Caitlin Banks blends well into the University of Virginia landscape. The soft-spoken New York native moves through crowds and attends class like any other first year.
But Banks is not youraverage University student. She is a member of the Virginia women's lacrosse team, and last week she became the third Virginia women's lacrosse player ever to win ACC rookie of the year.
Banks "has had a terrific year," coach Julie Myers said. "She's different than most players."
Banks grew up the youngest of six children. All her siblings are brothers. Her father was a lacrosse coach and every one of her brothers played lacrosse, so it seemed only natural that young Caitlin would pick up a stick as well.
"I learned everything from watching," Banks said.
One of her brothers, Liam Banks, now plays for Syracuse, and was named the most outstanding player of the 2000 NCAA tournament.
If anything, the younger Banks picked up on the fast pace and hard shots that characterize her older brother's play.
"Caitlin is not a traditional women's lacrosse player," Myers said. "She grew up watching her brothers and picked up many aspects of the men's game."
Men's and women's lacrosse are strikingly different in their stick handling and in some parts of strategy, but Banks' skills seem to have made the translation between sports quite successfully.
"She holds a stick differently," Myers said. "And her shot is not a typical women's lacrosse shot, which can make it harder for a goalie coming in."
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