UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State women's lacrosse had four student-athletes land on the IWLCA West/Midwest Region teams as well as Ellie Hollin earning Inside Lacrosse All-American third team honors and Kristin O'Neill earning an honorable mention, as announced by the organizations on Thursday. Hollin and O'Neill earned first team honors, while Kayla Abernathy and Gretchen Gilmore claimed second team honors.
Junior defender Hollin earns her second consecutive All-Region nod and first IL All-American honor. Hollin was second on the team in caused turnovers with 21 and scooped up 21 ground balls. She held some of the top players in the country (Ava Angello, Elle Clevenger, Cassidy Spilis) to two goals each. Hollin was most recently named All-Big Ten first team, USA Lacrosse All-America honorable mention and Big Ten All-Tournament team.
Senior O'Neill garners her third consecutive All-Region honor. She was second on the team in points with 52 coming from 45 goals and seven assists. She was first on the team in free position goals with 23 proving to be one of the best in the country from the eight meter, ranking third.
O'Neill scored the game winning goal to help the Nittany Lions upset No. 1 Northwestern in the regular season. The midfielder was named All-Big Ten first team, USA Lacrosse All-America and Big Ten All-Tournament team this season. O'Neill ends her fourth year with the team with 199 points and sixth all-time in goals with 164.
Abernathy claims her first All-Region accolade. The midfielder was crucial for the Nittany Lions in the draw circle, leading the team with 87 wins. Offensively, Abernathy came up with 24 goals and five assists. She came up with a career high 14 draws against James Madison in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Abernathy surpassed 200 career draws this season. The senior was named All-Big Ten second team, USA Lacrosse All-America honorable mention and Big Ten All-Tournament team.
Gilmore earns her first All-Region honor. The attacker was an offensive force for the Nittany Lions, capitalizing on opportunities to get to the cage. Gilmore led the team with 57 points coming from 47 goals and 10 assists. She ended the season with six consecutive hat tricks, 10 overall. The senior was named All-Big Ten second team, USA Lacrosse All-America honorable mention and Big Ten All-Tournament team.
