For nearly two decades, lacrosse’s single-season scoring record seemed untouchable until senior attacker Grace Curry broke it by notching 55 goals Friday.
As the team struggled to qualify for the Atlantic 10 tournament in the past two years due to losing records, a 50-goal scorer felt like a relic of a stronger era. But with a surge of new talent and steady growth from veterans, Curry seized the moment Friday during the Revolutionaries’ matchup against Virginia Commonwealth, cutting through the defense and finding the back of the net for a record-breaking goal that pushed her past a 20-year-old mark and into program history.
The milestone came just a week after she tallied her 100th career goal during the team’s loss to Saint Joseph’s on March 18 — a benchmark she set entering her senior season and one only seven players in program history have reached. Curry’s goal on Friday broke then-attacker and GW Athletics Hall of Famer Laura Hostetler’s program record of 54 goals from 2005, which she matched again in 2006.
Curry said she entered the season focused on team success rather than personal accolades, setting just one individual goal for her senior year: reaching the 100-goal milestone. Ever the team player, Curry credits her success not only to her own preparation, but to teammates — new and returning — who consistently put her in position to score.
“I rely a lot on my teammates to pass me the ball, and I think that that’s something that has really helped me this year,” Curry said. “It’s not me taking a dodge one-on-one against someone, it’s who’s passing it to me so a lot of credit goes to my teammates, rather than just myself.”
Curry’s growth didn’t happen overnight, and she didn’t fully break out until her senior season. In fact, the Illinois native only started in just four games combined during her freshman and sophomore years and scored a total of 11 goals. But even before the season began, Head Coach Colleen McCaffrey predicted Curry would be a major contributor to the Revs’ offense, noting her expanded goal-scoring role as a junior had set the stage for a record-breaking senior year.
“Grace Curry is one of our top leading goal scorers,” McCaffrey said in February. “She is somebody who is also a veteran on the offense, working with now some of our youth movement on the offense. She’s the quarterback on the offense and really will connect the entire field.”
It was during Curry’s junior season that she settled into the role of a consistent starting attacker, finally finding her rhythm on the field. She started nearly every game, scoring 45 goals, including a career-high seven in a single outing against George Mason.
Curry said having teammates who can consistently deliver the ball to her stick makes finding open shots much easier. Alongside a talented crop of freshmen — attackers Mia Milkowski and Parker Febo and midfielder Daisen Iwan — who have helped elevate the team’s performance, Curry credited fellow senior and midfielder Kiki Rotay for creating opportunities that have allowed her to reach the net more often.
“She’s someone who brings that calmness to the field and brings that seniority that calms people down and makes our offense flow better,” Curry said.
Curry’s twin sister, Emma, is also a senior attacker, playing a key role in the team’s offensive attack. Grace said having a “built-in” teammate she can talk to about everything lacrosse-related — from strategy to struggles on the field — has been a major factor in her own success this season.
“Being able to see her on the field and play with her is a great, great feeling,” Curry said.
Curry said her confidence and mindset have also contributed to her excelling in scoring. To achieve that progress, Curry spends an average of 20 hours per week — the maximum allowed by the NCAA — working out, practicing and refining her technique, including mastering her non-dominant left-handed skillset. With four games left in the regular season and the A-10 Championship just a month away, Curry’s average of 4.58 goals per game puts her in a prime position to extend the program record for goals scored in a single season even further.
While Curry has broken records and reached personal milestones, her focus remains on helping the team improve and make a run at the A-10 championship — a tournament the Revs missed out on last year. After a 2-8 conference finish in 2024-25, the team is showing signs of progress this season, sitting at 7-5 overall with four crucial conference games left. For Curry, though, the most important goal is simply savoring her final moments on the field, playing alongside her sister and teammates she’s grown with over the years.
“I just wanted to have a fun senior season and leave on a high note,” Curry said.
