In Play(er) of the Week, we seek to highlight outstanding Wesleyan athletes or segments from games that deserve extra attention. Molly Greer ’24 plays midfield for the Wesleyan women’s lacrosse team. The junior from Cohasset, Massachusetts shone during the Cardinals’ three-game win streak the week of April 9, more than doubling her total points on the season, with five goals and five assists. At the Cards’ matchup against Trinity on Wednesday, April 12, she recorded a career-high seven points to help the team earn a 20–13 victory. The following Saturday, April 15, she recorded one goal and one assist in the Red and Black’s matchup against Tufts. For these outstanding performances, she earned NESCAC Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career. The Argus sat down with her to talk about COVID, Carrie Underwood, and her hopes for another strong postseason. 

The Argus: Could you just start by introducing yourself?

Molly Greer: I’m Molly Greer. I’m a junior [on] the Wesleyan women’s lacrosse team, and I play midfield. I’m an econ major.

A: How did you first start playing lacrosse?

MG: I started playing lacrosse when I was super young. It must have been third grade. And as I got older, I just loved it more and more. 

A: Did either of your parents play [sports]? 

MG: My dad [Kenny Greer] played baseball and he actually ended up playing in the major leagues later on. And my mom’s a horseback rider.

A: So what made you decide to play lacrosse here?

MG: I decided I wanted to play college lacrosse when I first started playing high school lacrosse. My recruiting process was a little crazy, and it had its ups and downs, as everyone’s does, but when I first came to Wesleyan, after meeting [head coach] Kim [Williams] and figuring out what the culture was on this team, and what Wesleyan women’s lacrosse was all about, I just knew that I wanted to play here. 

A: What is it that you feel makes [Wesleyan women’s lacrosse] really special?

MG: Everyone’s so different in their own way. But they have the same mindset, where they want to win, they want to be successful, but they also want to have fun while doing it. And I just want to emphasize how supportive everyone is of each other. I think without that it’s really hard to be successful on the field. And being a part of this team, and the support that all of us give each other, is what builds us up. And that has been really transmitting lately. And that starts with Kim, who really instills that in all of us. 

A: What are some of your favorite memories so far from the team? 

MG: I think one of my favorite memories was our spring break trip this year. We went to California for the week. That was my first spring break because of COVID and everything, so that was a lot of fun, and a great way to spend time with the team. And we also got to play two California teams out there.

A: What’s been your experience as a student athlete balancing [academics and athletics]?

MG: I think my experience hasn’t been very traditional, because I came in during the height of COVID. I actually made the decision to not be on campus the spring of my freshman year, so I was stripped of that experience. But with the resources here, in my opinion, it’s impossible to fail. With my coaches, my teammates, the professors here—everyone’s just so supportive and there to help, and they want to see you succeed. So it’s been really easy to be able to balance the two.

A: What has been the highlight of your season so far?

MG: I have a few. I think beating Tufts this year was awesome. We lost last year by a good amount, so I think beating them gave us a little bit of confidence, especially going into the postseason. And I think winning the Little Three [Championship] was awesome. 

A: What was that game like, beating Williams for the Little Three [Championship]?

MG: Williams was gonna be good this year. They have a lot of good talent from their freshman and sophomore classes, so they’re a young team. But we played well, and we got the win. And it was a great feeling to get that.

A: You recently won the NESCAC Player of the Week. How did that feel?

MG: That was so exciting. I wasn’t expecting it. I know everyone has good weeks here and there. The amount of support from my teammates, my family, my coaches—just getting that was the best feeling. I had President Roth reach out!

A: Part of the reason you won [NESCAC Player of the Week] was because you had eight points in 10 games coming into [that week], and then suddenly scored 10 more in just three games. What clicked to make you start scoring more?

MG: I actually remember a specific moment the week before. I sort of had a mindset switch. I knew we were going into the week and we had two big NESCAC matchups. And I was like, ‘I’m a junior now. I need to step up. I need to be contributing more on the field.’ And once I had that switch, I just started playing with a little bit more confidence.

A: You talked about getting support from your friends, family, and coaches. Who have been your biggest supporters throughout your career?

MG: I think the Wesleyan women’s lacrosse team is one of the most supportive groups of girls I’ve ever been a part of. And that translates a lot on the field and leads to our success. My parents come to every single game. They came to our spring break trip; they came to California [even though] we live in Massachusetts. And I have two siblings as well. My brother plays baseball at Bucknell, and my sister’s a freshman in high school. She plays lacrosse, too, so she’s also one of my biggest supporters.

A: You guys made it to the third round of the NCAA tournament last year. Tell me what that was like. 

MG: So last year was technically my first season with Wesleyan lacrosse because I took the spring off my freshman year. So it was kind of weird being a sophomore but also feeling like a freshman on the team. Being able to make it a few rounds in was pretty awesome. It obviously didn’t end the way we wanted it to. We knew we could have done a little bit more in the tournament. But I think this year, we have a lot of confidence, and hopefully [will be] getting another bid.

A: Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?

MG: Our team definitely does. We have to have a dance party before every single game. We have to. We have a different song each year that we have to play before each game. This year it’s “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood. We turn the lights off, we have a disco light in the locker room. And then once “Before He Cheats” finishes, Kim comes in. And then personally, I don’t know if it’s a superstition or just something I do every game, I have to fold my socks over one little flap. 

A: Is there any significance behind the number you wear, number eight?

MG: I was number eight in high school, for field hockey. And that was a sport that I really loved, but something that I couldn’t play after high school. So keeping that makes it special. And I’m glad I got it.

A: How are you guys feeling heading into the NESCAC tournament this weekend?

MG: I’m so excited for that. I think we are ending the season on a very high note. We have a lot of confidence as a team right now, and I’m excited to see that carry over into the postseason.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

If you would like to nominate a Play(er) of the Week, please reach out to ebyerly@wesleyan.edu with either the athlete’s name and once sentence about why they deserve to be nominated, or the team, date of the game, and players involved, and the segment that you would wish to highlight.

Audrey Nelson can be reached at aanelson@wesleyan.edu.