GEORGETOWN, Texas – Matthew Grosso was named Co-Coach of the Year and Emma Albin garnered the Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards for the inaugural Independent Women's Lacrosse Schools (IWLS) post-season honors release.
Colorado College playmaker Steph Kelly was voted the IWLS Player of the Year by a vote of the nine head coaches Friday. The Tigers' Susan Stuart was selected as the Co‐ Coach of the Year sharing the honor with Grosso. Talia Sherry, from the University of Northwestern‐St. Paul, picked up the IWLS Rookie of the Year selection, and Southwestern's Emma Albin garnered the Scholar‐Athlete of the Year award.
Kelly, a junior from St. Louis, Missouri had an impressive season for the Tigers. Kelly was voted the IWLS Player of the Week three times this season and she led Colorado College with 50 goals, 54 assists, and 98 draw controls this spring. Kelly averaged 5.77 points per game so far this season and has recorded points in all 18 of the Tigers' games this spring. One of her best individual efforts came in a 22‐13 victory over MIT where Kelly scored six goals, recorded three assists, while adding eight ground balls and four draw controls. Kelly also set the single game record with seven assists in an 18‐ 21 loss to St. Lawrence University on March 23 where she also contributed two goals, eight draw controls, two ground balls, and a caused turnover.
Stuart, the head coach for Colorado College for the past 22 years, guided her program to a 14‐4 regular season record and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. She previously has been honored as the coach of the year by the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) in 2011 & 2012, and as the IWLCA West Region Coach of the Year in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2014.
Grosso shares the IWLS Coach of the Year honor after matching Southwestern's best‐ever record finishing 8‐8 this past spring in just the fourth season of the Pirates lacrosse program. Before starting the program at Southwestern, Grosso received the 2012 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Coach of the Year award after guiding his Guilford College program to a then‐record 11‐7 finish.
Sherry, a freshman from Apple Valley, Minn., made an immediate impact on the Eagles program in her first season helping the team to an 11‐5 overall record. She finished the season as UNW top scorer with 60 points on 42 goals and 18 assists, both ranked second on the team, and was voted First‐Team All‐IWLS on attack. Sherry also was in the top five of her team for both draw controls and ground balls during her inaugural season. Her best game came against fellow IWLS member Dallas, where Sherry had five goals, two assists, three ground balls, and five draw controls.
Albin, a senior from Austin, Texas, adds IWLS Scholar‐Athlete to her IWLS Honorable Mention selection this season. In the classroom, Albin is a kinesiology major, carrying a 3.82 cumulative GPA. She was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society and will be attending Iowa State on a full scholarship for graduate school in the fall. She also has the distinction of starting and playing in every single game of her four‐year career at Southwestern. Her best effort this season came in an 18‐7 road victory over Puget Sound where she recorded one goal, four assists, two ground balls, and two caused turnovers. Albin finished the season leading the Pirates' team in assists with 20 and also accumulating 12 goals, 22 ground balls, 12 caused turnovers, and 4 draw controls.
Nine institutions comprise the IWLS: Colorado College, Dean College, D'Youville College, Franciscan University, Northland College, University of Northwestern‐St. Paul, Southwestern University, State University of New York – Canton, and the University of Dallas.
2017 ALL‐INDEPENDENT WOMEN'S LACROSSE SCHOOLS AWARDS
IWLS Player of the Year: Steph Kelly, Jr., Att., Colorado College
IWLS Co‐Coaches of the Year: Susan Stuart, Colorado College & Matthew Grosso, Southwestern University
IWLS Rookie of the Year: Talia Sherry, Fr., University of Northwestern‐St. Paul
IWLS Scholar‐Athlete of the Year: Emma Albin, Sr., Southwestern University
All‐IWLS First Team
Attack
Annie DeFrino Sr. Colorado College
Steph Kelly Jr. Colorado College
Lexi Leite So. University of Dallas
Talia Sherry Fr. University of Northwestern‐St. Paul
Midfield Eugenia Chamberlain Sr. University of Northwestern‐St. Paul
Sadie Cole Sr. Colorado College
Kate Davis Sr. Southwestern University (TX)
Hannah Shands So. University of Northwestern‐St. Paul
Defense
Christina Rosendahl Sr. Southwestern University (TX)
Abbe Sawabini Sr. Colorado College
Cole Vanacore Jr. Coloardo College
Amanda Woods Jr. SUNY Canton Goalkeeper
Becca Keiffer Sr. SUNY Canton
All‐IWLS 2nd Team
Attack
Lily Benjamin Sr. Colorado College
MaryClare Bowes So. SUNY Canton
Hayley Donnelly So. Southwestern University (TX)
Annie Ellis Fr. University of Northwestern‐St. Paul Midfield
Jillian Golding Jr. D'Youville College
Ashley Hammes Fr. Northland College
Mary Taussig Sr. Colorado College
Ronni Winter So. Southwestern University (TX)
Defense
Frances Davis So. University of Dallas
Sydnie Gomes Jr. Dean College
Alexis Headley So. Northland College
Callan Smith Jr. D'Youville College Goalkeeper
Lizz Winkler Fr. University of Dallas
All‐IWLS Honorable Mention
Attack
Gwen Mohler Sr. University of Dallas
Katelynn Nutter Jr. SUNY Canton
Julia Shinkle Jr. University of Dallas Midfield
Emma Albin Sr. Southwestern University (TX)
Jordyn Broberg So. University of Northwestern‐St. Paul
Allison Cook Jr. Southwestern University (TX)
Emily Covert Fr. Northland College
Molly Denny Fr. SUNY Canton
Mia Jermano So. SUNY Canton
Erika Keever So. University of Dallas
Defense
Liseta Botelho Jr. Dean College
Shannon Robillard Jr. D'Youville College Goalkeeper
Josie McGregor Fr. Northland College