Women's Lacrosse

Midfielder Mary Rahal to forgo extra year of eligibility

Will Fudge | Staff Photographer

Mary Rahal's best performance during the 2020 season came against Stony Brook on Feb. 10, when she scored three goals.

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Syracuse women’s lacrosse captain Mary Rahal announced Tuesday that she won’t return for a sixth year of eligibility next spring.

“It’s very emotional looking back and putting on the Block S without knowing it would be my last game ever representing Syracuse,” Rahal’s post on Twitter reads. “However, I am eternally grateful for each and every single day I got to wear Syracuse across my chest alongside my teammates.”

Though the NCAA voted to grant relief to spring athletes whose seasons were cut short March 30 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rahal chose to forgo her extra year of eligibility. She will instead work at a public accounting firm in Boston, according to her post.

So far, Rahal has been the only women’s lacrosse player to announce she won’t return — seniors Emily Hawryschuk and Asa Goldstock both said April 17 that they’ll use their fifth years.

After redshirting her freshman season, Rahal tallied 74 goals during her four years playing for the Orange. The midfielder recorded six goals and three assists this shortened season, starting in all of No. 4 Syracuse’s eight games. Her best performance was a three-goal showing against Stony Brook, the Orange’s only loss of 2020.

Rahal said in the post that she “can’t wait to watch (Syracuse) compete for a national championship in 2021,” a season where the Orange will have a new starter in the midfield alongside rising seniors Sam Swart and Grace Fahey.

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