By: Jack Lancaster
The William Peace University women’s lacrosse team has undergone coaching changes in recent years, and this year they announced Rebecca Fraser as the new head coach.
Fraser is the university’s most recent head strength and conditioning coach, joining the Pacers in the fall of 2022 after serving as an exercise physiologist in Chesapeake, VA since 2021; she also worked as an exercise specialist in Sports Performance from May of 2022.
“I originally thought I wanted to be a dentist, but I took a couple of human performance classes in college and I was interested in the reasoning and science behind everything that was involved,” Fraser said. “Understanding the why and science behind everything that goes into sports performance.”
She has an undergraduate degree in exercise science and sports management. Her masters degree from Barton college was kinesiology with a concentration in human sport performance.
Fraser competed at Barton College for two years as a defender and in the midfield. Although she did not play lacrosse prior to college, instead, was recruited to Barton College for soccer.
Walking onto the lacrosse team as a freshman, she later earned an athletic scholarship for it as well.
“With DIII athletics every athlete and team is in a different phase or level of experience, but they all thrive with structure and consistency,” Fraser said. “College sports are such a great time and learning experience.”
Fraser led Conference Carolinas women’s lacrosse in ground balls for five consecutive years, earned All-Conference honors each year, and ranked second among all active NCAA women’s lacrosse players in career-caused turnovers. (Career-caused turnovers refer to the total number of times a player has forced an opponent to lose possession of the ball over their entire career.)
She is the Barton College all-time leader in career ground balls with 326. She is also the Barton College all-time leader in career-caused turnovers with 183.
This season is one of the biggest rosters in the history of the program with 16 players. In the past years the average number of players was 13.
“I hope they gain that high effort and consistency is an everyday thing and is the only thing you truly have control over,” Fraser said.
A bigger roster brings more excitement for the team and more of an opportunity for the team’s success. Starting the season with a bigger roster and a new head coach means a fresh beginning for the women’s lacrosse team.
“I’m ready to win some games and prove to the conference what we are made of,” said Elise Langer, a junior midfielder for the team.
“I’m excited for them to get better as the season progresses,” Fraser said.
The first game is March 8 against Huntingdon College at 1 p.m. at Montgomery, AL. You can watch the Pacers compete here.