Five years after Elaina Corson decided to join her sister at Rowan, she put her name into the record books. During Saturday’s visit to Ramapo, Corson scored five goals, surpassing Rowan’s all-time leading total in career goals scored. Corson’s total of 253 goals and counting snaps the record of 250, which was set by Becca Wood in 2015.
Corson now stands with 307 total points, four short of the all-time points record of 311. The 311 mark was set by Colleen Smith, who also owns single-game records for assists and points in a game. Her graduation in 1995 means her career points record has been standing for 31 years.
“I am so happy I chose here,” said Corson. “All the people over my four years, the program, the coaches, it’s all so awesome.”
It wasn’t a goal that she envisioned.
“I kind of just shot it, it hit off the goalie and then, somehow, it started rolling backwards into the goal over the line,” said Corson. “We all just kind of stood there and looked at it. I was like, ‘Oh, of course that’s the goal I scored.’”
Five years ago, head coach Lindsay Delaney kept asking about a senior at Rancocas Valley Regional High School.
The recipient of the consistent questioning was Julianna Corson, who made it clear to Delaney that her younger sister, Elaina, was not interested in coming to Rowan.
“Her sister made it clear to me,” said Delaney. “I would keep bothering her sister, [Julianna], to see if I could get Elaina.”
Elaina wasn’t interested in following in her older sister’s footprints, who tallied 150 career points in her time as a Rowan Prof from 2019-2023.
The reason her time lasted until 2023 was the reason why Elaina changed her mind.
“COVID happened and [Julianna] got a fifth year,” said Delaney. “So, they had an opportunity to play together, and I think that was the selling point for her. I think she wanted to come here and play with her sister.”
For a shot that seemed like it would be a save for Ramapo, the goal may have been a surprise in the interim. In terms of breaking the record? That’s no surprise to Delaney.
“Her freshman year,” said Lindsay Delaney, head coach of Rowan Women’s Lacrosse. “I knew Becca’s [Wood’s] numbers, so I was aware that once she hit around 50 her freshman year, that there was potential. By the middle of her sophomore year, I didn’t say anything, but that became more clear. Last year, we were in the team house, and I pulled her aside, and I was like, ‘This is just what we had to do in order for you to get what I think is in front of you.’ That was ‘X’ amount, and she was able to do that.”
Rowan currently comes in as the ninth-best team in the NCAA National Power Index (NPI) and 16th in the latest poll on the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Association (IWLCA).
Corson will have a chance to add to her tally on senior day this Saturday, as the Profs play host to Kean at 1 p.m.
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