Senior Profile: Caroline Ross

Graduating senior Caroline Ross, a two-year captain of Tufts women's lacrosse, finishes her four years as a Jumbo fourth in career goals at Tufts and sixth in total points scored. Considering the success of the program in the 1980s and '90s, plus the fact that she plays in the NESCAC -- arguably the toughest division for lacrosse in Div. III -- that is no small feat. She is the most potent offensive player to represent Tufts in the 21st century, having led the team in scoring her entire collegiate career.

"I’m definitely honored [to be a Tufts all-time scorer]," Ross said. "Tufts was a powerhouse in the '80s. We’ve reconnected with those alumni and ... I’m sure they are the ones at the top. They’re really good role models on the field, off the field."

As a first-year Ross led the Jumbos with 35 goals, and at the end of the team's 7-8 season she was named NESCAC Rookie of the Year and one of the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association's (IWLCA) picks for the All-Region Second Team.

"I think [rookie of the year] was just an added plus," Ross said. "I didn’t expect it. I don’t think I knew it existed. It was nice to get, obviously, but I think everything came before that."

The following year, Ross scored a team-leading 34 goals, one fewer than her first season, but her assist total increased from eight to 14. The 48 points she posted in Tufts' first season under new coach Courtney Farrell ranked sixth in the NESCAC and helped lead the Jumbos to a 10-6 finish. Unsurprisingly, Ross again made the IWLCA's All-Region Second Team.

If it is possible for the Jumbos' two-year offensive leader and a top 10 offensive player in the NESCAC to break out, then that is exactly what Ross did in her junior season. She scored 56 goals in 19 games, an almost three goal-per-game average, and added 19 assists. A mainstay at the top of NESCAC stat lists, Ross's 56 goals and 75 points were both second in the conference. Ross ranked 20th from the bottom in turnovers, an exceptional mark for a player with her volume of on-ball possession time. She also led the conference in free-position goals with 19.

In her junior year Ross increased her draw-control attempts and excelled with 53 wins on the season, the seventh best mark in the NESCAC.

"Taking draws is one thing we started focusing a lot on as a team my junior year," Ross said. "There’s a lot of technique involved so I was proud of that. At the end of the season I was controlling when to put it in different spots, which I didn’t do freshman and sophomore year."

On April 18, 2015, at home on Bello Field, Tufts found itself playing overtime against Amherst.Ross had scored five goals in regulation, adding an assist for good measure, and she perfectly placed a game-winning free-position shot in overtime, earning co-NESCAC Player of the Week honors for her effort.

Ross, who was elected a captain going into her junior season, sees differences between the roles of a junior captain and a senior captain.

"Being a junior captain was just a different experience because you had to balance being a captain with still respecting the seniors that weren’t captains, and finding a balance between being friends with the younger kids," Ross said. "I think as a junior captain you really mentor the younger players more so than the seniors and other juniors. As a senior you know it’s your last year so you have to get everybody on that same page regardless of their age and take control."

Although Ross's scoring took a slight step back in her senior season (42), she set a career high in assists for the fourth straight year with 23. Fifth in the NESCAC in both goals and assists, her 65 total points ranked her third in the conference. She also scored five goals on three separate occasions.

At home versus Trinity on March 26, Ross notched two goals and four assists. Her second goal, a game-winner with 13 seconds remaining in regulation, secured her the second NESCAC Player of the Week honor of her career.

Her accolades are too numerous to list, but some of the highlights include being named to the All-NESCAC First-Team (twice), the Nike/Lacrosse Magazine Div. III Preseason All-American Team and the ICWLA First Team All-America.

"[The awards] come after the season or during the end of the season when we are just so focused on the team and the next opponent," Ross said. "They’re nice to get, but I don’t think they are too important."

When asked what motivates her to play at such a high level, Ross credited her inner competitiveness.

"I think in general I’m just very competitive in everything and I don’t like to lose," Ross said. "I like to have the ball and be in control of the offense, so I think having the ball allows you to do a lot of things with it, like set your teammates up. I think [it's] just wanting to win."