An era came to an end as Katie Rowan walked off the field following Syracuse’s loss to Maryland in last season’s NCAA quarterfinal. But there was more for the SU attack to swallow than just a loss and the end of a season.

Rowan, the most decorated player in Syracuse women’s lacrosse history, had played her final game. After breaking the school’s all-time records for points, assists and goals, her time at SU was finally over.

But her time away from the program didn’t last long. During the offseason, Rowan announced that she would be returning to Syracuse (2-1) in a different capacity.

Rowan is back on campus, pursuing her master’s degree in education and, in the process, volunteering as an assistant coach on the staff of her former head coach, Gary Gait. And Gait sees the value of having his former player on staff

‘I had her as a player on my team, and over the last couple summers, she’s worked a lot of camps for me,’ Gait said. ‘She’s really taken her playing days and what she’s learned from that and has been doing a nice job of trying to translate that into coaching.’

Rowan’s familiarity with the players on the current roster makes her an especially valuable addition to the coaching staff. Having played with many of them, the two-time Big East Attack Player of the Year knows this squad exceptionally well.

And perhaps just as important, her knowledge of the attack position is integral to Syracuse’s attempt to devise an offense that was previously built around her.

‘I think the attacks really enjoy her,’ junior goalkeeper Liz Hogan said. ‘Obviously she was a great player, so she knows what to look for. She can really help the young players develop and speed things up because it’s a big difference from high school to college.’

In addition to Rowan’s expertise of offensive schemes, her greatest contribution to the team may be from a personal standpoint. In addition to scoring goals and leading the Orange on the field, Rowan had a very close-knit relationship with her teammates.

Nobody is happier to have her back than senior attack Halley Quillinan.

Quillinan and Rowan grew up together in Glenmont, N.Y., and have been best friends since childhood. The two live only a few miles apart and have formed a special bond over the years that extends far beyond the game of lacrosse.

‘We always joke around that we have a mother-daughter relationship,’ Quillinan said. ‘She’s my good example, and she’s my best friend. Katie has taught me all about school and about being a good student. She’s a great role model, and I look up to her a lot.’

Quillinan insists that Rowan has been instrumental in her development as a player over the years. And as Quillinan tries to lead the Orange to a national championship in her final season on the field, she knows that having her ‘mother’ around is a major advantage.

‘Katie has taught me so much about the game of lacrosse,’ Quillinan said. ‘I went into last year not a great dodger, and Katie is one of the best dodgers I’ve ever played with. She’s helped me immensely with that facet of my game. You trust her because she did it and was met with a lot of success.’

With the season now three games underway, the Orange continues to battle through what is a very difficult non-conference schedule. And once that stretch is over, the competitive Big East slate will begin. Once SU enters the grind of its season, there will be more obstacles to overcome and more trials and tribulations.

But the reassurance of Rowan will be on the sidelines each step of the way.

She’s been there. She’s been through it. And she’s succeeded.

‘I think it gives the players a nice boost of confidence to know that the all-time women’s player at Syracuse is there on the sidelines, still supporting the team and still supporting the players that she played with,’ Gait said. ‘I think they look at it as a great opportunity.’

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Published on March 2, 2010 at 12:00 pm