GETTYSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — How do you fill the shoes of a legend?

For Gettysburg women’s lacrosse, no one’s better suited for the job than Charlotte Cunningham.

“I owe everything to Carole, she’s been an excellent mentor, she’s one of my greatest friends,” Cunningham said. “So she really afforded me the ability to step into some leadership roles as an assistant and that experience has really helped me.”

The first year head coach took over after Carole Cantele spent the last 30 years building a powerhouse. Cantele amassed a .794 winning percentage, 12 Centennial Conference titles and three national titles. She now hands the reins over to her assistant. Cunningham has been on the Gettysburg sideline for the past four seasons.

“She really brings out the best in us and makes us not only the best players we can be on the field but the best people off the field too so I can’t say enough good about her,” senior attack Katie Fullowan said.

Cunningham’s familiarity with the players and the culture has been a major plus for a top ten program already off to a strong 6-3 start.

“She encourages every single person on this team not just the starters,” senior defender Kaitlyn Bergen said. “She really can bring that full team unity and get all of us together on the same page and truly bought into winning.”

“To be able to walk in with 37 girls like we have, I’m the luckiest coach in the world,” Cunningham said. “They’re hard workers, they’re bought into our goals, they do all of the little things.”

Cantele’s fingerprints are all over, but Cunningham hopes to leave her own imprint on the program.

“While we’re still respecting and valuing the history of Gettysburg lacrosse it is the time for us to pave our new way and build a new Gettysburg lacrosse that’s just as successful and it values the same things,” Cunningham said.

“But it’s fun to kind of charter our new course.”