(VILLANOVA, Pa.) – The Colonial States Athletic Conference has announced its end-of-the-year awards for women's lacrosse and a record nine Wilson Phoenix student-athletes have received postseason honors. Highlighting the team for the Phoenix are
Jill Ahlgren (Jr., Mercersburg, Pa. / Mercersburg) and
Anna Gibson (Jr., Cecil County, Md. / Perryville) who were first team selections.
Additional picks included
Paige Reynolds (Sr., Keedysville, Md. / Boonsboro), Sage Lague (So., Fairplay, Md. / Goretti), Emily Young (So., Fairfax, Va. / Chantilly), Kelly Lepouski (Sr., Millville, N.J. / Millville), Krystal Kienast (Jr., Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley), Odessa Kalathas (Sr., Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg), and
Kenna Shearer (Jr., Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg). Reynolds, Lague, Young, Lepouski, and Kienast were all chosen to the second team. Kalathas and Shearer were honorable mentions. Kalathas was also selected to the All-Sportsmanship Team.
The All-CSAC Team and the end of the year awards were chosen by the head coaches in the conference. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.
Ahlgren was a catalyst in the Phoenix breaking almost every record in program history. The five-time CSAC Defensive Player of the Week currently leads not just Division III, but the entirety of the NCAA and NAIA, with 4.24 caused turnovers per game. As the likely statistical national champion, by comparison her next closest competitor in all of the NCAA or NAIA was Erin Reynolds of Ferrum with 3.81. The next closest number in the CSAC was 2.86.
Ahlgren was also, by a large margin, the CSAC leader and third nationally in ground balls with 6.29 per game and 107 total. The second-best mark in the conference in that category had 4.69 per game and 61 total overall. In draw controls, Ahlgren won 130 for an average of 7.65 per game to lead the league. The second highest had 93 and 7.15 per game.
Defense wasn't just Ahlgren's specialty though. She also led the CSAC in points per game with 5.41, total points with 92, goals scored with 62, and was third with 1.76 assists per game and 30 total. The second-best number for points per game was 5.00.
Gibson was also a key component of the Phoenix offensive machine as she becomes a two-time All-CSAC selection after being a second team pick in 2021. She was second in the league with 76 total points, 11 more than the third-best number. She was second in the conference with 1.88 assists per game and tied for the lead with 32 total.
Gibson finished the regular season on a tear as she scored at least six points in seven of the last nine games. She scored a career-high six goals in a conference win at Sweet Briar and scored her 100th career point in the regular season finale against Notre Dame.
Reynolds also became a two-time All-CSAC selection after she was named an honorable mention last season. She too had a banner year as she helped Wilson achieve its most potent attack in program history. As an integral part of the Phoenix offense, her 14 assists were sixth and her .88 assists per game were ninth in the CSAC. She scored a career-high four goals in three games and a career-high six points in the semifinal win over Keystone.
Lague too earns All-CSAC honors for a second consecutive year after she was named to the first team in 2022. She was sixth in the CSAC with 43 goals, sixth with 60 points, and fourth with 17 assists. Lague scored a season-high five goals in three games and recorded a career-high nine points on five goals and four assists at Sweet Briar. Pairing with Ahlgren as a powerful 1-2 punch on draw controls, she was fifth in the conference with 4.06 per game and 69 total. As a result, Wilson is sixth in the nation with a draw control percentage of .640 and leads the CSAC with 15.18 draw controls per game.
Young continues the trend of two-time selections and repeats her spot on the second team in 2022. She found the back of the net 30 times and totaled 39 points on the season to put her in the top 10 in the CSAC in both categories. Young matched her career-high of five goals and added two assists for a new career-high of seven points in a win at Cedar Crest.
Lepouski earns her first postseason selection as one of the top true defenders in the CSAC. She was second on the team and top 10 in the league with 26 ground balls on the year. She was also second on the team with 16 caused turnovers. Lepouski had a fantastic final stretch of the season as she picked up four ground balls against Notre Dame and Keystone with multiple caused turnovers against the Gators and both games against the Giants.
Kienast had a breakout season and put up some of the best goalkeeper numbers in the CSAC. Her save percentage of .529 not only led the CSAC but currently ranks No. 16 in the nation as well. Her 6.54 goals-against averaged was second in the conference. As a result of her efforts, Wilson currently sits third nationally in saves percentage at .542. She went 11-5 as the goalie of record between the pipes, finished third in the CSAC with 91 saves, and allowed four or fewer goals in nine games.
Kalathas becomes the program's first three-time All-CSAC selection after being named to the All-Sportsmanship Team the previous two seasons. She replicates that honor as well as receives honorable mention accolades for her play on defense. Kalathas finished in double figures for both ground balls and caused turnovers with 21 and 10, respectively.
Shearer helped shore up the defensive back line and recorded 11 ground balls and caused eight turnovers. She was a part of a defensive curtain that was difficult to penetrate as opponents were limited to single digits in shots in six games.
2023 CSAC Women's Lacrosse End of Year Awards
CSAC Player of the Year: Shea Gormley, Bryn Athyn
CSAC Defensive Player of the Year: Abi Sipel, Cedar Crest
CSAC Rookie of the Year: Sabrina Brock, Bryn Athyn
CSAC Coach of the Year: Ramona Walters, Bryn Athyn
First Team
Attack – Anna Gibson, Wilson
Attack – Sabrina Brock, Bryn Athyn
Attack – Maddie Graham, Cedar Crest
Midfield – Jill Ahlgren, Wilson
Midfield – Shea Gormley, Bryn Athyn
Midfield – Jade Stewart, Notre Dame
Midfield – Sarah Generoso, Notre Dame
Defense – Averee Radonovich, Notre Dame
Defense – Abi Sipel, Cedar Crest
Defense – Kira Bradley, Bryn Athyn
Goalkeeper- Chloe Munyon , Bryn Athyn
Second Team
Attack – Paige Reynolds, Wilson
Attack – Allyson Paul, Bryn Athyn
Attack –Makayla Batts, Keystone
Midfield – Maria Storck, Bryn Athyn
Midfield – Sage Lague, Wilson
Midfield – Emma Alascia, Notre Dame
Midfield – Emily Young, Wilson
Defense – Kelly Lepouski, Wilson
Defense – Rachel Bilger, Cedar Crest
Defense – Hailey Dunham, Keystone
Goalkeeper- Krystal Kienast, Wilson
Honorable Mention
Attack – Valen Foster, Sweet Briar
Attack – Lillian Kennedy-Butler, Keystone
Midfield – Kylah Demarest, Cedar Crest
Midfield – Kylie Scarpiello, Bryn Athyn
Midfield – Meaghan Drennan, Keystone
Midfield – Maria Tomada, Keystone
Defense – Odessa Kalathas, Wilson
Defense – Mickey Reyes, Notre Dame
Defense – Kenna Shearer, Wilson
Goalkeeper- Kat Navarro, Sweet Briar
All-Sportsmanship
Gaby Lang, Bryn Athyn
Rachel Bilger, Cedar Crest
Mercedes Goodwin, Keystone
Rose O'Brien, Notre Dame
Ashley Maggiora, Sweet Briar
Odessa Kalathas, Wilson
