Acone Named To Tewaaraton Trophy Watch List For Second Straight Season, Top-Ranked Women's Lacrosse Preparing To Defend NCAA National Crown

February 23, 2006

Since the inception of Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse in 1999, Stonehill has captured every regular season title, six conference tournament titles, and is 61-1 all-time in Northeast-10 play. Nationally, the Skyhawks have climbed the scale from a 2001 NCAA semi-finalist, to the 2002 NCAA runner-up, to two NCAA championships in three years (2003, 2005). The team has also had some incredible solo performances: 22 All-America players, including four IWLCA National Players of the Year- Midfielder of the Year Erin Acone '06, Defender of the Year Kate Sarkissian '06, Attack Player of the Year Katie Lambert '03, and Goalkeeper of the Year Carissa Medeiros '03. For his efforts and accomplishments, Head Coach Michael Daly has been tabbed three times as the IWLCA National Coach of the Year, in 1999, 2003 and 2005.

The senior tri-captains leading the Skyhawks this spring are Erin Acone (Bow, N.H./Bow), Kate Sarkissian (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) and Lauren Stone (Guilderland, N.Y.), Daly knows the importance of these leaders to prepare the team heading into the season as defending champions. "We are every team's Super Bowl and have a bull's-eye on our backs from day one," Daly said. "We must come out and attack our opponents first and will need everyone's best effort to meet every challenge."

Here's a look at how the 2006 squad shapes up:

ATTACK. Senior All-American Jenny McGrath (Milton, Mass./Milton) heads the list of key returnees on attack, second on the team in 2005 with a 57 goal, 85-point season. McGrath will lead a highly skilled and dangerous attack unit with her quickness, dodging skills and nose for finishing around the goal, as junior Tracey Hoffman, one of the team's most talented and all-around athletic players (Nashua, N.H./Nashua), looks to capitalize on her breakout season last spring, tallying 30 goals. This pair combined for 48 assists and nine game-winners for the national champions in 2005. Sophomore Christa LaRocco (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) will add to her 21 point rookie season, where she saw play in all 21 games and showcased her exceptional stick work and feel for the game. Newcomer Mary Maloney (Great River, N.Y./St. Anthony's) brings added aggression and toughness to the table along with her accurate shooting ability and dodging skills.

MIDFIELD. The diversity of experience and skill in this part of the team lineup is what will make this Skyhawks so well balanced at the middie position featuring a pair of All-America veterans and a trio of top rookie recruits. The top midfielder on the squad is Inside Lacrosse's Offensive Midfielder of the Year, ECAC's Women's Lacrosse Player of the Year and Northeast-10 Player of the Year in 2005, Erin Acone. This is quite an impressive resume for the senior tri-captain who has 166 career goals, including 70 last year alone. Her athleticism and competitive fire can only benefit the other newcomers at this position, as they have the opportunity to learn from one of Stonehill's best all around players and leaders at the midfield spot. The Skyhawks also welcome back sophomore sensation Kristin Darrell (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) who picked up Inside Lacrosse's Rookie of the Year and Northeast-10 Freshman of the Year honors in 2005. Pairing fine-tuned stick skills, deft dodging skills, and pure speed proved deadly for the opposition last season as Darrell recorded 56 goals on the season and looks to only pick up where she left off. The three freshmen added into the equation are Michelle Salmon (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip), whose athleticism, transition speed and exceptional field vision and instinct will only cause more problems for opposing teams alongside Acone and Darrell, Michelle Kelly (Mendham, N.J./West Morris Mendham), excels technically as both a goal scorer and draw specialist for the Skyhawks, also brings tenacity and aggression to a whole new level in the midfield. She will be joined by newcomer Rebecca Cottam (Belmont, Mass./Belmont), who looks to use her quickness, athleticism and versatility as a weapon in the midfield.

DEFENSE. The anchor of a young defensive group comes as no surprise as tri-captain Kate Sarkissian steps back into that role this season. This All-American will play alongside a talented, super-athletic and hard-working pair of sophomores in Katie Gavin (Westwood, Mass./Westwood) and Jenn Collins (Nashua, N.H./Nashua), who with a year of collegiate experience under their belts, will look to move into bigger leadership roles in the Skyhawk back line of defense. Gavin will utilize her tremendous aggressiveness, competitive drive and great stick work as Collins' checking abilities and toughness will surely contribute to any and all Stonehill successes.

GOAL. The 2005 ECAC, Inside Lacrosse, and Women's Lacrosse Goalkeeper of the Year senior Lauren Stone heads the list of contenders to stand between the pipes for the Skyhawks this spring. The All-American tri-captain comes off a single-season record setting year for most wins by a goalie with 17. Sophomore Amanda McGeachey (Saco, Maine/Thorton Academy) will vie for time in net as her determination should serve her well to compete for spot, while newcomer Justine Ferland's (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton) technical soundness will grant her minutes in goal.

SCHEDULE. The Skyhawks look to make Division II Women's Lacrosse history in making a run at an unprecedented three championships in four years by testing themselves right off the bat, playing at 5th ranked Limestone the week of spring break followed up by two Division I opponents previous to opening up conference play at a vastly improved and competitive Bryant University squad. Northeast-10 regular season play should be at a much higher level competition wise in 2006 as Southern New Hampshire and Saint Michael's have immensely improved and added key top recruits to their young rosters, while Merrimack plans to add to their landmark winning season last spring when the Skyhawks and Warriors collide under the lights at W.B. Mason Stadium to close out the end of March. Midway through the season Stonehill will entertain the 2004 National Champions and 2nd-rankedAdelphi as the two previous national champions go head to head in a key NCAA north region showdown that will no doubt have an affect on the DII NCAAs Championship pairings come May. The Skyhawks have five straight conference games following then travel to 3rd ranked West Chester and 4th ranked LIU-C.W. Post within two days of each other before heading into the conference tournament in the beginning of May.

Tewaaraton Announces Women's 2006 Preseason Watch List

The Women's Selection Committee has

named their preseason "watch list". The players on

this list were nominated by coaches across all

three divisions and are early season hopefuls for the

2006 Tewaaraton Trophy.

Name School

Acone, Erin Stonehill

Albrecht, Sarah Northwestern

Burker, Megan Stanford

Chrest, Katie Duke

Cipro, Laura Georgetown

Cipro, Renee Penn State

Cook, Jen North Carolina

Cox, Delia Maryland

Cuneo, Lizzy Dartmouth

Dougher, Lauren College of NJ

Douthett, Whitney Dartmouth

Hauser, Jenny Boston University

Hillier, Kim Hofstra

Huether, Meghan Duke

Kasper, Kelly Maryland

Key, Mary Johns Hopkins

Kjellman, Kristen Northwestern

Leachman, Tyler Virginia

Lewis-LaMonica, Katie Princeton

Lieb, Jesse Penn State

Lieb, Nikki Virginia

McHarg, Kate Loyola

Munday, Lindsey Northwestern

Renehan, Elizabeth Middlebury

Sanford, Rachel Duke

Sneath, Helen Colorado College

Stanwick, Coco Georgetown

Vance, Lauren Princeton

Wills, Devon Dartmouth

Witzel, Shannon Towson