Six Diplomats Named All-American by US Lax/IWLCA

LANCASTER, Pa. - Six members of Franklin & Marshall's Women's Lacrosse team were named All-Americans by US Lacrosse and the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA).

Sarah Meisenberg (Severna Park, Md. / Severn School), Jen Pritchard (Media, Pa./Penncrest) and Shannon Summers (North Wales, Pa./Hill School) were each named to the first team, while Blake Hargest (Cockeysville, Md./St. Paul's) earned second team status. Ashley Bevington (Pottstown, Pa./ Hill School) and Lidia Sanza (Cockeysville, Md./St. Paul's) were named to the third team.

Meisenberg earns IWLCA All-American honors for the third time in her career. This is her second appearance on the first team in as many seasons. In 2007, she was named a second team choice. Despite injuries that hampered her playing time and numbers in 2009, she was third on the team in assists (30), including the helper to Hargest's overtime in game winner in the NCAA National Championship Game. The final of her team-best 27 caused turnovers provided F&M with the possession needed to send the title game into overtime. Meisenberg was second on the team amongst field players in ground balls with 34 and third on the draws with 48 controls.

Pritchard lands on the IWLCA first team for the third consecutive season. The two-time NCAA Championship Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, she ends her career having scored in the final 69 games of her career, an NCAA record. She scored in 83 of her 84 career games. She twitched twine 268 times in her career, 47 more times than the previous record holder. She wrapped her career with 320 total points, resetting that school record as well. She has the NCAA record for career goals in the tournament (53) and in a single tournament (19 in 2007).

Summers makes her second appearance on the US Lacrosse/IWLCA list and first on the first team. She was a second team choice in 2008. Her final campaign marked the second 100-point season (104) on record at Franklin & Marshall, falling two points shy of the school record. Summers dished out 65 assists this season to move to the top of the career chart in the category (150).  Summers rolled up seven or more points six times, including a stretch of four in five games. Her season high of nine came in the regular season against Dickinson. That was followed by back-to-back eight-point performances.  

Hargest lands on the US Lacrosse/IWLCA All-America team for the first time in her career. It is her second All-America honor overall. She netted the game-winning goal in overtime of the NCAA title game. It was her third game-winning goal of the year and the last of her 37 on the season. In addition to being fifth on the team in goals, Hargest was second on the team in assists with 41, leaving her third on the team in points (78).

Bevington is a US Lacrosse/IWLCA third team choice for the second-straight season following a year in which she scored 42 times. She also assisted on 10 goals. Three of Bevington's tallies stood up as game-winners. She was fourth on the team amongst field players in ground balls (31) and draw controls (33).

Sanza earns her first US Lacrosse/IWLCA All-America tag and second All-America honor of her career. The Diplomats last line of defense, Sanza was the lone junior to serve as one of the four team captains. She returns to the all-region top team for the first time since 2007, when she backed up the Diplomats' first NCAA title. Sanza stopped 53.9 percent of the shots fired at her and posted a 7.39 goals against average after a season in which F&M faced down ten IWLCA top ten teams, six of which were ranked in the top five.

The IWLCA and US Lacrosse have honored 48 student-athletes in Division III with a selection on one of the All-American teams. The IWLCA and US Lacrosse will honor the National All-Americans at an awards banquet on Saturday, June 13, 2009 in King of Prussia, Pa.

The IWLCA was founded on the principle of developing among intercollegiate coaches a deep sense of responsibility in teaching, promotion, and maintaining the growth of women's lacrosse in accordance with the highest ideals of fair play. It is a body committed to being an integral part of the growth and direction of our collegiate sport.

US Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the national governing body for men's and women's lacrosse.

First Team
Robyn Bishop, Sr., Salisbury University, M
Elizabeth Burns, Sr., Williams College, D
Lauren Carrier, Sr., St. Mary's College (Md.), M
Nina Emala, Jr., Gettysburg College, A
Alison Jaeger, So., The College of New Jersey, A
Sarah McKinley, Sr., Salisbury University, D
Sarah Meisenberg, Sr., Franklin & Marshall College, M
Taryn Petrelli, Sr., Middlebury College, D
Jennifer Pritchard, Sr., Franklin & Marshall College, A
Kate Robinson, Jr., Catholic Univ. of America, M
Rachel Romanowsky, So., Trinity College (CT), A
Kate Sheridan, Sr., Colby College, M
Hollis Stahl, Jr., Gettysburg College, M
Sonja Stuart, Sr., Salisbury University, G
Shannon Summers, Sr., Franklin & Marshall College, M
Danielle Torre, Sr., SUNY Cortland, A

Second Team
Lindsay Abbot, Fr., SUNY Cortland, M
Chrissie Attura, Sr., Tufts University, M
Lindsay Bakker, Sr., SUNY Cortland, D
Anna Collins, Jr., Babson College, M
Kate Cox, So., Stevens Institute of Technology, D
Chase Delano, So., Middlebury College, A
Kelsey Evans, Sr., Rochester Institute of Technology, G
Blake Hargest, Jr., Franklin & Marshall College, A
Kristin Joyce, So., Union College, A
Catherine Kennedy, Fr., University of Mary Washington, A
Alyssa Pigott, Jr., Stevens Institute of Technology, A
Katie Reuther, Sr., The College of New Jersey, M
Beth Rhodey, Jr., Salisbury University, M
Amanda Roberts, So., Tufts University, M
Ana Sokol, Sr., Dickinson College, D
Gina Valles, So., Roanoke College, M

Third Team
Ashley Bevington, Sr., Franklin & Marshall College, M
Kaillie Briscoe, Sr., Hamilton College, A
Liz Bruno, Fr., Trinity College (Conn.), D
Amy Campbell, Jr., Colby College, A
Sarah Dick, So., Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, A
Katie Foley, Sr., Elizabethtown College, A
Holly Johnson, Sr., Salisbury University, D
Allie Kimmelman, Fr., University of Mary Washington, A
Alyssa Kopp, Jr., Tufts University, D
Heather Nickerson, Sr., Colby College, M
Kaitlyn Pettengill, Jr., Babson College, M
Liz Rave, Jr., Hamilton College, M
Kelsi Robinson, Sr., Washington and Lee University, M
Lidia Sanza, Jr., Franklin & Marshall College, G
Christine Smith, So., Stevens Institute of Technology, M
Britt Spackman, Sr., Williams College, M