Northwestern University Athletics
Mary Carroll Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week
3/25/2025 3:45:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
EVANSTON, Ill. – First-year Mary Carroll has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday. The Kennett Square, Pa., native played a crucial role in Northwestern's victory over then-No. 4 Maryland on Sunday, recording a career-high four caused turnovers and three ground balls.
Carroll has started every game for the Wildcats in her debut season, tallying 12 ground balls and nine caused turnovers thus far. Her defensive efforts helped Northwestern secure its first top-five win of the season while holding Maryland to just four goals—the fewest the Terrapins have scored in series history since 1985. The Wildcats' defense delivered a dominant performance, limiting a top-five opponent to its lowest goal total against Northwestern since a 15-4 win over No. 4 Syracuse in the 2022 NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
This marks Carroll's first Big Ten weekly honor. She is the first Wildcat to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Week since Madison Smith on April 9, 2024. Carroll has been a consistent presence in the lineup, becoming the first first-year to be a mainstay in Northwestern's starting lineup since Madison Taylor's debut season in 2023.
The Wildcats return to action on Thursday, March 27, when they take on No. 2 North Carolina at 7 p.m. CT inside Ryan Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network. Fans can purchase tickets here.
