Cover Story: Charlotte North's Rise to Lacrosse Royalty

THE CROWD GREW BY THE CONCRETE RAMP at Stony Brook’s Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on Long Island. It was four rows deep of polite, organized chaos.

The U.S. Women’s National Team  had just wrapped up a scrimmage against Athletes Unlimited, the sport’s pro league at the time. Stars aligned on both ends of the field. Each drew a smile and wide eyes when signing autographs for young fans.

But the chorus made it clear who they’d wait all night for.

Char-lotte, Char-lotte.

They were, of course, hoping to get an autograph from Charlotte North, the 2022 Boston College graduate who was just six days removed from winning her second Tewaaraton Award and leading the Eagles to another national championship appearance. Both were considered the pinnacle — the be-all, end-all, emphasis on end-all — of the sport.

North? She wasn’t done then, and she isn’t done now. She’s since gone on to win two gold medals with USA Lacrosse, start a successful broadcasting career and play a crucial role in launching the next professional opportunity for women’s lacrosse, winning a championship with the Women’s Lacrosse League’s Boston Guard and drawing Sharpie-wielding swarms similar to the one that day at Stony Brook.

Their chants continued at full strength from the LaValle Stadium parking lot 45 minutes after they began.

“Her legacy extended after college,” said Acacia Walker-Weinstein, who coached North at Boston College and is the national team coach. “Fans weren’t like, ‘Cool, on to the next college kid.’ It was like, ‘No, where’s Charlotte? That’s where I want to be.”