ROSEMONT, Ill.- Penn State women's lacrosse has six athletes represented on All-Big Ten Teams. Junior midfielder Kristin O'Neill and sophomore defender Ellie Hollin earn first team. Juniors Kayla Abernathy, Sammy Dupcak and Gretchen Gilmore and senior Meghan Murray are selected to second team. Senior Rachel Spilker is named to the Sportsmanship Team.
O'Neill is one of just five unanimously voted to first team All-Big Ten. This is her second consecutive season earning first team after being tabbed the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earning second team in her rookie campaign. O'Neill leads the Nittany Lions and ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 35th nationally in goals this season with 46. She notched her 100th career goal earlier this year. The junior captain was named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List and was selected as a Midseason All-American Honorable Mention.
Hollin has played in and started in 15 games so far this season after being tabbed a Big Ten Player to Watch prior to the start of competition. She was named the IL/IWLCA and Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week (3/28) after her five ground balls and five caused turnovers in a dominant win and second half shutout over Ohio State. Hollin earns her first All-Big Ten Team honor this season.
Abernathy is a steady competitor on the draw each game for Penn State. She leads the team with 69 and won her 100th career draw control early on this season. She ranks sixth in the Big Ten in draw controls per game (4.31) with her personal best of nine coming against Cornell a few weeks ago. The junior has also tallied 12 goals and two assists so far including a career high four-goal performance against Pitt. This is Abernathy's first appearance on an All-Big Ten team.
Dupcak was selected as a Big Ten Player to Watch this season and earned Midseason All-American Honorable Mention honors. She leads the team in ground balls (47) and caused turnovers (28). She ranks 10thnationally and first in the conference in ground balls and 27th in the country, third in the Big Ten in caused turnovers. Dupcak scooped her 100th career ground ball in the final regular season game against John's Hopkins. This is the junior's second All-Big Ten honor and first, first team honor.
Gilmore was on a scoring tear, with a four-game streak and totaling 27 goals before a season-ending injury. She was named the IL/IWLCA and Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week (3/21) after a six-goal performance in a win over No. 14 Princeton. She also posted four goals against Towson in that same week.
Murray has been a constant in the midfield for the Nittany Lions, totaling 23 goals on the season so far. Her hat trick in a crucial game against No. 10 Maryland helped lift Penn State to a 12-7 upset. Murray has also totaled nine assists, 18 ground balls, 14 caused turnovers and 13 draw controls.
Senior co-captain Spilker earns Penn State's Sportsmanship Award. She has started in all 16 games on defense for the Nittany Lions so far this season, totaling 21 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers. The Big Ten describes the Sportsmanship Team as individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior.
