Coach Jen Fulcher can’t walk into a room without spreading some of her infectious enthusiasm. Imagine her excitement, then, when three of her top lacrosse players made commitments to top Division 1 programs this week.
On Wednesday, for a pre-signing ceremony with one of her athletes, Coach Fulcher was running around giving everyone high fives.
When that athlete returned to make her formal commitment with two teammates during a ceremony on Saturday morning, Coach Fulcher was in the Cox Room cheering them on and dispensing hugs.
Since 2008, Coach Fulcher has guided the lacrosse team to three undefeated seasons. Last year, the team finished with a 12-2 record, missing only three goals over the course of the season.
It’s no wonder that seniors Meg Szawlowski, Chloe Harris, and Rylee Leonard all cited their coach—and her enthusiastic one-liners, such as “solve the problem” and “never let them see you sweat”—as a driving influence in their athletic success. Coach Fulcher, they said, is a major reason they will spend next year playing at Central Connecticut State University, University of Louisville, and the University of New Hampshire, respectively.
“I have learned so much from Coach Fulcher,” Ms. Szawlowski wrote in an email. “I am pumped I will be able to take all of her lessons and energy with me in my college career.”
“I will 100 percent take the saying ‘we are not tired’ from Williston,” agreed Ms. Harris. “Coach Fulcher instilled that into my head my sophomore year and it has stuck with me ever since.”
Coach Fulcher, who is Director of the Williston Northampton Middle School as well as a multi-sport coach, had nothing but high praise for the three seniors.
Ms. Szawlowski was her “ultimate player and teammate,” “an extremely gifted athletic competitor,” “incredibly humble” and “a joy on and off the field.”
“Sometimes I don’t even think she knows how good she is,” Coach Fulcher said.
Ms. Harris was her problem-solver, with incredible strength and speed, who was also “aggressive,” “tenacious,” “the consummate teammate,” and the kind of defender who, in a game, “makes a big play at the end when you need one.”
“Nothing scares Chloe. She’s a competitor,” Coach Fulcher said. “She makes the team believe they can do it.”
As for Ms. Leonard, who will join the team this year as a post-graduate student, Coach Fulcher said she had been a joy to work with on the soccer fields this fall. She described the athlete as “fast, explosive, agile, a tough competitor,” and a “natural athlete” with “great vision.”
“I was thrilled when she chose Williston,” Coach Fulcher said. “She’s a terrific addition—and she’s funny! Rylee makes me laugh every day.”