FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 2, 2001

BRYAN AND COWPERTHWAIT EARN NORTHEAST CONFERENCE’S TOP HONORS

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Monmouth University had eight members of its women’s lacrosse team honored as the Northeast Conference held its annual awards banquet at the Holiday Inn in Eatontown, N.J., on Wednesday evening. Monmouth took two of the top three honors as Heather Bryan was named the NEC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and first-year head coach Sue Cowperthwait was named the NEC Coach of the Year. Mount St. Mary’s Erin Gargan took home the league’s rookie of the year award.

Bryan was selected player of the year in a vote by league head coaches. The high-scoring Bryan led the Hawks to their first-ever NEC regular-season title this spring, as well as the No. 1 seed in this weekend’s NEC Tournament. Bryan, a four-time All-NEC honoree, is the first player in NEC Women’s Lacrosse history to win the Player of the Year award in back-to-back years. Bryan currently leads the NEC in both scoring (59 points/3.47 ppg) and assists (23 assists/1.35 apg), while ranking second in goals (36 goals/2.12 gpg). Bryan’s assist numbers are also tied for 20th in the nation in the latest NCAA statistics. The Medford, N.J., native was a two-time NEC Player of the Week award winner this spring, while helping lead the Monmouth program to its fifth straight 10-win season. Bryan enters the NEC Tournament having piled up an incredible 238 points in her career, tops on the all-time MU and NEC scoring lists. A Monmouth player has won the league player of the year honor in each of the last three years with Kristy Olivo winning the honor in 1999 and Heather Bryan earning the award in 2000 and 2001.

Cowperthwait led Monmouth to a 10-7 overall record, including an umblemished 6-0 mark in league play. She became the second Monmouth coach to win the award joining Shari Krasnoo who garnered the accolade in 1998.

Two other Monmouth players join Bryan as first-team All-NEC performers. Sophomore midfielder Lisa Cherill is a newcomer to the all-conference team after playing an important role in MU’s rise to the top of the NEC standings. Cherill netted six goals on the year, while adding 46 ground balls, 25 caused turnovers and 13 draw controls for the Hawks. Senior defender Beth Watts registered a team-high 22 interceptions on the year to spearhead a stingy Monmouth defense that allowed a mere 7.35 goals per game.

The All-NEC second team featured four players from Monmouth. Junior Stephenie LaGrossa netted 16 goals from her attack position, while senior midfielder Kristen Hall, battled back from nagging injuries all year to earn a place on the all-conference squad. Senior defender Erica Kauffman was a key factor in Monmouth’s success this year, while junior goalkeeper Stacy Makris ranks second in the league in goals-against average (7.77 gaa) and third in save percentage (.518).

Monmouth’s seven representatives on the two All-NEC squads ranked first among the league’s schools. UMBC had six players recognized, including a league-high four members on the first team. Wagner had four honorees, while Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac had three and one, respectively.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

NORTHEAST CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Heather Bryan  Monmouth University   MF Sr.
NORTHEAST CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR
Sue Cowperthwait  Monmouth University
NORTHEAST CONFERENCE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Erin Gargan  Mount St. Mary’s College  A Fr.

2001 NEC WOMEN’S LACROSSE FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Attackers
Krissie Fischer  Wagner College   A Sr. Pennsauken, N.J./Camden Catholic
Ashley Staines  UMBC    A Jr. Baltimore, Md./Overlea
Renee Tirocchi  UMBC    A Sr. Baltimore, Md./Catonsville

Midfielders
Heather Bryan  Monmouth University  MF Sr. Medford, N.J./Shawnee
Lisa Cherill  Monmouth University  MF So. Voorhees, N.J./Eastern
Kim Brown  UMBC    MF Sr. Delran, N.J./Delran
Lacey Morley  Mount St. Mary’s College  MF Gr. Kingsville, Md./Mercy
Jesse Rowley  Quinnipiac   MF Jr. Billerica, Mass./Billerica

Defenders
Beth Watts  Monmouth University  D Sr. Unionville, Pa./Unionville
Molly Buzdygon  UMBC    D Sr. Harleysville, Pa./Souderton
Christine Fee  Mount St. Mary’s College  D Sr. Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic

Goalkeeper
Ginny Capicchioni  Sacred Heart University  GK Sr. Oradell, N.J./River Dell

2001 NEC WOMEN’S LACROSSE SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Attackers
Stephenie LaGrossa Monmouth University  A Jr. Glenolden, Pa./Prendie
Laura Mack  Sacred Heart University  A Sr. Franklin Square, N.Y./Frank Carey
Ashley Rusk  Mount St. Mary’s College  A Sr. Annapolis, Md./St. Mary’s

Midfielders
Kristen Hall  Monmouth University  MF Sr. Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville
Stephanie Allen  UMBC    MF So. Mississauga, Ontario/Universal
Michelle Bruckner  Sacred Heart University  MF So. Carle Place, N.Y./Carle Place
Jackie Losquadro  Wagner College   MF Jr. Happauge, N.Y./St. Anthony’s
Pam Sobieski  Wagner College   MF So. Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central

Defenders
Erica Kauffman  Monmouth University  D Sr. Mount Holly, N.J./Rancocas Valley
Michelle Clancy  UMBC    D Sr. Atco, N.J./Camden Catholic
Tosha Davis  Wagner College   D Sr. Orlando, Fla./Cypress Creek

Goalkeeper
Stacy Makris  Monmouth University  GK Jr. McLean, Va./McLean