In reflecting back on Rensselaer's recently completed athletic season, it quickly becomes obvious that there were – yet again – many memorable individual and team accomplishments, as well as other significant events that occurred. In an effort to relive, remember and celebrate some of our student-athletes and staff members who played major roles in making those occasions a reality, we introduce 11 4 2010-11.
The story below is one in the 11-part series, which will run throughout the next couple of months. The events are not ranked in any particular order. For the full list, along with some 'honorable mentions', eventually, please click HERE.
Are there significant events you remember? You can submit them by clicking HERE. Thank you and enjoy!
Senior Stephanie Caouette becomes the All-Time Leading Scorer in Women's Lacrosse History
While women's lacrosse has only been a varsity sport at Rensselaer for 18 years, the depth of talent that squads have produced far surpasses the youth of the program. Stephanie Caouette '11 is one of those talented players who not only re-wrote the record books, but helped guide the Engineers to a feat never accomplished by any squad before … back-to-back appearances in the Liberty League Semifinals.
A nose to the net player, who will split the defense at every turn, Caouette began making an impact in her first season. During the 2008 campaign, the Wynantskill, N.Y., native tallied 29 goals on 14 assists for 43 points to lead the team in scoring.
Caouette continued to dominate as a sophomore, posting a career-high 53 points (39 goals, 14 assists) to once again lead the squad.
Stepping onto the field in 2010, Caouette continued to score and helped her squad into a spot they'd never been in … the Liberty League Semifinals. Tallying 16 goals and 14 assists for 30 points, she helped RPI post victories in each of their last three regular season contests to secure a playoff bid.
Her two goals and five assists during the charge to the Playoffs proved to not only be a critical help, but also a record-setting mark. Caouette's two assists in the regular season finale pushed her past Nikki Hebert '99 as the program's all-time assist leader with 42.
As she entered her senior season, few realized that the scoring trifecta was well within her reach.
Caouette needed just eight points to become the program's all-time points leader and while 27 goals would seem like a lot to most people, it was all she'd need to grab the career goal scoring mark as well.
The 2011 season kicked off on March 8 as the Engineers defeated Western New England, 10-5, behind Caouette's five goals. Two more points over her next two contests saw the senior captain tied with Hebert once again at 133 career points, but the draw did not last long.
On March 26, in a 13-10 victory at SUNY Potsdam, Caouette fired in a goal at the 19:13 mark to become the Engineers' all-time leader in points, and finished the game with two more goals.
Caouette's dominance continued throughout the season as she was held off the score sheet only twice in 15 contests. As her numbers continued to climb, she once again found herself on the cusp of a new mark heading into the final regular season game. In a 15-2 victory at Rochester, Caouette fired in two tallies to tie the mark set by Bethany Weiser '98 of 110 goals.
The Engineers secured a spot in the conference semifinals for the second straight season, aided by a 6-2 Liberty League record. RPI drew Union in the semis and it was there, on May 6, that Caouette completed the trifecta, firing in four goals to become the all-time leading goal scorer in RPI women's lacrosse history.
Thought the excitement of the record was cut short by a narrow 9-8 loss to the Dutchwomen, Stephanie Caouette had made her mark. In 58 career contests, she scored 114 goals and notched 56 assists for 170 points, helping establish RPI as a force to be reckoned with in the conference.
Her climb to the top of the record charts proves that the talent for future generations can only get better as the women's lacrosse program moves forward.
