STONY BROOK, N.Y. - After capturing their third-straight America East women’s lacrosse regular-season title, the Stony Brook Seawolves took home three major honors at the conference’s annual awards banquet held Thursday night on the eve of the America East Women’s Lacrosse Championship in Stony Brook, N.Y. Senior Maegan Meritz was named Defensive Player of the Year, freshman Kylie Ohlmiller earned Rookie of the Year and head coach Joe Spallina grabbed Coach of the Year honors after helping the Seawolves claim their second unbeten America East regular-season in the last three years. Albany senior Maureen Keggins was named Offensive Player of the Year.
Award winners were nominated by their own coaches and voted on by the conference’s head coaches, who could not vote for their own team.
Offensive Player of the Year
Maureen Keggins, Sr., Attack, Albany
- Leads the America East with 51 assists and 85 points while also adding 34 goals this season.
- Enters the championship leading the country in assists per game (3.19) and points per game (5.31).
- Set the America East single-season record for most points in a conference season with 41.
- Has paced an Albany offense that leads the conference and ranks fifth in the country, averaging 14.88 goals per game.
Defensive Players of the Year
Maegan Meritz, Jr., Defense, Stony Brook
- Has anchored a Stony Brook defense that enters the tournament first in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 5.24 goals per game.
- Was named America East Defensive Player of the week four times this season.
- Ranks fourth in the conference with 2.24 ground balls per game while causing 15 turnovers this season.
- Has helped Stony Brook hold 16 of its 17 opponents to single-digit goals this season including wins over four top-20 teams.
Rookie of the Year
Kylie Ohlmiller, Fr., Attack, Stony Brook
- Led all freshmen in both goals (38) and assists (35) this season.
- Ranked third in the conference and 10th in the country with 4.29 points per game.
- Played her best in the biggest games with five goals and one assist vs. No. 6 Florida; three goals and three assists vs. No. 17 Notre Dame; and four goals and two assists vs. No. 5 Northwestern.
- Only player in the America East and one of only three freshmen in the country to be named one of 25 Tewaaraton nominees.
Coach of the Year
Joe Spallina, Stony Brook
- Named Coach of the Year for the second time.
- Led Stony Brook to its second unbeaten conference season in the last three years.
- Has the Seawolves ranked fifth in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll and sixth in the IWLCA Coaches’ Poll - the highest national rankings in program history.
- Stony Brook leads the country in scoring defense at 5.24 goals allowed per game
First-Team All-Conference
Attack - Maureen Keggins, Sr., Albany - Leads conference in points per game, Offensive Player of the Year
Attack - Courtney Murphy, So., Stony Brook - Leads the Seawolves and is second in the conference with 60 goals
Attack - Kylie Ohlimiller, Fr., Stony Brook - Rookie of the Year, Third in the conference with 4.29 points per game
Attack - Jessica Roach, Sr., Vermont - Set Vermont single-season points record with 75
Midfield - Rachel Bowles, Jr., Albany - Fourth in the conference and first among midfielders with 4.00 points per game
Midfield - Michelle Rubino, Sr., Stony Brook - Second-straight first team honor, fourth in the conference with 1.12 caused turnovers per game
Midfield - Dorrien Van Dyke, So., Stony Brook - 10th in the conference and third on the team with 3.12 points per game
Midfield - Vanessa VanderZalm, Jr., Vermont - Second in ground balls (3.0) and draw controls (3.6) and first in caused turnovers (2.4) per game
Defense - Christine Johnson, Jr., Albany - Anchored Albany defense that allowed just 4.0 goals per game in conference play
Defense - Erin Monna, Sr., Albany - Totaled 19 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers
Defense - Alyssa Fleming, Jr., Stony Brook - Tied for team lead with 18 caused turnovers to go with 24 ground balls
Defense - Maegan Meritz, Jr., Stony Brook - Defensive Player of the Year, Helped SBU lead nation in scoring defense at 5.24 goals per game
Goalie - Courtney Henderson, Sr., Albany - Led the conference in save percentage at .483
Second-Team All-Conference
Attack - Dakotah Savitcheff, So., Albany - Leads the America East and ranks third in the country in goals per game (3.63)
Attack - Alie Jimerson, Fr., Albany - Second among freshmen and eighth in the conference with 3.38 points per game
Attack - Abby Wilson, Sr., UMBC - Tied for the league-lead with four game-winning goals
Attack - Laura McHoul, Jr., New Hampshire - Totaled 27 goals and 30 assists to rank seventh in the conference in points
Midfield - Sarah Martin, So., Albany - Leads the team with 25 ground balls to go with 16 goals and five assists
Midfield - Nichole Eamer, Sr., Albany - Totaled 15 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers along with 12 points
Midfield - Rachael Nock, Sr., New Hampshire - Third on the Wildcats with 43 points
Midfield - Amber Kupres, Sr., Stony Brook - Tied for the league-lead with four game-winning goals
DefenseSierra McIver, Sr., Albany - Totaled 10 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers
Defense - Michelle Primomo, Gr., Albany - Enters the tournament iwth 15 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers
Defense - Allie Rodgers, Jr., Binghamton - Second in the conference with 1.53 caused turnovers per game
Defense - Taylor Pedersen, Jr., Vermont - Third on the team with 28 ground balls and second with 15 caused turnovers
Goalie - Kaitlyn Leahy, So., Stony Brook - Leads the America East with a 5.48 goals against average
All-Rookie Team
Attack - Alie Jimerson, Albany - Second team all-conference selection, totaled 54 points
Midfield - Emma Powlin, Albany - Fifth in the conference with 35 draw controls
Midfield - Tiffany Ryan, Binghamton - 20 goals ranked fifth on the Bearcats
Defense - Tianna Wallpher, UMBC - Totaled 15 points to go with a team-best 32 ground balls
Goalie - Courtney Barrett, UMass Lowell - Led the America East with 10.18 saves per game
Attack - Krissy Schafer, New Hampshire - Compiled nine goals, three ground balls and four draw controls
Midfield - Samantha DiSalvo, Stony Brook - Totaled eight draw controls, eight ground balls and eight points
Attack - Kylie Ohlmiller, Stony Brook - Rookie of the Year, First team all-conference selection
Midfield - Courtney Cole, Vermont - Notched 15 draw controls and 12 ground balls along with ten goals
Attack - Elena McWright, Vermont - Finished the regular season with 16 points and a .733 shooting percentage
All-Academic Team
Erin Monna, Sr., Albany - 3.55 GPA in Sociology, All-Conference First Team
Sharon Bossert, So., Binghamton - 3.97 GPA in Integrative Neuroscience
Alex Fisher, Sr., Binghamton - 3.53 GPA in Integrated Neuroscience
Sophia Racciatti, Jr., Binghamton -3.53 GPA in Linguistics
Callon Williams, So., Binghamton - 3.80 GPA in Psychology
Megan Flock, Jr., UMBC -3.62 GPA in Psychology
Laura Kender, Sr., UMass Lowell - 3.72 GPA in Plastics Engineering
Becca Graves, Sr., New Hampshire - 3.77 GPA in Zoology
Amy LeBel, So., New Hampshire - 4.00 GPA in Environmental Engineering
Laura Puccia, Sr., New Hampshire - 3.75 GPA in Neuroscience
Marina Mestres, Sr., Stony Brook - 3.91 GPA in Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Vanessa VanderZalm, Jr., Vermont - 3.48 GPA in Nuclear Medicine Technology, All-Conference First Team