Karson Harris Drawing Up Success for Women's Lacrosse

By Nick Elfvin

Karson Harris knew the she only needed three more draws in the Delaware game. Three more draws to break the single season draws record. She told her parents that it would be a good game to travel from their home in St. Mary's County Md., for wanting to share the experience with them.

"I still thought nobody was going to have any idea," she said, but when she got her third draw of the day an announcement was made over the loudspeakers at Vidas Field and her teammates came over to celebrate with Karson. It was the culmination of year of change and hard work for the sophomore who would go onto be named a First Team All CAA performer.

Coming into the year, a new coach and new playing style signaled that the season was going to be a learning year for the Dragons. First year Mary Semanick Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse Jill Batcheller wanted the Dragons to play fast and gritty. For Karson, that meant being the Dragons go to on the draws.

"I took it to heart that I was going to make this my thing," Karson said. "It would be my role on the team." Karson had a "see- the- ball, get-the- ball" mindset going throughout the year and learned some new tricks along the way to help her succeed. After a school record 12 draw controls in one game at William & Mary. Karson knew the record was in sight.

For her part Coach Batcheller saw early on how reliable Karson could be. "We put her where the ball is going," Batcheller said. "She is our best ground baller, and she just has a competitiveness about her that she will not get boxed out and fight for the ball."

Karson also credits her center midfielders Courtney Dietzel and Hayleigh Simpson for putting the ball in the best position for her to track and get the ball. Together, the group is one that Batcheller credits with "helping the confidence of the team and being able to bring life to the team."

After the record fell, previous record holder Emily Rumble (Hoesch) also reached out to Karson after the game with an Instagram post. "It was only a matter of time for someone to break that record," Rumble said. "I am happy for Karson." The new record shows Emily that the program has grown since her time here at Drexel. "Things are tenfold different now from when I played, from the caliber of athletes being brought onto the team, to the level of competition the team plays during the season, and the improvements of the game day environment with the new video board at Vidas Field and being live streamed or televised. It all helps the program continuing growing."

Still a fan, Emily, who graduated in 2007, has been able to keep up with the games through social media and the live streams, and she tries to get to a game every year. Now married with a four-year old son and a one-year old daughter , she is a registered nurse and a part time teacher who described Karson as a "fast player that gets to the ball very quickly and helps the team out a great deal."

Karson views the single season record as a "stepping stone" for the career record for draws which is at 250, a record that she is looking forward to chasing, and one that Rumble also holds. Karson already ranks second on the Dragons all-time list with 136 draw controls. The record is just one of Karson's goals for her career at Drexel which includes bringing the Dragons back to the CAA tournament and continuing to improve as a player and team from year to year as she becomes an upperclassman.

Dragons Calendar.

Karson Harris Drawing Up Success for Women's Lacrosse

Players Mentioned

Courtney Dietzel

Karson Harris

Hayleigh Simpson

Drexel University Athletics