A video of a stick trick that went viral in January 2020 made Boston College lacrosse star Charlotte North famous among women’s lacrosse fans—that is, if she wasn’t already. With over 180,000 views, lacrosse players all over the country were inspired to recreate North’s moves, and she gained a loyal fan following.
Adding to her claims to fame, North was named one of 25 players nominated for the 2021 Tewaaraton Award on Thursday. Each year, the Tewaaraton Award goes to the top collegiate male and female lacrosse players in the country, comparable to football’s Heisman Trophy. The only Eagle to win the award is Sam Apuzzo, who won in 2018 and is now a coach for the Eagles.
Over a full year after North’s stick trick went viral, it turns out that video was just a preview of the heroics that North would perform in maroon and gold. After transferring to the Heights from Duke, North’s first season as an Eagle was cut short due to COVID-19, but she has made up for lost time this year.
Much like Apuzzo, North is known for her dominance on draw controls, winning 118 so far this season. Only one of the 24 other nominees has recorded more.
Her impact doesn’t stop there. Prior to Thursday’s game against Syracuse in which she logged five goals, North was tied for eighth place in the ACC with 65 total points, including 57 goals and eight assists in only 12 games. She is the driving force behind the Eagles’ offense, often taking on the opposing team’s best defender—or taking on a constant face guard—but still averages 4.75 goals per game.
North’s likeness to Apuzzo isn’t limited to a parallel in draw controls. The year Apuzzo won the Tewaaraton, she finished the season with 88 goals (third in the NCAA), 41 assists (19th), and 129 points (third)—26 more than any other BC player. If BC makes a deep run in the postseason, North is on track to at least match Apuzzo’s goal total.
North set herself apart from Apuzzo on April 11 of this season, however, breaking her current coach’s three-year-old record for goals in a game. Apuzzo found the back of the net nine times against Navy in 2018—the year she won the Tewaaraton—and North netted 10 in a win over Virginia Tech.
The nominee pool for the Tewaaraton will be narrowed down to five players in mid-May, and despite the competitive list of players, North has made her case.
Jess Rivilis / Heights Senior Staff
