BOSTON - After clinching the 2005 America East regular-season title with a perfect 6-0 record, 11 members of the Boston University women's lacrosse team were honored at the tournament's banquet on Wednesday, May 4.
The Terriers won all three major awards with senior goalkeeper Anne Sheridan (Baltimore, MD) named the Player of the Year, freshman attacker Jenny Hauser (Alexandria, VA) selected as the Rookie of the Year, and fourth-year head coach Liza Shoemaker honored as the Coach of the Year following a vote by the league's head coaches.
In addition to the three major awards, 10 Terriers were selected to All-Conference and All-Rookie teams. B.U. (15-1, 6-0) is currently ranked third in the nation and boasts an 11-game win streak.
Sheridan enters the America East Tournament leading all NCAA goalkeepers in save percentage (.581) while ranking third in the nation in goals against average (6.96). She led B.U. to a perfect 6-0 record against league opponents and a 4-0 mark against Top 20 opponents. An All-American and National Player of the Year candidate, Sheridan's 15 wins this season are tied for the highest single-season win total in program history.
Hauser has been a dominating force on the attack during her freshman campaign, totaling team-highs of 50 goals and 62 points to start her career. She enters the post-season leading America East and ranking 14th in the nation in goals, averaging 3.13 goals per game. A six-time America East Rookie of the Week honoree, Hauser is the only Terrier to contribute at least one point in all 16 regular-season games. Her 50 goals are tied for the second-highest single-season goal total in B.U. history. She is 12 goals shy of tying the B.U. record of 62 goals set by Chris Fleming in 1984.
In her fourth season at the helm, Shoemaker has led the Terriers to their best record in the program's 18-year history. The Terriers boast the nation's second-best defense, allowing just 6.88 goals a game. B.U. also ranks fourth in the nation in scoring offense, tallying 13.5 goals per game. Shoemaker, who also earned Coach of the Year honors in 2003, has posted a 46-27 record since her arrival in 2002, including a 23-4 record against America East opponents.
Sheridan and Hauser are joined on the All-Conference First Team by senior midfielder Alyssa Trudel (Shoreham, VT), junior attacker Mary Beth Miller (Berlin, NJ), junior midfielder Lindsay Lewis (Glenelg, MD), and junior defenders Michelle Bussichella (Winchester, MA) and Danica Strutt (Baltimore, MD).
Trudel earns All-Conference honors for the fourth time in her career as a leader in the Terrier midfield. In the regular-season, Trudel led B.U. in draw controls (33), ground balls (35), and caused turnovers (27). On the attack, Trudel was the Terriers' third-leading scorer with 32 goals and 18 assists for 50 points. Both Trudel and Sheridan are nominees for the Tewaaraton Trophy, which is presented the nation's top female lacrosse player. She enters the post-season ranked second on the B.U. all-time scoring list with 132 goals and 93 assists for 225 points.
Miller leads America East and ranks 13th in the nation with 27 assists. She also ranks second on the team in points with 52 and fifth in goals with 25. A three-time All-Conference honoree, Miller contributed at least one point in 14-of-16 regular-season games.
Despite missing the first two games of the season with a hip injury, Lewis bounced back to rank second on the team in goals (34) and fourth in points (43). She has nine multiple-point games and scored the game-winning goals in overtime wins against George Mason and New Hampshire.
Bussichella and Strutt anchored a dominating Terrier defense which allowed 6.88 goals per game. Busichella ranks second on the team in ground balls (31) and sixth in caused turnovers (12). Strutt has served as B.U.'s top markdown defender and ranks second on the team in caused turnovers (19).
Junior midfielder Kaitlyn Cuneo (Marlton, NJ) and junior defender Keely Anderson (Nashua, NH) were named to the All-Conference Second Team.
A key member of the midfield, Cuneo has contributed 20 goals and six assists on the attacking end and 22 draw controls, 18 ground balls, and 11 caused turnovers in the midfield.
With her speed and strength, Anderson has made major impacts on both the draw and on the defense. She ranks third on the team in draw controls with 23 while contributing 13 ground balls and five caused turnovers.
Freshman midfielder Lauren Morton (Glenside, PA) and Hauser were both named to the All-Rookie team. Both Morton and Hauser appeared in all 16 regular-season games, combining to score 77 of the team's 216 goals. Morton netted 27 goals and took the majority of the team's draws. She ranks second on the team in draw controls with 32 and third in ground balls with 30.
Top-seeded B.U. will face fourth-seeded UMBC (5-9, 3-3) in an America East Championship semifinal game on Thursday, May 5, at 1:00 p.m. Second-seeded New Hampshire (10-7, 5-1) will take on third-seeded Albany (6-11, 4-2) in the other semifinal game at 3:30 p.m. The winners will advance to the title game on Saturday, May 7, at 1:00 p.m. All games will be played at B.U.'s Nickerson Field. .
