May 6, 2003

Providence, R.I. - The Notre Dame women's lacrosse team had five players selected to the all-BIG EAST women's lacrosse team - two first team selections and three on the second team - as the Conference announced its regular season awards on Monday.

Senior attack standout and All-American candidate Danielle Shearer (Hampstead, Md.) led the Irish contingent, as she was selected first team for the second consecutive season. Shearer led the Irish and all BIG EAST scorers with 35 goals and 26 assists for a career-high 61-point season. In six BIG EAST games, she led the league with 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points. Her 26 assists and 61 points were career-bests for the Irish point producer. Shearer finished her Notre Dame career as the school's all-time leading goal scorer (130) and point scorer (196) while finishing second all-time with 66 assists.

Junior midfielder Meredith Simon (Flemington, N.J.) was selected first team All-BIG EAST for the first time in her career as she finished second to Shearer with 27 goals and 14 assists for 41 points. The 14 assists and 41 points were the best of Simon's Notre Dame career. She finished eighth among all BIG EAST scorers and was fifth in six conference games with 12 goals and six assists for 18 points.

Joining Shearer and Simon on the second team were senior defender Kelly McCardell (West Chester, Pa.), senior goalkeeper Jen White (Annapolis, Md.) and junior midfielder Abby Owen (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.).

McCardell capped her Notre Dame career as one of the team's top defensive players. A four-year starter for the Irish, McCardell had three goals on four shots for the year while recording 26 ground balls, nine caused turnovers and five draw controls. A team captain for the 2003 season, McCardell helped the Irish to their two best defensive seasons in 2002 and 2003. A member of the USA Under-19 team as a freshman, she started all 63 games of her Notre Dame career and recorded 15 goals and five assists for 20 points. She is fifth all-time for the Irish with 51 caused turnovers and added 100 ground balls in her career.

White, a preseason all-BIG EAST and All-American selection, makes her second appearance on the team after being a first team selection in 2002. This season, she played in all 15 games for the Irish going 8-7 with a 9.86 goals-against average and a .504 save percentage while making 133 saves on the year. She finished fourth overall among BIG EAST goalkeepers and fifth in six BIG EAST games with a 9.89 mark and a .539 save percentage. She finishes her Notre Dame career ranked first in games played (53), first in wins (31), minutes played (2,789), saves (432) and goals-against average (8.79).

Owen came from nowhere to become a second team All-BIG EAST choice in 2003. The junior midfielder came into the season having played in just two games in her career. A strong fall and preseason got her into the Notre Dame lineup and she made the most of it ranking fifth on the team with 15 goals and 10 assists for 25 points in 15 games. She also had 23 ground balls and 21 draw controls for the year. She finished 12th in the BIG EAST conference games with six goals and seven assists for 13 points. Included in her breakout season were four-point games (two goals and two assists) versus Boston College and Virginia Tech.

As a team, the Irish finished the year 8-7 overall and were third in the BIG EAST with a 4-2 record.

2003 BIG EAST Women's Lacrosse Awards

Attack Player of the Year
     Wick Stanwick, Sr., Georgetown

Midfielder of the Year
     Gloria Lozano,Jr., Georgetown

Defensive Player of the Year
     Michi Ellers, Jr., Georgetown

Coach of the Year
     Laura Brand, Rutgers


All-BIG EAST First Team			    All-BIG EAST Second Team

Michi Ellers, Jr., M, Georgetown **	        Anouk Peters, Jr., M, Georgetown
Wick Stanwick, Sr., A, Georgetown **		Jacklyn Yovankin, So., M, Boston College
Gloria Lozano, Jr., M, Georgetown **		Kelly Feeley, Sr., M/D, Connecticut
Monica Joines, So., M, Syracuse **		Kristin Checksfield, Sr., D, Rutgers
Ellen Rust, Sr., D, Syracuse			Melissa Biles, Sr., D, Georgetown
Leigh-Ann Zimmer, Jr., M, Syracuse 		Abby Owen, Jr., M, Notre Dame
Tracy Mullaney, So., A, Connecticut		Kelly McCardell, Sr., M/D, Notre Dame
Meredith Simon, Jr., M, Notre Dame		Liz Ryan, Sr., M, Georgetown
Danielle Shearer, Sr., A, Notre Dame		Cristina Curiale, Jr., A, Rutgers
Samantha Sybert, Sr., A, Virginia Tech		Steph Walker, Fr., M, Syracuse
Melissa Mosey, Sr., M, Rutgers			Jess Tromblay, Sr., M, Syracuse
Lyndsey Feldman, So., GK, Rutgers		Jen White, Sr., GK, Notre Dame
						Katie Madden, Sr., A, Virginia Tech


**denotes unanimous selection