Feb. 22, 2012
WASHINGTON - The Georgetown University women's lacrosse squad has one of its most athletic teams in years returning to the Hilltop. With a solid group of letterwinners coming back, as well as a talented freshman class, this is a squad that has the potential to make waves on the national scene.
Midfielders
The midfield will be the heart of the squad after losing just starter to graduation. Similar to last year, the Hoyas have so many talented middies that the coaching staff will have two interchangeable lines.
Leading the way is senior captain Erin Lovett (Wantagh, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) who will return to the field after an injury forced her to sit out the 2011 season. She started in two games with three goals and three assists for six points before suffering her season-ending injury. As a sophomore, Lovett played in 17 games with one start and had 13 goals with nine assists.
Joining her is preseason All-American Sophia Thomas (Lutherville, Md./Maryvale Prep). Thomas was a Third Team All-America honoree a season ago and has already received Preseason All-America and All-BIG EAST recognition this year. She was a Second Team All-South Region selection after a breakout season. In 2011, Thomas was honored with the BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year award and a spot on the All-BIG EAST First Team marking milestones in her young career. The sophomore led the team in goals with 37 and also has eight assists to her credit for 45 points. The midfielder had the most ground balls (42) and caused turnovers (33) on the squad, as well as ranking third in draw controls with 24.
Junior Kelsi Bozel (Hunt Valley, Md./Notre Dame Prep) played in all 17 games with 12 starts. She ranked fourth on the squad in scoring with 20 goals and five assists for 25 total points. She was also second in draw controls with 34. Bozel was an All-BIG EAST honoree a year ago.
A pair of sophomores round out the impact returners as Hannah Franklin (Phoenix, Md./McDonogh School) and Kelyn Freedman (Newtown Square, Pa./Radnor) both saw minutes as freshmen. Franklin appeared in 17 games five assists. She is the fourth-leading returning scorer with 17 goals for and three assists. Joining her is Freedman who was sidelined for much of the season with an injury. Returning to the field, Freedman played in 11 games with three starts scoring 11 goals and one assist.
Sophomores Courtney Caputo (Philadelphia, Pa./Springside School) and Meghan Farrell (Bethesda, Md./Georgetown Visitation) will both push for minutes after both appeared in four games a season ago. Maggie Brown (Woodside, Calif./Menlo School) also played in three games last year with one goal and one assist. All three midfielders have worked hard to push for time on the field.
Rounding out the group are three freshman. Caroline Seats (Baltimore, Md./Roland Park Country School), sister of former Hoya Sarah Seats, comes to the Hilltop as a highly-ranked recruit as the class was named No. 5 by Inside Lacrosse. She will be joined by Mollie Caputo (Manulis, N.Y./Fayetteville Manulis), sister of former Hoya Catie Caputo.
Attackers
With the loss of Jordy Kirr and Jacqueline Giles, the Hoyas will look to bolster the attack with a number of student-athletes. Junior Dina Jackson (Potomac, Md./Bullis) is Georgetown's second-leading returning scorer. She started in all 17 games last year and was an All-BIG EAST honoree with 25 goals and four assists for 29 points on the season.
Classmate Rosie Corcoran (Point Lookout, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) also returns after playing two years in the midfield she will join the attack. Corcoran played in all 17 games with nine starts. She had five goals and four assists on the season. Jackson's classmate Evan O'Neill (Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) will look to fill in on attack along with senior
Molly Early (Radnor, Pa./Radnor)and graduate student transfer Kristen Coleman (Potomac, Md./Academy of the Holy Cross). O'Neill appeared in five games with two goals a season ago. After transferring in, Early saw action in three contests with one goal to her credit. Coleman is a transfer from Fairfield University and holds the record for goals, assists and points. She has one final year of eligibility after missing last season due to injury.
Sophomore Jody Cumberpatch (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) and Reilly Woodman (Alexandria, Va./St. Stephen's and St. Agnes) round out the returners. Both played in three games last year and will push for minutes in 2012.
Three talented freshmen will join the attackers. Lauren Schwalje (Setauket, N.Y./St. Anthony's) and Caroline Tarzian (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) both come in as ranked players on attack. Tarzian was No. 16 and Schwalje was No. 19 according to Inside Lacrosse. They will be joined by Sammy Giordano (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) who brings a solid skill set to the Hilltop.
Defenders
Defense will be a key for the Hoyas as they return all but one starter. Leading the way will be senior captain Kelly Barnes (St. David's, Pa./Radnor). Barnes has already received Preseason All-America and All-BIG EAST honors. She earned her second-consecutive spot on the All-BIG EAST team with a nod to the Second Team at the conference banquet in 2011. The defender started all 17 games and ranked third in ground balls with 27 as well as third in caused turnovers with 17. Barnes also had one goal to her credit this past season.
Joining her will be senior captain Carly Napora (Columbia, Md./McDonogh School) who worked her way into the starting lineup last season appearing and starting in 16 games for the Blue & Gray. She had 12 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers as well as six caused turnovers last season. Napora has been a solid defender for the Hoyas taking on the task of guarding some of the top players in the nation.
Junior Ashley Hunter (Fort Washington, Md./St. Stephen's and St. Agnes) returns as one of the top defenders on the squad. She ranked second on the squad in caused turnovers last year with 25 and also had 23 ground balls to her credit. Hunter started in all 17 games a season ago giving the Hoyas depth in the backline.
Rounding out the returners is junior Lauren Gray (Alexandra, Va./Bishop Ireton)who played in six games last season and will be in the mix this spring. She is joined by sophomore MJ Coyle (Kensington, Md./Holy Child) who appeared in three games in 2011.
The coaching staff brought in a solid freshman class of defenders. Betsy Holland (Huntington, N.Y./St. Anthony's), Casey McGowan (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) and Megan Marinelli (Northport, N.Y./West Islip) will all join the squad in 2012. Classmate Adrianne Devine (Loudonville, N.Y./Shaker) was a midfielder who has been moved onto the defense to add depth.
Goalkeepers
Barb Black (Ruxton, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) started a majority of games last season playing 770 minutes in goal with 61 saves. As a freshman, she worked for the starting role and will continue to solidify that position in 2012. Pushing her will be junior Abby Bisbee (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr School). Bisbee was sidelined with an injury during the preseason last year, but will vie for minutes this spring.
The coaching staff has put together a tough slate for the squad in 2012. The team will face seven teams that finished 2011 ranked in the top 20 nationally as well as six NCAA Tournament qualifiers.
The Hoyas were selected No. 13 in The deBeer Women's Media Preseason Poll, No. 15 by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association, No. 12 in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Poll and No. 17 by Lacrosse Magazine. Additionally, the BIG EAST coaches picked the Blue & Gray to finish first in the conference's preseason poll.
Georgetown will start off 2012 hosting the University of Delaware Blue Hens at Multi-Sport Field on Feb. 29. Delaware is new to the Hoyas' schedule this season and finished fourth in the Colonial Athletic Conference a year ago.
