April 29, 2009
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - Old Dominion University raked in three of the four major awards at the 2009 Colonial Athletic Association women's lacrosse banquet tonight, voted on by the CAA's eight head coaches, including senior Kelly Kimener taking the league's Player of the Year honors. Head coach Sue Stahl was named CAA Coach of the Year for the fifth time in her career and redshirt freshman Sarah Geary earned the Rookie of the Year commendation.
The awards were presented at a banquet Wednesday night on the eve of the 2009 CAA Women's Lacrosse Championship, which is being hosted by top-seed William & Mary. The CAA's Defender of the Year went to Towson's Julie Ondrako.
Kimener is just the second ever CAA Player of the Year for the Lady Monarchs and the first since 1993. The senior midfielder from Oakton, Va. led the Lady Monarchs with 57 points on 42 goals and a team-high 15 assists. She also was second on the team with 22 caused turnovers. Kimener was among the CAA's top 10 in goals, assists and points per game, setting career-highs in all three categories. The ODU captain recorded 10 hat tricks this season and had five games with five or more points, including a season-high seven against UMBC.
Geary is the first ODU player since 2001 to receive CAA Rookie of the Year accolades. The freshman goalkeeper from Springfield, Pa., played all but 30 minutes in cage for the Lady Monarchs this season. With a record of 11-4, she tallied 146 saves, 45 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers. She ranks among the top five in several CAA categories, including ground balls per game (3.00), goals against average (10.20), save percentage (.493) and saves per game (9.73).
Stahl earned CAA Coach of the Year honors for the second time in the past three years and the fifth time in her career. She guided the Lady Monarchs to an overall record of 11-4 and they finished in a three-way tie for second in the CAA at 5-2. ODU recorded three victories over nationally ranked opponents this season, including a 13-10 triumph over #9 Virginia. The season marked a huge turnaround for ODU, after finishing 0-7 in CAA action a year ago and 4-9 overall.
In addition to the four major awards handed out on Wednesday, the CAA also announced the 2009 All-CAA first and second teams along with the CAA All-Rookie squad.
In all, Old Dominion had five athletes named to the All-Conference teams, headlined by Kimener and junior Ashley Kellogg on the First Team. Geary and senior defender Lindsey Belle earned Second Team honors while true freshman Lisa Bernardini joined Geary on the All-Rookie squad.
Kellogg was an All-Rookie team member in 2007 and has posted career-highs in every statistical category this season. She leads the team in goals with 45 and has added seven helpers for 52 points. Belle, co-captain of the Lady Monarchs, led one of the top defenses in the CAA this season. She is averaging two caused turnovers per game and ranks 13th nationally. Bernardini walked on to the women's lacrosse team after starting full time with women's soccer this fall and finished the season the fourth leading scorer for the Lady Monarchs. She has 31 points on 23 goals and eight assists headed into the CAA Tournament.
Third seeded ODU faces off against #2 seed University of Delaware Thursday night at 7:30 at Albert-Daly Field on the campus of William & Mary . More information can be found at http://www.tribeathletics.com/files/lax/2009/caa/09laxcaachampionship.html.
2009 ALL-CAA WOMEN'S LACROSSE TEAM
(selected by CAA lacrosse coaches)
FIRST TEAM
Player, School Pos. Cl. Hometown/High SchoolAshley Holofcener, William & Mary A So. Baltimore, Md./St. Paul's SchoolAshley Kellogg, Old Dominion A Jr. Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown WestMeggie McNamara, Towson A Sr. Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-ManliusCorrine Gandolfi, Hofstra* MF Jr. Smithtown, N.Y./NorthportGrace Golden, William & Mary* MF So. Manhasset, N.Y./Sacred Heart AcademyKim Griffin, James Madison# MF Jr. Jarrettsville, Md./North HarfordKelly Kimener, Old Dominion MF Sr. Oakton, Va./OaktonNikki Marcinik, Towson MF Jr. Deale, Md./SouthernMaggie Bridges, George Mason* D Sr. Fairfax, Va./Paul VIJulie Ondrako, Towson* D Sr. Manilus, N.Y./Fayetteville-ManilusErin Zimmerman, Delaware D Sr. Malvern, Pa./Great ValleyJessica Cerveny, Delaware* GK Sr. Islip, N.Y./Islip
SECOND TEAM
Player, School Pos. Cl. Hometown/High SchoolJaime Dardine, James Madison A Sr. Broomall, Pa./Marple NewtownLiz Falco, Hofstra A Jr. Yorktown Heights, N.Y./YorktownMadalyn Jamison, George Mason A So. Finksburg, Md./WestminsterKatie Lawson, Drexel MF Jr. Sewell, N.J./Washington TownshipEmily Schaknowski, Delaware* MF Jr. Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading RiverDeb Sloan, Delaware MF Sr. Thornton, Pa./West Chester EastMolly Wannen, William & Mary MF So. Silver Spring, Md./The Blake SchoolBritt Woodfield, Towson# MF Sr. New Windsor, Md./South CarrollLindsey Belle, Old Dominion D Sr. Baldwinsville, N.Y./BakerSarah Jonson, William & Mary D So. Dallas, Texas/The Hockaday SchoolAlysse Ruszkowski, Hofstra* D Sr. Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem EastSarah Geary, Old Dominion GK Fr. Springfield, Pa./Springfield
2009 CAA PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kelly Kimener, Old Dominion
2009 CAA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Julie Ondrako, Towson
2009 CAA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Sarah Geary, Old Dominion
2009 CAA COACH OF THE YEAR: Sue Stahl, Old Dominion
* - 1st team All-CAA in 2008
# - 2nd team All-CAA in 2008
2009 CAA WOMEN'S LACROSSE ALL-ROOKIE TEAM(selected by CAA lacrosse coaches)
Player, School Pos. Cl. Hometown/High SchoolStephanie Allen, Delaware MF Fr. Montgomery, N.Y./Pine BushLisa Bernardini, Old Dominion MF Fr. Langhorne, Pa./George SchoolCally Chakrian, James Madison D Fr. East Meadow, N.Y./East MeadowEmily Ellisen, George Mason MF Fr. Paoli, Pa./Great ValleySarah Geary, Old Dominion GK Fr. Springfield, Pa./SpringfieldAshley Kimener, James Madison MF Fr. Oakton, Va./OaktonSarah Mulvey, William & Mary D Fr. Milton, Mass./Thayer AcademyMary Teeters, Towson GK Fr. Ellicott City, Md./CentennialCharlotte Wood, Drexel A Fr. Paoli, Pa./ConsestogaMonica Zabel, James Madison MF Fr. Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron