There are 827 miles that separate the high school where Tate Boyce starred as a goalie from Providence College. He has specific food he prefers in each area, but there’s no difference in one part of his lacrosse — his success.
An All-American in high school (he played at McCallie School in Tennessee), the senior has started every game for Providence since arriving on campus and is a three-time All-Big East first-team selection.
As if his play between the pipes doesn’t already make him an integral part of the Friars, he also serves as the team’s DJ.
How did you start playing lacrosse?
Boyce: “I started in the fourth grade. I’m from Charlotte, North Carolina. I was big into football. I was a bigger kid. My mom signed me up to run around and lose some weight, but in the first couple practices, they found out I had a knack for getting hit with the ball, so I didn’t run around too much.”
Why did you choose Providence?
Boyce: “I did the LB3 Southern Showcase. At the time, Coach (John) Galloway was at Providence, and he was at the showcase, so we kept talking and talking.”
What was it like to be a starter as a freshman?
Boyce: “It was certainly a part of (choosing) Providence in my recruiting process. They told me I had a chance to compete early. I had a chance to compete. Nothing was ever promised; there were no guarantees. They said I could make an impact and compete for a job. As a freshman, it was nerve-wracking. We scrimmaged UMass that fall. I remember lining up to shake hands and feeling like, ‘Wow, these guys are huge.’ I was nervous in the fall and working on the leadership aspect of it, especially at goalie. That was the biggest adjustment. Coach Galloway worked on me to work on my leadership components. Once I was able to do that, it was a big transition for me. It was something I had a knack for.”
How have you prepared for the season this fall?
Boyce: “Last season we were young. We were 5-10. We had eight one-goal games. We needed to find a way to develop alphas on our team. Whoever is on the field needs to be an alpha male. We needed guys who were going to win games. An approach to me was challenging guys to become leaders. It’s something I worked on with guys like Jarrod Neumann and James Barclay. I’m a three-year captain. We needed more leaders out there. We need guys to step up.”
Where is your favorite place to hang out on campus?
Boyce: “Probably Raymond Dining Hall. For the lacrosse guys, it seems to be our hangout spot. We’ll be there anywhere for 30 minutes to two hours. We have two tables in the same area. They’re known as the lacrosse tables. At any given time, there’s probably four or five guys from the team, if not the whole team. We eat a lot. We hang out with the guys. You get some good people watching in.”
What was the most interesting class you took?
Boyce: “I would probably say I took an urban sociology class last year. I had Dr. Hirsch. He did a lot of studies with the homeless in Rhode Island. That was interesting to see how the homeless shelters were set up. There’s a lot of stuff you don’t understand or haven’t been exposed to.”
What do you like to do when you’re not playing lacrosse?
Boyce: “I’m probably making music or listening to music. I’m kind of a little bit of a DJ. … My job now for the sports teams is to make everybody’s warm-up tapes. I make the transitions and add in sound bites.”
What’s your favorite app on your phone and why?
Boyce: “Right now, I’d probably have to say LinkedIn. I check it a ton. Finishing up school and having done some internships and job opportunities, it’s a social network about what people do with their jobs and careers, and I like to see what they’ve done. I’m trying to connect with people and staying up to date.”
Key facts
- College: Providence
- Position: Goalie
- Year: Senior
- Hometown: Matthew, N.C.
- All-Big East: First team (2016, 2017, 2018), Goalkeeper of the Year (2017)
Equipment
- Stick: “My head is an STX Eclipse 2 and the shaft is the STX Shield shaft.”
- Helmet: Cascade S
- Gloves: STX Shield 500
- Pads: Chest protector is STX Shield 500.
- Cleats: “We get Nike low-tops as a team. I wear a retro pair, the Nike Vapor Flys. For the sneakerheads, they’ll know those ones.”
Favorites
- Pregame meal: Chicken parm with some pasta.
- Food: “My dad’s barbecue. He makes the best barbecue in the country.”
- Vacation spot: “This summer was the first time I’ve been in the Outer Banks.”
- Band: “I do a lot of mixes. I’m a big rap guy. Right now, my favorite rapper is Future.”
- Song: “Stick Talk”
- Actor: “I’m a big Mark Wahlberg fan. One of my favorite movies of all time is ‘Invincible.’ He was great.”
- Movie: “All-time, I’d probably go ‘GoodFellas.’
- TV show: “The Office”
- Book: Eric Thomas, “The Secrets to Success.” “He’s a big motivational speaker.”
- Video game: “Fortnite”
- Sport other than lacrosse: Football
- Athlete: Kobe (Bryant). “That Mamba Mentality. I loved the way he played, his work ethic and the way he mentored guys.”
- Team: Carolina Panthers
- Article of clothing: “A hoodie or sweatshirt. I like when it gets a little colder. I try to be stylish with my sweatshirt.”
