The year was tough, and not just because of the injuries. COVID-19 still ran rampant, caused last-minute schedule changes and altered how student-athletes could interact in groups and even take classes. Through it all, Tyrrell leaned on mindfulness, a hallmark of Gait’s tenure as head coach that she credits for giving her a mental boost during adversity.
“The biggest thing I focus on is visualization,” Tyrrell said. “I am a big believer in it. When you take an 8-meter and are lining up, picturing how the play is going to go helps you be confident when you step up to the line.”
Last year, Tyrrell had to step up again when her sister Emma Tyrrell and Emma Ward — two critical pieces to the Syracuse offense in 2021 — sustained season-ending injuries. This time, it felt like muscle memory.
“We had been in that position before and pushed through and persevered,” Tyrrell said.
Tyrrell took over with 78 goals and 33 assists, becoming only the third Syracuse player to surpass 100 points in multiple seasons, joining Rowan and Alyssa Murray. She drew a faceguard or the top defender in every game.
Scouting reports centered on Tyrrell. She kept scoring anyway.
“Opposing teams were throwing everything they had at her,” Treanor said. “To do what she did last year is really incredible. Against top opponents, she took her game to another level and put the team on her back.”
Tyrrell’s deceptively unassuming style may benefit her on the field. But when Treanor challenged her to be more vocal, Tyrrell was up to the task. She didn’t just watch Tumolo’s stick-bending moves when watching Syracuse games growing up.
“Tumolo was a great leader,” Tyrrell said. “You could tell by the way people looked at her. I had a lot of thoughts. Instead of saying them, I’d internalize them. I’ve grown more comfortable last season and in the fall.”
In the end, it helped her become a better teammate, a goal she holds in higher regard than any statistics or awards.
As Tyrrell readies for her fifth and final season, the legacy question is fair. As is what’s next. She played for the U.S. Sixes team in The World Games last summer and could eclipse her heroes in Syracuse’s record book. Another 100-point season would have her graduate as the program’s all-time points leader, surpassing Treanor (393) and Rowan (396). But Treanor said Tyrrell’s book has more than one final chapter and an epilogue to be written in 2023.
“She has so much time left to write her own story,” Treanor said. “She’s had a wonderful career. There’s so much more in her. Meaghan is a strong piece to this group. I believe in her. She has so much potential. I can’t wait to see what she is going to do.”
Sometimes when Tyrrell closes her eyes, she allows herself to visualize one thing in particular: Syracuse’s first national title.
“There’s so much history with Syracuse being so close to winning a national championship and not being able to get over that ledge,” she said. “That’s something we think about. We know it’s a process. Everyone is committed. It’s a long season. But definitely, I visualize it.”