IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of its weekly women’s lacrosse honors for the week-ending March 12.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ATTACK PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Isabella Peterson • Jr. • James Madison • Sparks, Md.
Peterson scored 12 goals with three assists for 15 points in two games as James Madison extended its winning streak to seven games. She scored five goals with two assists and six draw controls in a 13-5 win at Liberty, while she added seven goals and an assist with five draw controls and two caused turnovers in a 17-10 victory against No. 23 Johns Hopkins. Peterson leads The American with 36 goals in 2023.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MIDFIELDER OF THE WEEK
Emily Heller • M • Sr. • Florida • West Babylon, N.Y.
Heller scored three goals and added three ground balls and five draw controls to lead No. 10 Florida to a 14-11 win against No. 7 Loyola. All three of Heller’s goals brought Florida within a goal of the Greyhounds, including a key fourth-quarter score that closed the Gators’ deficit to 10-9. Heller has scored 10 goals this season and leads the Gators in both ground balls (11) and draw controls (18).
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Becky Browndorf • Sr. • Florida • Dresher, Pa.
Browndorf keyed Florida’s defensive effort a 14-11 victory against No. 7 Loyola in the Gators’ only game from last week. She had three ground balls and two caused turnovers as the Gators held Loyola to four second-half goals and nine second-half shots, allowing Florida to outscore the Greyhounds 9-4 in the final 30 minutes. Browndorf leads Florida with six caused turnovers in 2023.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
Paige Gunning • Sr. • Vanderbilt • Severna Park, Md.
Gunning made a season-high 15 saves – the most by an American Athletic Conference player in a game this season – in Vanderbilt’s only game of the week, a 10-9 victory against Penn State. Gunning made five saves in the fourth quarter and kept the Nittany Lions off the scoreboard for the final seven minutes, allowing the Commodores to get the gamewinner. She added a game-high six ground balls and held Penn State to 3-for-8 shooting on free positions.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Brianna Mennella • M • Fr. • James Madison • Denville, New Jersey
Mennella had her first career hat trick to help James Madison to a 17-10 win against No. 23 Johns Hopkins. She scored two goals as part of the Dukes’ 9-0 run to close the game and give JMU its seventh consecutive win. Mennella added an assist in a 13-5 victory against Liberty.
HONOR ROLL
Grace Wehland • A • Sr. • Cincinnati • Bel Air, Md.
Scored the tying goal with 33 seconds left and the gamewinner in overtime in a 13-12 victory against Davidson. Scored five goals with an assist in three games.
Leah Bestany • A • So. • East Carolina • Bethpage, N.Y.
Scored four goals with an assist in a 16-11 win against Elon.
Caroline Kimel • A • Sr. • East Carolina • Durham, N.C.
Scored four goals with four assists in a 16-11 win against Elon.
Belle Mastropietro • M • Sr. • Temple • Springfield, Pa.
Scored four goals with two assists, three ground balls, 11 draw controls and three caused turnovers in a 1-1 week.
Bri Gross • M • Sr. • Vanderbilt • El Dorado Hills, Calif.
Scored three goals with an assist, three ground balls and two draw controls in a 10-9 win against Penn State.