Leesburg, Va. – Loudoun County High School rising senior Elizabeth Tyler has made a commitment to continue her lacrosse career at Shepherd University starting in the 2018-2019 academic year.
“I’m excited that my hard work has paid off, and I have the opportunity to continue my lacrosse career in college,” the 5-foot-7 Tyler said. “There is a lot of stress when you think about an athlete working to commit – will I play my best game in the few seconds the coach sees me, will the coach even come see me play, will I get a phone call or an e-mail. The relief comes the day when you hear the college coach ask you if you would like to play lacrosse for them – that sigh of relief has finally happened.”
Tyler has had a goal of playing lacrosse at the next level since elementary school.
“I can remember telling my parents that I’m going to play college lacrosse someday,” Tyler said. “My dad would take me to watch UVA and Georgetown lacrosse games when I was in elementary school, and I knew at a young age that I loved the sport and hoped to have the opportunity to continue my career someday.”
The Division II Rams are led by third-year head coach Jenny Cavey, who served as a Shepherd team captain in 2013 and 2014. In 2017, Cavey led the Rams – including Loudoun Valley graduate Anna Munford (2014) – to a 6-12 finish, including a 3-2 mark in the Mountain East Conference.
“I believe I will bring my strong work ethic and defensive skills to the team,” said Tyler, who will play defense for the Rams. “I work hard to enhance my lacrosse skills on a daily basis, and I am always open to feedback on how to improve my game. I’m focused on the game, and I bring a positive and upbeat attitude to the game and practice.”
Founded in 1871, Shepherd University – which houses approximately 4,000 students – is a public university located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
“I visited Shepherd several times with my family and liked the size of the campus, what degrees the school has to offer and also the town,” Tyler said. “When I got the opportunity to meet Coach Cavey in person she provided me a tour of the entire campus, discussed what the school and the Shepherd lacrosse program have to offer. It’s an ideal school for me.”
In 2017, the Loudoun County Lady Raiders finished 8-7 overall, including a 2-2 mark in the Dulles West Group, before falling to Woodgrove in a Dulles West Group tournament semifinal.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to play alongside my teammates at LCHS. Over the past three seasons, I’ve become close on and off the field with them and enjoyed the opportunity to be on the varsity lacrosse team,” Tyler said. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this team and am looking forward to my last year of high school lacrosse.”
Tyler started playing lacrosse in third grade along with soccer. However, when her games and practices started overlapping she knew that she had to choose one so that she could take her career to the next level.
“I chose lacrosse because I enjoyed the game more,” Tyler said. “I started my club experience by trying out for a mixed-level lacrosse team with NOVA West, coached by Ruth Marshall. She taught me the skills I needed to play at the next level, and it was her love for the game that brought my passion to the field. The desire to be the best I can keeps me motivated to work hard at each practice and play my best game each and every game.”