In 2008, Syracuse women’s lacrosse was having its best season to date. After winning the BIG EAST title, the Orange earned a five seed in the NCAA tournament. That meant Gary Gait’s team would host a tournament game in the Carrier Dome for the first time in program history. The opponent was Towson. But the only thing people would remember is Katie Rowan.
A junior at the time, she set an NCAA tournament record eight assists and 14 points. The dazzling stat line also set program records for a single game. Syracuse won decisively, 21-9.
It was a signature Rowan performance, setting up teammates with ease and popping goals of her own to keep the defense honest. She is the leading points scorer in SU women’s lacrosse history (396) as well as the all-time assister (164). Her 2008 season was one of the greatest in NCAA history- with 73 goals and 69 assists for 142 points, only three players have ever recorded more productive campaigns. Although Rowan’s junior year stands out, she led SU in points for all four and was selected All-BIG EAST first team.
Rowan stuck around campus after her final year of eligibility to work as a volunteer assistant coach on Gait’s staff. She would soon climb the coaching ranks, going U Albany to take an assistant coaching job for two years before getting hired back with the Orange as a assistant in 2012. Rowan is currently the head coach at Wagner.
