Feb. 25, 2007
Seven years ago the University of Illinois at Chicago gathered a group of 75 scholars in order to evaluate the U.S. Presidents from George Washington through Bill Clinton. Each scholar ranked the presidents on a five-point scale -- leadership, foreign policy, domestic policy, character, and impact -- and the results were tabulated to form a ranking, one through 39.
Near the bottom of the list, in an ignominious 37th place, was Franklin Pierce, our fourteenth president. Pierce was a New Hampshire native elected to the presidency in 1852, primarily due to his reputation as a "dough-face" -- a Northern politician willing to appease slave-state ideals in the interest of harmony. Many of his actions, and inactions, are seen as being a catalyst for the Civil War. As a result, history and historians have relegated him to the bottom of the list.
Now, 150 years since Pierce departed the White House a broken man, the Franklin Pierce College women's lacrosse team is trying to shake the title of being one of the worst Division II programs in the nation.
Support for the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 was the nadir of the Pierce administration, and the last two seasons have marked the low point for his namesake's women's lacrosse team. In 2005, the Lady Ravens posted an 0-16 mark, including three losses to Division III teams. That was followed up by an 0-15 campaign last year, again featuring a trio of setbacks to D3 squads.
Within the Northeast-10 conference, the Lady Ravens were severely overmatched. Other than a 10-9 loss to a 1-10 American International squad, 10 goals was the closest margin of defeat. For the season, FPC was outscored, on average, 16-3.
But a new administration has taken over the FPC women's lacrosse squad and, while the record may not reflect it this spring, there is an optimistic outlook on the Rindge, N.H., campus. Meigan Guiney, who is in her first season as the head coach after moving over from Worcester State, is trying to change the mood.
"We're just staying positive and hopefully they'll learn something new every day," said Guiney. "We're building every day - the skill, personality, and the mental part of it."
The positive energy will be important for a young Franklin Pierce squad. The 15-woman roster has just three seniors and one junior. Guiney said Carla Savini, a sophomore, will be the pivotal player on attack while senior captains Erin Hopkins (the only goalie on the roster) and Nicole McKinnon (midfield) will be asked to provide the leadership.
In preparation for the season, which begins on March 20 against Clarkson on the spring break trip to Florida, Guiney and her staff has been pounding home the same concepts in hopes of creating a rhythm.
"Repetition and reinforcement," said Guiney of her plan for this year. "Lots of repetition. Staying positive and going back to the basics and just working on skill every day. And again, repetition -- I think the players hate hearing that word."
While President Pierce was described as having very little idea of what was going on in the nation around him, Guiney has a realistic sense of what her team is capable of this spring.
"Some of the games last year we could have won. Of those games that we could have won, maybe we'll shoot for wins this year," said Guiney. "Or even just games that we did lose we can have the score margin be smaller. That's another goal we're shooting for."
So far, the early returns have been encouraging.
"My assistant was with them last year and she sees a positive change so far, even just from fall ball to now," Guiney said. "And we've been saying every day that all we can go is up. It's been positive."
Hopefully the uphill battle facing Guiney and the Lady Ravens will be a short one, and there will be some uplifting results. Guiney is scouring the recruiting ranks to find players who are ready to start the healing process and restore Franklin Pierce's good name - the college, that is.
"My biggest thing is rebuilding," said the coach. "I tell [recruits] if I have to start 12 freshmen, I'll start 12 freshmen. It's not about being a senior or junior and you'll get playing time. If a freshman comes in and does what I want, they'll be in there, they'll be playing."
The time has come for Reconstruction.
Contact Jac Coyne at jcoyne@uslacrosse.org.
