TicketsMarch 7, 2011
By Rachel Hundley
GoBEARCATS.com
In its fourth season of existence, the University of Cincinnati lacrosse team has journeyed far; growing leaps and bounds since its first year. One of the players who has been there every step of the way is team captain Natalie Starvaggi. The 5-5 senior midfielder enters her fourth season of UC lacrosse as well, but this season will be her last as a Bearcat.
Starvaggi has been a staple of the program since its first year and a sturdy, consistent rock among the midfield corps, maintaining a balancing act and leadership role for the young Bearcats throughout her tenure. The Cincinnati native also maintained a steady presence in the statistical box score throughout her career. Last season, Starvaggi was tied for third on the team with 16 goals, second in assists (15), and second in groundballs (33).
Even though this will be the last season Starvaggi takes the field with her teammates, she knows she is leaving the future of the program in the good hands of the teammates she leaves behind. She has seen the UC lacrosse program grow before her eyes in the four years she has been a part of it, and she is excited about the direction it appears to be heading.
"Over the past four years, the caliber of athletes has definitely improved. The coaches continue to recruit girls who know the game, recruit girls who are talented, and recruit girls who are ready to step up the level of their game," Starvaggi said. "I definitely feel that this program is on its way to moving to the next level."
Starvaggi has continued her valuable statistical contributions into this season. Through five games, the senior captain is tied for second on the team with five goals, responsible for causing four turnovers, and already notched an assist for the Bearcats. There is no doubt head coach Lellie Swords and the rest of the Bearcats will need as many contributions as Starvaggi can muscle up as they prepare for a daunting BIG EAST schedule. The docket includes two road dates with 2010 NCAA qualifies Georgetown and Syracuse, and a home match-up with Notre Dame, another 2010 NCAA qualifier out of the competitive conference.
In her last go-round, Starvaggi is hopeful that the Bearcats can be a competitive force in the BIG EAST this season.
"Our goal is to definitely be competitive in the BIG EAST this year," Starvaggi said. "We haven't won a BIG EAST game yet, so we're really focusing on that, and we hope to use our difficult non-conference schedule to prepare us for the BIG EAST games."
While Coach Swords and her coaching staff will likely be able to fill the holes in the stat sheet next season that Starvaggi's exit will leave behind, it's also likely that it will prove much harder to fill the leadership hole she will leave behind. Being selected a team captain is a fitting cap for Starvaggi's UC career, and she hopes it is a reflection of the kind of legacy she will leave behind.
"I've had an awesome experience at UC. I love my teammates, UC, and the community," Starvaggi said. "I just want to leave behind a legacy of hard work and dedication to my team."