Kasey Howard has waited three years for a starting spot, twice.

In high school, Kasey Howard attended lacrosse powerhouse Broadneck in Annapolis, Md. At the University of Maryland, she’s again waited her turn to be the first-choice goalie on a talent-rich team.

Howard waited three years behind former Maryland keeper Brittany Dipper before claiming the starting job this year. Yet she brings much more than her shot-stopping talent. Her friendly, jubilant personality accompanies her competitiveness.

“I think anytime you come into a highly skilled and successful varsity program and you have upperclassmen, it’s a challenge,” Broadneck coach Karen Tengwall said in an email. “Just like she did at Maryland, she fought each day and always gave her best. She earned the starting spot and was running on momentum and confidence from that moment on. She thrives on the challenge.”

This season, Howard has a goals-against average of 8.14 and a save percentage of .439, highlighted by an 11-save performance in a 19-11 win at Syracuse on Feb. 17. She has guided the Terrapins to the final four, where they’ll face No. 4-seed Syracuse again on Friday at 7:30 at Villanova Stadium in Pennsylvania.

Regardless of the role she’s had on the field, Howard’s friendly presence has been constant.

“She was friends with everyone and everyone had a respect for her too,” Tengwall said.

High school teammate Courtney Laverdiere grew up down the street from Howard, and was a friend throughout their childhood. In elementary and middle school, they would walk through the woods to get to each other’s houses. They also attended the local youth group, Young Life, together.

“She was the kind of person who got to know everyone on the team on a personal level,” Laverdiere said. “She wanted to win, but she was also everyone’s friend off the field as well.”

Laverdiere remembers her junior year, Howard’s senior year, in the district championship game. It was torrentially downpouring, and Howard had a phenomenal game, saving defenders “multiple” times. Tengwall remembers that game too, which Broadneck lost in overtime to eventual state champion Severna Park (Md.) High School.

Tengwall recalled a “beautiful” save in the final seconds of regulation, but a foul on the shot allowed Severna Park to tie the game on a free-position opportunity. Howard had three saves in overtime before eventually getting scored on.

Howard anchored the team’s defense, and she seemed to always make a great save or two each game.

“Her presence is definitely known when she’s on the field,” Laverdiere said. “Kasey was always confident. She was always loud and able to communicate what she wanted, which was great being a defender.”

It’s the same type of person she is off the field.

“She is a beautiful person inside and out and a smile that is very contagious,” Tengwall said. “Even as she has had such success at Maryland, she stays in touch with me and watches her BHS alumni and is still very proud of her days at Broadneck. That in itself, is a great compliment to any coach and program.”

In high school, Howard participated in student government, Model UN, Salt Street Foundation and Habitat for Humanity. Her bio on the University of Maryland website says her craziest ambition is to travel to every continent.

“Whatever she has done she has been very successful at,” Howard’s father Steve said. “One thing is that she’s a very consistent player and that kind of goes with her personality. She’s very calm and very collected and that helps a lot, especially in a game like lacrosse, and especially in a position like goalie.”

Tengwall believes Howard’s grit will greatly benefit UMD this postseason.

The same drive that earned Howard all-county honors in high school, while leading the county in save percentage twice, will undoubtedly be needed if the Terps are going to come out on top.

Said Tengwall: “She is a fierce competitor. And that will carry her in this final four.”

Published on May 24, 2013 at 11:29 am

Contact Josh: jmhyber@syr.edu