Considering how her career started, it might be understandable why George Washington University senior lacrosse player Grace Curry didn’t have the program’s single-season goal record number on her radar.
During her freshman and sophomore seasons in the GW Revs program, the first of which was abbreviated because of an ACL injury she suffered at the end of high school, Curry started just four games total and tallied only 11 goals.
Basic math would suggest that at that pace, the program record of 54 in a single season, a mark GW Athletics Hall of Famer Laura Hostetler set in 2005, was safe from Curry’s stick.
But by the time her junior season rolled around, Curry unlocked something that would ultimately etch her name in GW lacrosse lore: confidence.
Her first two years on the field, the Chicago area native said she was both figuring out her role and learning how to find her footing again after the injury, a combination she described as stressful. When she stepped onto the field as a junior, she decided to let it loose and let it be, realizing the importance of flushing a mistake and moving on to the next play.
After exploding for 45 goals in 2025, she topped that with a whopping 66 this spring, topping Hostetler by 12 goals and setting a new program standard.
And yet, she didn’t even know how close she was until teammates and coaches alerted her. Her goal for the season was not defined by numbers but rather enjoyment of the game.
“I didn’t know what the record was until maybe a week before,” said Curry, who notched her historic 55th goal of the season against VCU on March 27 at the Mount Vernon campus athletic complex. “That was something that was super surprising and amazing and awesome, and really exciting to do at home.”
“But really, my goal for the year was just to have fun, try my hardest, put my best effort into every game, and just take it all in, knowing that this was my last year ever playing,” she said.
Curry is graduating from the university next week, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in both political science and human services and social justice to go along with her lacrosse program record.
In an increasingly instant-gratification world, Curry’s story highlights the power of perseverance and the impact of being patient, sticking with a process, finding inner belief and eventually seeing a result. Her message to other student-athletes, and people in general, is to be present and embrace the moment at hand.
“Be grateful for any opportunity you’re given—whether you’re stepping on the field for 10 minutes at a time or playing the whole game,” Curry said. “Not everyone gets the opportunity to play an extra four years of lacrosse or any sport. So just taking every moment in and thinking about the team versus yourself—that’s something I would tell future athletes.”
Her own success has correlated with team success, as GW has improved every year since she’s been on the roster (4-13 her freshman year, then 6-12, 8-9 and 9-8 this past spring), and she takes pride in her own game being so team oriented. As a cutter, her ability to score is dependent on her movement without the ball and her teammates’ passes. She doesn’t like to be a player who has the ball predominantly in her stick and disrupts movement.
“I think that’s kind of my skill set—being a team player versus someone who’s going to take the ball, dodge and beat their defender,” Curry said.
That speaks to the culture of freedom with accountability she and the rest of her teammates, and Coach Colleen McCaffrey, have built.
One of those teammates is her twin sister Emma, who is also graduating. That this record-setting season capped off a family affair makes it even more special for Curry.
“This year especially, it’s been great to play with her and celebrate those moments on the field together—that’s something really special, and not many people get to experience that,” Curry said.
Curry’s pursuit of making a difference has extended beyond the field of play. While at GW, she has interned on the Hill as a legislative staffer for Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Becky’s Fund, a nonprofit organization that addresses domestic violence. She also logged hundreds of volunteer hours with various community partners, including Diplomatic Perspective and Equal Rights Center.
She’ll be staying in the city after graduation through an AmeriCorps placement working with D.C. Public Schools on community outreach and partnerships.
“I’m really excited to stay in D.C. and hopefully come back to see all the lacrosse games and keep in touch with my friends who are still here,” she said.
