2023 NCAA WOMEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP

May 28, 2023

Acacia Walker-Weinstein

Jenn Medjid

WakeMed Soccer Park

Boston College Eagles

Media Conference

Northwestern 18, Boston College 6

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: Yeah, obviously not the way we wanted to end the season. But I think when you zoom out and you think about how much I think our team overachieved and because of their belief in each other, their hard work, and Northwestern was an amazing team today. Congratulations to them. They played a full, complete game.

I'm so proud of our team and our players and our leadership and our ability to get here.

You know, sports of tough. We didn't get to end the season with a win but I'm really proud of the program and everyone who helped us get here, especially the leadership and the players like Jenn and Mel and all the seniors who gave their life to the sport and to the program.

Q. For your departing seniors and graduate students who have been part of a phenomenal run, four National Championship game plans and a national title, any thoughts for them and the wonderful memories they will take as they move on professionally?

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: Yeah, I just hope that they know that -- you just said to them, that the legacy is that everything with the program is better now. They have left the program in a way better place despite the loss, because they have been here for four or five, six years, and what they have done for the program is they have helped build sustainable success. They have made Boston College a powerhouse. I hope they have made amazing memories and I know that the preparation with these hard times and the good times, will make them amazing at life.

These guys will be like the rest of the alums who go out and do amazing things.

Q. What does it say about the program's legacy and sustainability when you keep moving on from different core groups and you keep coming back here? What does that say about what you've built?

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: I think the players are hungry to be part of a really good culture, and the leadership has gotten better throughout the years. You can only have sustainable success with good leadership, and you know, our seniors and fifth and sixth years have done that. They have created another year of incredible culture and the people who come in at a young age will quickly get on board, and hope to continue to build the culture and continue to build on the program.

Q. I know this is a hard time but maybe if you can reflect on BC and the opportunity to work with Acacia for four years?

JENN MEDJID: It's been a dream come true. I'm not sure if I have the words for right now (tearful.)

I just want to thank Acacia because all I ever wanted to be was a BC Lacrosse player, and she gave me so much more than that. I know I'll look back at and remember this and smile for the rest of my life, so just very grateful.

Q. Congratulations on another great year. For both of you, today, 20 turnovers as a team. What were they doing that was different today than maybe you've seen, and just overall, what do you kind of take away most from this game?

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: I think Northwestern just played a really aggressive backer defense, and they had a really great day. I think I have to give them a ton of credit for that style defense. You know, it was tough to combat that and our girls did the best they could, and I'm proud of our team.

But I think Northwestern had a really great defensive day.

Q. And again, for both of you, you talked about the culture and building the culture. You guys have a lot of young kids that got some huge experience this year. How important is that heading into the future, as well?

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: Yeah, I think that the young kids getting the experience is great. It's a testament to how talented they are currently, and I think it will help them in the years to come.

Q. Coach as you alluded to, it was a great season despite coming up short of the ultimate goal with. An ACC tournament win and a bunch of accolades, how do you grade this season despite not reaching this final goal?

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: We, like on this team, the expectations are to win it all, so it's a disappointment (tearful) but I'm also really proud, we did do some things that the program has never done before. So I think we moved it forward, which is great for Boston College Lacrosse and Boston College.

But yeah, the ultimate goal is to win, and the ultimate goal, really, is to spend time with really good people and to help shape the people that are playing for us; that they can go and be incredible people in the world and great, you know, siblings and daughters and wives and business owners. That is ultimately what we want.

So although we didn't achieve the National Championship, I know that we achieved these other things.