WASHINGTON – Georgetown University women's lacrosse senior Francesca Whitehurst (Baltimore, Md./Roland Park Country School) was named the BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week on Tuesday when the league announced its first set of weekly awards for the 2019 season.  Additionally, senior attacker Taylor Gebhardt (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker) earned a spot on the weekly honor roll.
 
Whitehurst shined in the Hoyas' season-opening win at Saint Joseph's, totaling three goals, an assist, two ground balls and two draw controls. Tied at 6-6 early in the second half, Whitehurst scored off a feed from Gebhardt to give No. 22 Georgetown a 7-6 advantage with 27:45 to play and the Hoyas never trailed again, leading by as many as five down the stretch. The Hoyas outshot Saint Joseph's 33-20 and limited the Hawks to just nine second-half shots.
 
The midfielder was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team for the third-consecutive season after missing much of last year with an injury. Whitehurst was also voted a 2019 team captain.
 
This is Whitehurst's first weekly award this season and the fifth midfielder of the week honor of her career. It is also the first weekly award of the 2019 campaign for the Blue & Gray.

Gebhardt had a single-game high last week of seven points in the SJU win. The senior tallied three goals and four assists while adding a caused turnover.  This is her first honor of the season.
 
The Hoyas will host the No. 11 Towson University Tigers on Saturday, February 16 in GU's first home game of the season at Cooper Field.  The opening draw is scheduled for 3 p.m., and live stats as well as a webcast featuring Monika Moore will be available through www.GUHoyas.com.