Fairbanks' Nora Boerger Named Captain of Urbana University Lacrosse Team

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Nora Boerger

URBANA, OH (01/14/2011)(readMedia)-- Just a couple of months before the Blue Knight women's lacrosse team takes the field for the first time in Urbana University history, first-year Head Coach Sheyna Grabowski announced the selection of the program's first four team captains.

Leading the team in their inaugural season will be an eclectic group that includes a freshman, a sophomore, and two juniors representing four different states.

Alyssa Ashcroft, a junior from Amherst, New York, will sit out a year after transferring from Erie Community College, but her vast playing experience and outspoken nature made her a prime candidate for captaincy.

Fellow junior and transfer Tiffany Angelo joins Ashcroft as a captain after enrolling for the spring term. Angelo comes to Urbana from Orlando, Florida and Valencia Community College.

Sophomore Nora Boerger (Milford Center, Ohio/Fairbanks HS) is a newcomer to the sport of lacrosse, but she's already a veteran student-athlete at Urbana. Boerger is currently in her second season as a member of the women's basketball team. This past fall, she made great strides on the lacrosse field after deciding to take up the sport when the University instituted the new program a year ago.

The fourth captain, freshman Quintina Mengyan, comes to Urbana University from Brighton, Michigan where she played goalie on the 2010 Division I state runner-up Brighton Bulldogs.

Boerger recently sat down with Urbana University Sports Information Director Chris Anders before the 2011 season to discuss her thoughts heading into the program's inaugural season. The questions and Nora's answers are below.

Nora Boerger

1.What are your thoughts on being a part of a new program and the inaugural season of women's lacrosse at Urbana University?

I'm very excited to get started. We don't have any traditions or history, so I hope we can start something new, fresh, and exciting here. We want to help make something that people are excited to be a part of.

2.What does it mean to you to be named a team captain in your first season at Urbana?

I'm very honored. I came in the fall, not knowing what to expect. I just gave 110% effort and worked as hard as I could, and now I'm just really excited to help out the team and be a leader.

3.Tell me a little about each of the 2011 captains and the roles they play on this team.

Even though she can't play her first season, Alyssa (Ashcroft) will be more than helpful to some of the less experienced players. I just picked up a stick for the first time like 6 months ago, and I know she can help me out. Her and Quintina (Mengyan) are both really positive with a lot of girls who haven't played as much as they have. They're patient and willing to help us as much as possible. Both are positive role models that can really help us with the know-how, and they can help everyone become more comfortable on the field.

4.What have you learned about Coach Grabowski this off-season?

I think she's a wonderful person. From the very beginning, she's always been very nice and helpful. When I first came in and said I wanted to play lacrosse, she was very positive and she didn't turn me away because I don't have much any experience as a lacrosse player. She was more like, "It doesn't matter if you haven't played before. I'll help you." If you give her your time and effort, she will share her talent and knowledge with you.

5.Nearly half the team is from out-of-state, creating a very diverse group of backgrounds and playing styles. What effect does that have on the team's chemistry and dynamic?

Since I'm in the middle of basketball season right now, I haven't had a chance to meet and play with everyone yet, but if we have a lot of different styles and opinions, that's a good thing. If coach can figure out a way to implement everyone's talents and styles, we can be more unstoppable than a team that all comes from the same basic background and does the same thing all the time.

6.Is there a game or a team on this year's schedule that you are looking forward to playing this year?

Notre Dame College.

7.In your opinion, who are some players to watch on offense this season?

I know my twin, Emily, and myself are attackers, so I'm excited to see what type of effort we can put forth. Chiara (Corsmeier) and Brittany (Mazzu) are both really talented and quick. I can't wait to see what they can do on offense.

And who are the players to watch on defense?

I know Quintina was a goalie in high school on a team that made the state finals. She's a defender at heart, so she has to know the game pretty well to get to that level at high school. I'm excited to see and learn from her on defense.

8.What are the team's goals and expectations this season?

Our team motto is, "Make it happen," so I would say our team goal is to make it happen. A lot of teams aren't going to take us seriously since we're a new program, but if we put forth the effort, I think we can be a winning team. Our effort is more important than anything else this year.

9.Do you have any personal goals heading into your first season as a Blue Knight?

I'd like to score a lot. I don't want to be just a player in a uniform out there. I want to attack, get the ball and do something with it. I want to make an impact, and as a captain, I want to be as positive and helpful role model for the girls here and the ones coming in the future.

10.Who is your biggest inspiration on and off the field?

Well, first and foremost, I do everything through Christ. After that, I feel like I have 3 people that really inspire me on and off the field: my mom, my high school basketball coach, and my friend Koriann. I feel like, no matter how much I fall or get off track, they'll always be there to support me in everything I do. When I need advice, I wouldn't hesitate to go to them for help.