TAMPA, Fla. – Those of you who complained about the chilly and damp weather last week? Pipe down. The USF women’s lacrosse team was outside each day at the university’s track and field facility preparing for an inaugural season that is suddenly staring them in the face.
Of course, nothing can dampen this group of young ladies. They have been passionately preparing for the Feb. 7 curtain rising (7 p.m.) at Corbett Stadium against Kennesaw State, a date that has the head coach feeling a wide range of emotions.
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“I’ve been feeling different emotions every day,” said Mindy McCord, who accepted the position in May 2022 and, along with her staff, has since been diligently building a program. “The one thing that is consistent is gratitude. I wake up every day with so much gratitude. These players are so amazing. It is hard to call this a job.”
Alas, what a job McCord has done. She has assembled a team of recruits and transfers who were anxious to establish a culture and take the field for a start-up in the, ahem, warmth of Tampa.
“I come down (to the practice field) every day and they are ready to go, no matter how hard I am on them,” said McCord, who arrived from Jacksonville University, where she built the women’s program into a perennial NCAA tourney participant that twice reached the Sweet 16. “They are so excited and I think that trickles over, hopefully, to the whole athletics department.”
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Some of McCord’s players have been on board for nearly two years. Others arrived on campus as members of the first two recruiting classes. The roster includes ACC transfers Alison Harbaugh and Sofia Chepenik.
Harbaugh, a fifth-year senior and daughter of Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, played three seasons at Notre Dame before transferring to USF in January 2024. One can be excused for thinking that going from a program with 14 NCAA tournament appearances this century to one that has yet to take the field in anything but scrimmages and exhibitions would be a difficult transition. However, Harbaugh, who was initially recruited by McCord before electing to go to South Bend, saw it as an opportunity to make a mark with something new and exciting.
“I am four or five years older than a lot of the girls, so this was an opportunity for me to use not only my game experience, but life experience to help them,” said the Baltimore native, whose first career goal was scored in the 2021 NCAA tourney. “It’s been a great transition. It is a very friendly and nice atmosphere, so it has been easy. I feel very blessed.”
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Chepenik is a Jacksonville native who was recruited by McCord when the latter was at JU. She played 15 games with Clemson in 2023 and led ACC freshmen in goals (33) and assists (20) before reconnecting with McCord and moving to Tampa.
“We are so excited to show everyone what we have been building,” said Chepenik, who uses her social media platforms for NIL messaging largely designed to promote the sport among girls and young women. “We have established core values and set a foundation with the goal of winning championships. When I was on for my first visit (to USF) and going through the recruiting process while in the transfer portal, I didn’t feel the excitement just from the coaches, but the entire athletic department. It’s so easy to work hard for the people who have poured so much into us.”
Chepenik, Harbaugh, Claire Natoli, who was McCord’s first USF commit, Juliana George, Paige Pagano and Ansley Knor are among many of the Bulls that USF fans will get to know beginning next Friday in the first of 11 home dates.
“We’re ready,” said McCord. “We’re ready to get some game experience and play a real matchup.”
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