Former Terrapins women’s lacrosse attacker Alex Aust walked off the field in her final game last season wondering what she could have done differently. The senior watched North Carolina celebrate a 13-12 triple overtime win in the longest-ever national championship game, which ended the Terps’ try for a perfect season and Aust’s storied career. 

Aust finished the game with one goal and one assist despite taking a team-high seven shots. Still, the Sterling, Virginia, native was an offensive juggernaut all season. She finished with 70 goals and 55 assists, both team highs.

Yet the Tar Heels seemed to have an answer for Aust. In three games, North Carolina limited her to a total of four goals and one assist. 

“I obviously have gone over that last game a hundred times in my head and just what I could have done differently and what we needed at that moment,” Aust said. “I’ve learned a lot from it. It wasn’t even the loss that stung, but now it’s not taking anything for granted.”

But Aust’s time with the Terps didn’t end at Villanova Stadium that night. 

A month later, coach Cathy Reese called Aust to offer her the director of operations position, and Aust quickly accepted. 

This Saturday, almost a year later, Aust and the Terps will face Duke in the NCAA quarterfinals. If the Terps reach the finals this time, though, Aust will be standing on the sideline. 

“Being able to be here and do whatever I can to still contribute to another team that is hopefully going to see themselves in a similar position,” Aust said, “I can’t ask for anything else.”

But her new role on the coaching staff — as director of operations she handles behind-the-scenes organizational work and cannot perform coaching duties on the field — took some adjusting. 

“The hard parts were not being out there and actually playing every day,” Aust said. “That was really hard to watch.”

When the Terps played UMBC in their season opener, Aust realized how different things would be when she wasn’t suiting up to play.

Aust no longer participated in the pregame traditions and superstitions. When the team lined up for warm-ups before the game, Aust didn’t take her spot in front of midfielder Beth Glaros as she had as a player. 

“Just little things like that,” Aust said. “Like, ‘That’s my spot, I’m supposed to be there.’ But it’s a completely different team, and I think that’s what is amazing about Maryland, is it is a different team every year, but it’s the same chemistry.”

Aust’s role during her standout senior season helped ease the switch, though. 

She was a captains during her final year so teammates already looked to her as a leader. Attacker Brooke Griffin bonded with Aust last season when the two were starting attackers. 

“It’s still nice having her around because we were so close with her last year that you can still go up to her with any concerns or any issues,” Griffin said. 

After her first regular season as director of operations, Aust is in a familiar position. As a player, she reached at least the semifinals of the NCAA tournament all four years, and she was on the team that won the championship her freshman season. 

When the Terps fell behind Penn 1-0 early Sunday afternoon in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Aust found herself regressing to her early-season feelings of helplessness. 

“It’s a really enlightening experience to be on the other side because I can’t just run out there and fix it myself,” Aust said. 

While she couldn’t affect the outcome, Aust didn’t take anything for granted Sunday, even when the Terps cruised in the second half to a 13-5 victory.

So as the Terps continue their pursuit for their first championship since Aust’s freshman season, she will do everything she can behind the scenes to make sure the Terps are the ones hoisting the trophy May 25 at Johnny Unitas Stadium.

“She makes my life easier,” Reese said. “But she also wants to see Maryland women’s lacrosse succeed and is willing to help out however she can.”