Chase Boyle says she turned into an incredible lacrosse player at Loyola due in large part to her balance.
In truth, the 5-foot-10 senior didn’t say she was “an incredible lacrosse player.” Rather, that was the question posed to her. Still, the 2024 Tewaaraton Award finalist set single-season Loyola records for goals (85) and draw controls (208) last spring, earning Patriot League Midfielder of the Year honors. She was one of just 10 players nationally with more than 100 points (85 goals, 16 assists).
As good an athlete as Boyle is — more such honors the last two years than you can shake a short stick at — she wasn’t talking about that kind of balance. Balance for Boyle isn’t about physical, athletic steadiness. It’s a more an all-encompassing pursuit, one that she wants to share with younger athletes on their individual journeys.
“Make sure you have balance in your life, not just pouring your entire self into making sure you get committed to a [college],” she said. “Hard work is definitely a part of it, but without having a balance — a good friend group, a good relationship with your family — you’ll get burnt out so easily. Lacrosse is so important to me, but I would never be able to perform the way I do or the way I have without that support system.”
Boyle grew up in her balanced athletic ecosystem in Rumson, N.J., the middle of three daughters for Farley and Patrick Boyle. Farley played volleyball at Jacksonville University. Patrick played lacrosse at Lynchburg College, and was for a time, a touring volleyball pro.
Chase’s older sister Mackenzie was New Jersey All-Shore in volleyball and lacrosse and took her stick to Jacksonville, like her mom, and played lacrosse. Younger sister Abby is a freshman midfielder at Ohio State and just starting to shine in a big way in the Big Ten.
“My mom and my dad are both extremely athletic and competitive,” Chase said. “Having that coming from your parents and them raising you so you can have every single opportunity you can makes you this way. Growing up, I played soccer, basketball and lacrosse. Those were the ones I primarily played. It was the same way with my sisters.
“Whenever my older sister Mackenzie did something, I wanted to do it, too, only better. I’m sure my younger sister would say the same thing about me.”
Loyola head coach Jen Adams knows a thing or two about competition and high-level lacrosse as the Greyhounds’ all-time coaching wins leader and four-time national champion at Maryland.
“The really awesome thing about the Boyles is they have an incredible relationship, really close as a family,” Adams said. “They’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders and they really push to excel in life, helping each other get there.”
Chase marvels at what her parents did, two of them shuttling three players around to the various practices and games in a multitude of sports and making each feel loved and empowered. They could probably fence in the family yard with trophies.
But that’s not what drives the Boyles. There’s a high standard, but it’s more about contributing to the team, whether that comes in the form of family or a rec league or a college team. Chase’s developed skill set, first honed against her sister, has made Boyle a marked woman — literally in lacrosse parlance. The array of top-rated foes on the Greyhound schedule will look to limit her to slow down Loyola.
It’s a heavy burden and there is some talk of less being more this year for Chase. It boils down this way: There are more players in the midfield rotation and Chase will get more rest than was available last spring. She could stay fresher, and that could pay off as Loyola looks to add to successive conference championship seasons with her in the program.
Boyle also has a chance to etch her name atop a couple of elusive Loyola lists. She is within sight of the school’s all-time record for goals (229 by Grace Gavin, 2008-2011) and draw controls (449 by Jillian Wilson, 2019-2023). Boyle entered the season with 166 career goals and 271 draw controls.
Not that Boyle is about that chase.
“I never pay attention,” she said. “Sometimes I only know because my teammates are congratulating me.”
That doesn’t mean Boyle doesn’t like scoring goals. It’s her favorite part of the game, and a big part of the Greyhound game plan is for her to do just that. Fellow senior and now three-time Patriot League Preseason Attacker of the Year Georgia Latch provides plenty of support. Latch was seventh in Division I last year with 102 points (62 goals, 40 assists), including the game-winning goal in overtime in last year’s conference title tilt.
Loyola garnered all the preseason individual accolades, with Lily Osborne the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and Lauren Spence the Goalkeeper of the Year.
Yet, on balance, Loyola doesn’t seem to have much, well, balance as a team heading into 2025. The Greyhounds are a dichotomy of experience and youth, but they do have key returnees at every level. And many of their less experienced players are hungry, talented and eager to take on the season’s challenge.
“Everyone knows we’re a very young team,” Boyle said. “We graduated [15] players last year, seniors who had been such a big part of our program. We’re coming in with a bunch of girls that don’t have a ton of experience, but I think they’re going to give us an edge. People are counting us out, but there are so many others that now have opportunities like they never did before.”
Adams surveys the practice field each day and feels the same way. She even flips the script on traditional preseason commentary.
“Our biggest weakness may be lack of depth,” Adams said, “but that may end up being our biggest strength. There really aren’t egos on this team. There’s a whole group of people willing to work and put themselves out there and they’re delivering in ways every day.”
Listed at 5-foot-10, Boyle is tall and rangy, sliding between double teams for a score. She led the Patriot League with 4.05 goals per game and was second with 9.9 draws won last spring, allowing the Greyhounds to initiate their offense, winning draws more often than not. Then Boyle or Latch or some other attack Greyhound put the ball right back in the draw circle with all those goals.
“Chase is just one of those players with the instinct in her that when the whistle blows, she will do anything in her power for the good of the team,” Adams said. “Her superpower as a player is she lets the game come to her and I think that’s a great quality for a really standout player.”
No surprise.
It’s all about finding that balance in life, and most definitely on the lacrosse field.
Photo Credit: Larry French
Issue 291: February / March 2025
Originally published Feb. 19, 2025