 2009. The NESCAC is a group of highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities that share an academics-first philosophy for intercollegiate athletics.

Located right outside of Boston, Tufts offers a well-rounded collegiate experience to student-athletes. Within its picturesque small-college campus, Tufts is a major university with "an unprecedented diversity of programs, exceptional faculty and staff, and bright and talented students", according to President Lawrence S. Bacow. The Athletics Department sponsors a varsity program of 28 sports that is among the most competitive in the NCAA's Division III. Tufts finished 10th in the 2009 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup, which awards points based on NCAA performances. The University's proximity to a world-class city renowned for its academic institutions is also a major draw.

The Jumbos bring plenty back in '10 to be a factor in the NESCAC race again. Led by captains Kopp and Jenna Abelli, the Jumbos return eight starters and will again compete for the NESCAC title and look to further their success in the NCAA Tournament. Leading scorers Roberts (52 goals, 12 assists) and Emily Johnson (45 goals, 12 assists) will power the Tufts offense along with co-captain Abelli, who led the league in free-position goals. Co-captain Kopp emerged as one of the top defensive players in the league last season, ranking second for ground balls (55) and first for draw controls (43). Defenders Lily Colahan and Katie Lotz proved to be a valuable duo in the backfield as well. Junior goalkeeper Sara Bloom, who featured an impressive .503 save percentage, started all 19 games of the season and earned the team's first NESCAC Player of the Week honor.

The Jumbos practice and play on Bello Field, a field turf facility featuring lights for night play and a surface that withstands the elements during the spring season in New England. The program also uses one of the best indoor facilities in New England, perfect for winter practice in the pre-season. The area was recently renovated and named in honor of long-time Tufts Athletics Directory Rocky Carzo.