April 25, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior goalkeeper Dana Cahill (Towson, Md.) has been selected as a nominee for the 2012 Tewaaraton Award, an honor presented to the nation's top female collegiate lacrosse player.
Twenty five players were selected as nominees, from which five finalists for the 12th annual Tewaaraton Award will be selected and honored on May 31 at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The five finalists will be announced on May 10. The original watch list was released on February 15, with additions made on March 20 and April 3, and was ultimately comprised of 57 women's players.
The veteran anchor of the Nittany Lions' young, 18th-ranked defense, Cahill has played an instrumental role in Penn State posting its most wins since 2005, including three against top 10 opponents, and earning a No. 8 team national ranking. A starter of all 15 games thus far in 2012 and 33 straight overall, she is positioned in the top 20 nationally in saves, save percentage, and goals against average.
Cahill has recorded double digit saves in a total of nine games this game, including the last five. She earned ALC Defensive Player of the Week honors on March 5 for her standout play in Penn State's 14-7 upset win over No. 6 Virginia.
In 2011, Cahill established herself as one of the nation's top goalkeepers, earning First Team All-West/Midwest Region and All-ALC honors in addition to being named ALC Goalkeeper of the Year.
The eighth-ranked Nittany Lions will finish out their 2012 regular season schedule on Saturday when it hosts Princeton (7-6) for a 3 p.m. Senior Day contest at Penn State Lacrosse Field. Cahill along with Aly Adams (Springfield, Pa.), Brittaney Chamberlain (Finksburg, Md.), Kelsey Hughes (Severna Park, Md.), Elaine Welch (Bernardsville, N.J.), and Theresa Zichelli (Severna Park, Md.) will appear in their final regular season game in a Nittany Lion uniform. A special ceremony to honor their careers and contributions will precede the contest.