#DukeWLAX20th Spotlight: Katie Chrest Erbe

As the Duke women's lacrosse program celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2015-16, GoDuke.com will be catching up with several Blue Devil alumnae to highlight memories from their collegiate careers and the paths they've taken to success in their professional fields. Look for the profiles throughout the year, and be sure to check out the 20th Anniversary landing page at http://goduke.us/1TxjmY5 for more information.

Katie Chrest Erbe, 2003-06
Duke's all-time career points and goals leader, Katie Chrest Erbe was a standout on the Blue Devil attack from 2003-06. She received the 2005 Tewaaraton Award as the National Player of the Year and was a three-time Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) and Inside Lacrosse All-American. Chrest Erbe was named to the IWLCA All-South Region team each of her four seasons and made two appearances on the All-ACC team. She was twice voted the ACC Player of the Year and garnered ACC Tournament MVP honors in 2005 and ACC Rookie of the Year recognition in 2003. A history major at Duke and a member of the 2009 U.S. women's World Cup championship team, Chrest Erbe currently serves as the wellness coordinator and head girls' lacrosse coach at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.

GoDuke.com: What are some of your favorite lacrosse memories from your time at Duke?
Katie Chrest Erbe: Wow, there are so many! A few of my top favorites are our ACC Championship, road trips and postseasons when school was over and everyone else on campus was gone and it was just lacrosse practice and pool time with your best friends.

GoDuke.com: What lessons did you take with you from your time on and off the field?
KCE: The biggest lesson I learned was about giving your whole heart (thank you, Stef Sparks!) and putting everything on the line in order to achieve your goals.

GoDuke.com: Who were some teammates that influenced you?
KCE: There are so many people that come to mind ... the short list includes Kate Kaiser, Lauren Gallagher, Meghan Walters, Stef Sparks, Laura Anderson, Kristen Waagbo, Michelle Menser, Caroline Cryer and Carolyn Davis. Each of them impacted me in a different way. The older girls taught me how to work hard and they believed in me and encouraged me to be my best. The younger ones always inspired me with their talent and challenged me to raise my level. They were team players who were truly in it to see our entire team succeed. It was a selfless group.

GoDuke.com: How did your education prepare you for life after college?
KCE: It wasn't necessarily the knowledge I gained that prepared me for life after college. It was more about the skills I acquired as I learned how to manage my time, focus on my own journey, work hard and manage stress. Graduating from Duke is one of my proudest accomplishments because it was hard and challenged me in so many ways than lacrosse.

GoDuke.com: What interested you about joining the coaching ranks?
KCE: I love the game and I loved my experience. It was so special. So to be able to stay in the game and help others have that same experience seemed like a golden opportunity. Also, I learned so much through my lacrosse experience and grew so much as a person in my four years. I hope to be able to pass those lessons along as I interact with my players.

GoDuke.com: What is your favorite aspect of your job?
KCE: The people. I love that I have a position in the school to impact a lot of young girls. I love the girls on my team and enjoy them so much. High school can be hard for girls so I'm hopeful that I can help them grow into kind, hard-working and confident young women.

GoDuke.com: What have been some keys to reaching the level of success you are at now?
KCE: The thing that comes to mind is the willingness to put myself outside of my comfort zone and the willingness to totally fail in order to grow. That has helped me so much in my job. I've noticed that the times when I get too fearful of making mistakes are the times that I stop growing personally or professionally.

GoDuke.com: What advice would you give to current or future student-athletes?
KCE: Give your whole heart to your team, coaches and the process. Put it all on the line. Give it everything you have and have so much fun. Allow yourself to be fully emotionally invested.

GoDuke.com: Any other hobbies or interests we should know about?
KCE: Well, not sure if they're fun facts but, I've been married for three years now and have a six-month old daughter named Evelyn (we call her Evie). My husband is a PhD student at Indiana University so that's where we're living for now. Now I enjoy baking, trail running and I dabble in some sewing.

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#DukeWLAX20th Spotlight: Katie Chrest Erbe

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