Boston College Athletics
Photo by: Tommy Gilligan-
Conquering Heroes Return Home
June 02, 2021 | Lacrosse, #ForBoston Files
The celebration in Boston is only just starting.
Twenty-four hours after Boston College defeated Syracuse for the NCAA women's lacrosse championship, the Eagles returned to Chestnut Hill and received a heroes' welcome outside Conte Forum. It was the first time BC was honored at home since the 16-10 victory on Sunday afternoon and stamped home what the victory meant to the folks who watched at home.
The amassed crowd cheers and celebrated the school's first NCAA championship since 2012, but the reaction was mutual as the Eagles disembarked buses with a glow that failed to subside even one day after they hoisted the first banner in program history.
"It feels better every minute that goes by," said head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein. "It comes and goes in waves, and it's so much peace for this team because they've worked so hard. It was never easy. There wasn't a moment that was easy, so I'm just proud of the girls. And I'm so grateful for all the support. We had so much support along the way, and it all came together."
The signs of the team's victory went beyond just the national championship trophy. Charlotte North, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, continued to wear the nets she helped cut after the game, and every member of the program, including athletics director Pat Kraft, proudly wore their national gear.Â
The moment washed BC in a collective pride that recognized the long road to glory. Sunday's national championship game was the Eagles' fourth consecutive trip to the final game, a feat accomplished by four other programs. It passed the torch from Maryland, the most recent team, after the Terrapins advanced to five straight finals between 2013-2017, the last of which was against BC.
The only other programs to accomplish the feat were Northwestern and Penn State, the latter of which occurred in the early days of the sport. The first national championship was awarded in 1982, four years before the Nittany Lions advanced to their first of four title games, and came one year before Maryland's first streak. The Terps eventually advanced to eight games between 1994-2001 as part of 11 games in 12 years.
Northwestern, meanwhile, advanced to eight games to match Maryland's record when it played in the final annually between 2005-2012. That streak preceded the most recent from the Terps and the aforementioned, ongoing achievement by the Eagles. All four programs have now won national championships as part of their four-game streaks.
"I think it's a testament to Acacia and the program that she's built here," said North. "She's the best coach in the country and this is the best staff in the country. They work day-in and day-out, harder than anyone could imagine."
The distinction wasn't lost on the BC community that turned out on Monday to welcome the Eagles' home, and almost every program celebrated as part of the crowd. Men's hockey head coach Jerry York was in attendance both to honor lacrosse and to represent his team, the last to win a national championship.Â
His teams experienced a similar fate to the lacrosse team after they endured playoff disappointment in three straight Frozen Fours before the exulting win in 2001. In 1998, BC led Michigan in the national title game before an overtime loss, an experience replicated in 1999 in the national semifinal against Maine. In 2000, North Dakota rallied from one goal down to beat the Eagles in regulation with a two-goal margin of victory.
The next year, a rematch against North Dakota resulted in an overtime winner and York's first championship, and BC later built a dynasty with three championships in six years at the turn of the decade. Those championships came on the heels of two straight national championship game losses to Wisconsin and Michigan State, a separate string also similar to lacrosse's rise to the top of its sport.
"I could not have done this without my assistant coaches," Walker-Weinstein said. "I think they are the best coaches in the country, and we are a good team. I'm so grateful. I can't believe it, just to be a part of BC history. We just persisted until we got it."
Â
The amassed crowd cheers and celebrated the school's first NCAA championship since 2012, but the reaction was mutual as the Eagles disembarked buses with a glow that failed to subside even one day after they hoisted the first banner in program history.
"It feels better every minute that goes by," said head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein. "It comes and goes in waves, and it's so much peace for this team because they've worked so hard. It was never easy. There wasn't a moment that was easy, so I'm just proud of the girls. And I'm so grateful for all the support. We had so much support along the way, and it all came together."
The signs of the team's victory went beyond just the national championship trophy. Charlotte North, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, continued to wear the nets she helped cut after the game, and every member of the program, including athletics director Pat Kraft, proudly wore their national gear.Â
The moment washed BC in a collective pride that recognized the long road to glory. Sunday's national championship game was the Eagles' fourth consecutive trip to the final game, a feat accomplished by four other programs. It passed the torch from Maryland, the most recent team, after the Terrapins advanced to five straight finals between 2013-2017, the last of which was against BC.
The only other programs to accomplish the feat were Northwestern and Penn State, the latter of which occurred in the early days of the sport. The first national championship was awarded in 1982, four years before the Nittany Lions advanced to their first of four title games, and came one year before Maryland's first streak. The Terps eventually advanced to eight games between 1994-2001 as part of 11 games in 12 years.
Northwestern, meanwhile, advanced to eight games to match Maryland's record when it played in the final annually between 2005-2012. That streak preceded the most recent from the Terps and the aforementioned, ongoing achievement by the Eagles. All four programs have now won national championships as part of their four-game streaks.
"I think it's a testament to Acacia and the program that she's built here," said North. "She's the best coach in the country and this is the best staff in the country. They work day-in and day-out, harder than anyone could imagine."
The distinction wasn't lost on the BC community that turned out on Monday to welcome the Eagles' home, and almost every program celebrated as part of the crowd. Men's hockey head coach Jerry York was in attendance both to honor lacrosse and to represent his team, the last to win a national championship.Â
His teams experienced a similar fate to the lacrosse team after they endured playoff disappointment in three straight Frozen Fours before the exulting win in 2001. In 1998, BC led Michigan in the national title game before an overtime loss, an experience replicated in 1999 in the national semifinal against Maine. In 2000, North Dakota rallied from one goal down to beat the Eagles in regulation with a two-goal margin of victory.
The next year, a rematch against North Dakota resulted in an overtime winner and York's first championship, and BC later built a dynasty with three championships in six years at the turn of the decade. Those championships came on the heels of two straight national championship game losses to Wisconsin and Michigan State, a separate string also similar to lacrosse's rise to the top of its sport.
"I could not have done this without my assistant coaches," Walker-Weinstein said. "I think they are the best coaches in the country, and we are a good team. I'm so grateful. I can't believe it, just to be a part of BC history. We just persisted until we got it."
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Players Mentioned
A
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