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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.
Carol Rappoli, who was inducted into the New England Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2002, enters her 23rd 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 last 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, she has built a winning tradition.
Her lacrosse teams have compiled a 200-94-1 record (67.9 winning percentage).
She has an impressive 255-126-4 career record for a 66.8 winning
percentage in 29 seasons. According to the 2007 NCAA record book, she is
just the eighth coach in NCAA history regardless of division to reach
the 250 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. Tufts Lacrosse has not finished with a losing record in any of Rappoli's 22 seasons.
Last year's team earned a #19 national ranking in the final poll and had
wins over #10 in the nation Amherst and #11 Trinity, along with one-goal
losses to #7 Babson and #8 Colby. Four team members were voted on to the
Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Association (IWLCA) All-Region team,
including 2007 All-American Jackie Thomas. All-American Lauren Murphy
graduated from the program in May as a three-time All-Region selection.
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.
Nine conference teams were ranked in the IWLCA national top 20 last season.
Three conference teams earned NCAA Tournament berths in 2007. The NESCAC is a group of highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities that share an academics-first philosophy for intercollegiate athletics.
Three Jumbos earned All-NESCAC Academic Team honors last season.
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 sixth in the 2006 U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup, the award presented annually to the best overall collegiate athletics programs in the country. The University's proximity to a world-class city renowned for its academic institutions is also a major draw.
Tufts returns plenty of firepower in 2008 from a team that finished
fourth in the league with almost 13 goals scored per game last year.
All-New England selection Courtney Thomas led the squad with 35 goals
last spring, and is supported by Sarah Williams (team-high 22 assists)
and Jenna Abelli (29 goals as a freshman in '07). Alyssa Corbett,
Chrissie Attura and Maya Shoham are also experienced scorers. Sarah
Bromley, All-New England as a junior last year, leads the returnees on
defense. The Jumbos also have returning starter Katie Frisina back on
defense. The Jumbos practice and play on Bello Field, a four-year old
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.
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