The Marquette women’s lacrosse all-time goal scoring record that has stood for six years is about to be snatched.
After Marquette’s most recent game against Niagara at Valley Fields on Friday evening, senior attacker Meg Bireley sits at 165 goals — 10 short of record-holder Grace Gabriel’s 175 she got between 2016 and 2019. If Bireley keeps up her average pace of 4.2 goals per game, she’ll pass Gabriel during the team’s matchup against Detroit Mercy on March 16 at home and finish her collegiate career at the end of the season with around 211 career goals.
While becoming ever close to writing her name atop the program’s history books, Marquette head coach Meredith Black said that Bireley isn’t fazed.
“She’s not distracted at all,” Black said. “I’d be surprised if she knows about it and if she does know about it, it’s not something that she’s thinking about.”
Bireley has been thinking about something bigger than herself.
“The biggest goal that I’m always thinking about — my biggest dream at Marquette — is to win a Big East Championship,” Bireley said.
Even with the spotlight on her this season, the senior attacker has stayed quiet about her accomplishments. She said she’s more focused on giving all her effort towards her final campaign instead of focusing on one stat.
“This season feels different for me because I know that it’s my last one,” Bireley said. “I’m really focused on giving it all I got, and I want to enjoy it and have fun because I know it’s the last time, I’ll be able to be on a team like this. Caitlin Wolf [Marquette’s assistant coach] always says to me, ‘Why not just give it all you got? You have nothing to lose because it’s the last one.’ So, that’s my mindset.”
Last season, Bireley set a single-season program record for goals (69), shots on goal (113) and tied for shots (152).
This year, Bireley has recorded at least a hat trick and 10 shots in all five games and against Louisville, she stacked up a program-high 17 shots and 13 shots on goal. She also collected her 206th career point in Marquette’s previous matchup which places the stat star 14 behind the current leader, Shea Garcia (2019-2023).
“I think she’s a really slippery player,” senior midfielder Hanna Bodner said. ” The defense has a really hard time knowing her next move and she has a very good hesitation when she’s driving. It makes it really hard for the defense to assume what her next move is.”
Bireley also credited the rest of her attack teammates who aid her goal-scoring prowess.
“We have a really great offense where everyone is really aggressive and it creates a lot of openings for everyone,” Bireley said. “It’s also nice as a senior compared to when I was a freshman because we’ve been running the same sort of plays for the past four years. So, when I was a freshman, I had to think about it a lot more, but now it’s in my head, and it feels natural.”
Despite playing a different attacking position during every year of her career at Marquette, Bireley’s number of goals, points, shots and shots on goal have always increased compared to the year prior. Even in her junior season, when the team played two extra games the year before because of its Big East and NCAA tournament appearances, she still got 25 more goals and 50 more shots.
Black said that her versatility has proven her ability to succeed in any situation.
“Freshman year, she would play more crease, and we used her everywhere,” Black said. “We’re like, ‘All right, we need somebody here, so let’s put you here.’ She did a great job. And then we’d be like, ‘All right, we need you play up top and be more of a driver.’ She did great. ‘We need you to be inside and be a feeder.’ Great job. ‘We need you to cut.’ Great job. She’s just so dynamic. She’s able to do everything and do it well. There’s very little instruction needed.”
With all the work she puts in, Bireley has still taken the time to communicate with her teammates effectively. Bireley is often one of the players gathering the huddle after the squad scores to talk things over before the draw.
“She has become a teacher as well,” Bodner said. “Moving from year to year, she was really great with explaining plays and being able to work with you. She’s an amazing two-man player, so she’s constantly moving and staying open. She’s a really great player to bounce off of.”
When asked about what else she wants to do before she leaves Marquette, it wasn’t other record-breaking stats or gleaming trophies that came to mind.
“[I want] to enjoy the time that I have with my teammates and be the best teammate that I can,” Bireley said. “Hopefully, I can leave a good impact on this team.”
This story was written by Ben Hanson. He can be reached by email at benjamin.hanson@marquette.edu or on Twitter/X @benhansonMU.
