May 11, 2015
IWLCA Announces 2015 All-Region Teams
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women's lacrosse team garnered a record-tying six members on the IWLCA All-Region teams announced Monday afternoon. Goalkeeper Emi Smith (Denver, Colo.), defender Abby Smucker (Bel Air, Md.), midfielder Tatum Coffey (Toms River, N.J.) and attacker Maggie McCormick (Eldersburg, Md.) all received first-team honors.
Two more Nittany Lions: midfielder Jenna Mosketti (Fallston, Md.) and attacker Steph Lazo (Stevensville, Md.) garnered second-team recognition. The six total honors tie the most in school history, set in 2005. PSU is a part of the IWLCA West/Midwest region.
McCormick and Mosketti earn their third IWLCA All-Region selections, with the senior landing on the first team each year, while the junior making the second team each season. Coffey gathers her second all-region accolade, and her first since 2012 when she was on the first team.
Fresh off a 25-save weekend that helped send the Nittany Lions to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the third time in four years, Smith scooped up yet another laurel on Monday. Already named the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team and Big Ten All-Tournament Team, Smith is an all-region player for the first time in her career.
The junior is 16-4 with a 9.38 GAA and a .469 save percentage.
Smucker, a sophomore, received her first all-region honor as well. Smucker transitioned to defense this year to fill some holes left by injuries and has excelled in her new role. The former attacking midfielder has 10 goals to her name along with 27 ground balls, which is third on the team, and 19 caused turnovers, which is second on the squad.
Smucker was named All-Big Ten First Team and the Big Ten Tournament MVP for her defensive efforts en route to PSU's first conference tournament championship.
Coffey's remarkable year has been seen all across the field offensively and defensively. Second on the team in points with a career-high 53, the senior has 42 goals and 11 assists, which rank first and second on the team, respectively. Additionally, Coffey leads the team in caused turnovers (23) and is fourth in ground balls (25), while leading the team in free-position shooting (10-for-12).
A co-captain, McCormick leads the team in assists (43) and points (65), quarterbacking Penn State's potent and balanced offense. The school record holder for assists in a career with 137, McCormick also ranks fourth all-time in points with 259. The facilitator on offense, McCormick has 39 percent of the team's assists, dishing more time this year than any other in her four-year career at PSU.
McCormick and Coffey were both All-Big Ten selections this season, with Coffey earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Tournament team. McCormick was a Tewaaraton Award nominee as one of the top 25 players in college lacrosse for a second time in her career this season.
For Mosketti, the All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Tournament team selection has had another productive season in the Blue and the White. Mosketti leads the team with 80 draw controls, 15 of which came this past weekend in wins over Hopkins and Virginia. The junior has 30 goals, a team-high 30 ground balls and the third-most caused turnovers (16) on the team.
Lazo receives the first season honor of any kind for her breakthrough season. After scoring just one goal in five appearances last season, Lazo has 41 tallies and 50 points her sophomore season. A crafty attacker around the crease, Lazo is second on the team in scoring and has been vital to Penn State's offense.
A total of 21 Nittany Lions have earned IWLCA All-Region honors under fifth-year head coach Missy Doherty. The Penn State leader has her team in the NCAA Quarterfinals for the third time in four seasons. The unseeded Nittany Lions head to No. 2 North Carolina Saturday at 1 p.m. with a spot in the NCAA Semifinals on the line.