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Somerset, NJ -- Bryant has won two straight Northeast Conference (NEC) women’s lacrosse titles and shows no signs of slowing down according to the league’s head coaches. The Bulldogs were tabbed as the 2016 NEC preseason favorite after earning five of the eight first place votes.
Wagner, last year’s NEC runner-up, claimed the remaining three first place nods and was picked second. Mount St. Mary’s was selected third, while Robert Morris and Sacred Heart earned the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. Central Connecticut, LIU Brooklyn and Saint Francis U rounded out the eight-team poll.
Bryant took home its second consecutive NEC Tournament title last May after downing Wagner in the title match for the second consecutive year. The Bulldogs rallied from three goals down in the second half to post a 15-10 victory on their home turf in Smithfield.
Under the direction of two-time NEC Coach of the Year Jill Batcheller, the Bulldogs return a host of key pieces from last year’s title team. NEC Offensive Player of the Year Lauren Descalzo (Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge) ranked second in the NEC in goals per game (3.39) and third in points per game (3.89). The Hauppauge, NY native netted a hat trick in all seven NEC regular season contests and ranked fifth nationally in goal scoring. Bryant also brings back a trio of NEC first teamers in junior attacker Emily Columbus (East Northport, NY/Northport Senior), and junior defenders Carly Cronin (Feeding Hills, MA/Wilbraham and Monson Academy) and Molly Martin (Island Park, NY/Long Beach). Columbus led the NEC with five game-winners last season, and finished third in the conference in goals (2.74/game) and fourth in scoring (3.74/game). Cronin and Martin anchored a defense that ranked second in the NEC with a 9.32 goals against average.
Wagner will look to win its first-ever NEC championship under new leadership, as former Syracuse assistant coach Katie Rowan takes over the program. The Seahawks return one of the league’s best in senior midfielder Shea Gegan (Belmar, NJ/Manasquan), who was the first recipient of the NEC Midfielder of the Year award last spring. The NEC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, Gegan led the nation last season in both caused turnovers (3.64/game) and ground balls (4.26/game), while also pacing the Seahawks with 36 goals, 25 assists and 61 points. Wagner also brings back junior defender Amanda Rey (Turnersville, NJ/Washington Township), who earned second team All-NEC honors last season. Rey ranked second among Seahawks with 42 ground balls on the year.
Mount St. Mary’s hopes to build upon last season’s success when the Mountaineers doubled their win total and returned to the NEC postseason. Under Lauren Schwarzmann, the Mount sports 2015 NEC Rookie of the Year and second team All-NEC selection Nicole Lantuh (Bethesda, MD/Academy of the Holy Cross). The sophomore attacker led all NEC first-year players in goals (27) and points (41), and was the only freshman voted to an All-NEC team. Also returning for the Mountaineers is first team All-NEC recipient Steph Rurkowski (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius). The goalkeeper led the NEC and ranked 11th nationally with 8.94 saves per outing.
Two-time first team All-NEC midfielder Jessica Karwacki (Sparks, MD/Hereford) returns for a Robert Morris squad that has made two consecutive NEC Tournament appearances under Katy Phillips. The senior set a new NCAA career draw control record and heads into her final season with 537 to her credit. She also finished as the NCAA leader last season with 10.56 draw controls per game. Twin sister Corey Karwacki (Sparks, MD/Hereford), an All-NEC second teamer a year ago, ranked second on the Colonials in goals (37), assists (22) and points (59).
Points of #NECPride
Wagner’s new head coach Katie Rowan will look to bring her experience as a student-athlete to the Seahawks. The former Syracuse assistant coach was the most decorated player in the program’s history along with being a member of the 2009 and 2013 USA World Cup gold medalist teams. Rowan is the Orange’s career leader in points (396) and assists (164), and was the school’s initial three-time First Team All-American selection.
Mount St. Mary’s was the recipient of the 2015 Scotty Whitelaw Sportsmanship award. The award honors student-athletes or teams who display fairness, integrity, selflessness, respect and a sense of fellowship with opponents. The ECAC recognizes those individuals or teams who are gracious when they are victorious and, equally important, “good sports” when they are defeated.
LIU Brooklyn returns junior midfielder Jenn Peters (Slate Hill, NY/Minisink Valley), who was a huge force for the Blackbirds last season. Peters led the NEC and ranked second in the nation with 3.88 goals per game in 2015. The first team All-NEC honoree also paced the circuit with 15 free position goals and recorded hat tricks or better in 13 different contests.
Sacred Heart brings back a strong one-two offensive punch in senior midfielder Jesslyn Joseph (Bolton, MA/Nashoba Regional) and junior midfielder Caitlin Delaney (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East). Both were first team All-NEC honorees who scored 34 goals apiece for the Pioneers.
About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 35th year, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of 10 institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to four of the largest markets in the United States - New York (#1), Pittsburgh (#23), Baltimore (#27), and Hartford/New Haven (#30). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 22 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 14 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Bryant, Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU Brooklyn, Mount St. Mary’s, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Google+, all @NECsports.