Maddy Spratt, Alyssa Nilles, Lexi Rakis, and Darby Sherrod of American University lacrosse are headed to Durham, England this fall.
The four student-athletes have graduated from AU, but have not finished their education or lacrosse careers just yet. They will be attending school in England this coming fall to earn master's degrees and continue playing the sport they love.
The opportunity came about after AU assistant coach Andrea “Ang” McTaggart was contacted by Durham University’s International Officer.
“[Ang] told me that she got an email that said ‘England and lacrosse,’ and that she was going to send it to me. I read it and thought ‘This can’t be real,’” said Spratt, who has family ties to England. “My parents lived in London before I was born, and I have family over in England as well. Having grown up hearing about their experiences, I always had an interest to explore there.”
Spratt spread word of the opportunity to the rest of the senior class, and three of her teammates were sold.
“Maddy told me about it and I was interested right away,” said Nilles.
“Being a division one athlete, we don't get many chances to study abroad,” said Sherrod. “Traveling the world is something that I've always wanted to do, and this was a great way to do just that while also continuing my education. The opportunity to live with some of my best friends appealed to me too.”
“It just seemed like an intriguing next step for my life, allowing me to explore all avenues,” said Rakis.
The group started researching to fully understand what Durham offered, and the appeal of the school quickly became apparent.
“The idea of being at school with such a rich history and culture in a smaller town was really exciting,” said Sherrod.
“[The program] is very customizable and has so many different options when it comes to the path of study for students,” said Rakis.
Founded in 1832, Durham is one of the most historic universities in the UK. It’s a world top 100 school that offers over 130 postgraduate research programs, and is located in a uniquely beautiful part of northeast England. Centered around the iconic Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle, it’s recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site with outstanding universal value. Durham Castle has also served as a backdrop in major films, including the Harry Potter series.
Spratt, Nilles, Sherrod, and Rakis were officially accepted to Durham following the application process, making their journey to England a reality. All four excelled in the classroom at AU, earning All-Patriot League Honor Roll recognition at least once in their careers.
Each of the former Eagles found an academic avenue offered by the university. Both Spratt and Sherrod will add a global perspective to their marketing knowledge, as they work toward a masters degree in the field at one of the most diverse schools in the world. Nilles will study data science to further her background in psychology, and Rakis will be studying Visual Culture in support of her film and media arts degree from AU.
While education is at the forefront of this venture, the four are eager to immerse themselves in a new culture beyond the classroom and even beyond Durham.
“I am so excited to be able to explore a new environment and integrate myself with the area,” said Rakis.
“I want to experience the culture, scenery, and food in England and the many countries I am planning on visiting while there,” said Nilles.
Sherrod added, “I want to travel as much as possible while we’re out there.”
Amid all the change and new experiences, lacrosse will serve as a source of familiarity for the four travelers. However, the landscape of the sport in England is not the same as it is in the U.S. They’ll bring their NCAA division one experience to a country where lacrosse is still an emerging sport, seeing it as an opportunity to grow the game and learn from the different backgrounds they’ll share the field with.
“Lacrosse [in England] will be quite different from my experience at AU, and it will be super cool to spread the game in a place where the sport is not nearly as popular,” said Sherrod.
“Being able to play lacrosse for another year was one of the biggest aspects that convinced me to seek this [opportunity] out and see where it could take me,” said Rakis.
Durham athletics has played a big part in establishing a presence for lacrosse in England, fielding six women’s teams and three men’s teams all at different levels. Their first team plays in the Premier North League under the governing body of BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport), and won the national championship in 2024.
“I am really excited to bring our knowledge and experience in lacrosse to England and get the chance to learn from the team and girls there,” said Spratt.
After four years of dedication to AU lacrosse, the recent graduates are positioned to help grow the popularity of the sport abroad.
An incredible journey lies ahead for the four young women, who will head to Durham in September of 2025 and begin playing lacrosse in October.
