IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of its weekly women’s lacrosse honors for the week-ending March 19.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ATTACK PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Isabella Peterson • Jr. • James Madison • Sparks, Md.
Peterson keyed James Madison's 14-9 win against No. 8 Florida as she registered her seventh hat trick of the season and added an assist for four points. Her first goal of the game sparked a 3-0 run that helped JMJ erase a 7-4 deficit, while her second goal forged an 8-8 tie. She added a goal and an assist in the decisive 6-0 run to close the game and finished with a game-high seven draw controls. Peterson remains atop The American's scoring chart with 39 goals in 2023.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MIDFIELDER OF THE WEEK
Ava Goeller • Jr. • Cincinnati • Bel Air, Md.
Goeller scored a career-high seven goals and added two assists in Cincinnati's 19-6 win against Vanderbilt, giving the Bearcats a 1-0 start in American Athletic Conference play for the first time and their largest margin of victory in a conference game in The American. She added two ground balls, three draw controls and a caused turnover against the Commodores. Goeller's nine points matched the most by an American Athletic Conference player in a game this season.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophia Finotti • Sr. • Cincinnati • Westerville, Ohio
Finotti led Cincinnati's defensive effort that limited Vanderbilt to a season-low six goals and only 15 shots in the Bearcats' 19-6 win. Finotti had a ground ball and two caused turnovers and led a close defense that held the Commodores without a shot in the first quarter, allowing Cincinnati to build a 4-0 lead in the first 15 minutes. Finotti also engineered Cincinnati's clear, which went 14-for-14 on the day.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
Brynn Knight • So. • East Carolina • Manchester, Md.
Knight led East Carolina to its program-record seventh consecutive win as she anchored a 7-5 victory against Old Dominion in the American Athletic Conference opener. Knight made eight saves and allowed only five goals (a .615 save percentage), including only three goals allowed in the run of play. Knight lowered her goals-against average to 7.21 and bettered her save percentage to .543, leading The American in both categories.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Maddie Epke • A • Fr. • James Madison • Guilford, Conn.
Epke had a game-high four assists to help James Madison to a 14-9 win against No. 8 Florida in the Dukes' American Athletic Conference opener. Epke had two assists in the Dukes' 3-0 run to close the first half and fed three of JMU's seven first-half goals. Epke's four assists matched the most by an American Athletic Conference player in a game last week, while it marked her second game this season with at least four helpers.
HONOR ROLL
Camryn Callaghan • A • Fr. • Cincinnati • Upper Arlington, Ohio
Scored four goals in a 19-6 win against Vanderbilt for her ninth hat trick in 10 games.
Lauren Ottensmeyer • A • Jr. • Cincinnati • Ballwin, Mo.
Scored four goals with an assist in a 19-6 win against Vanderbilt.
Ellie Bromley • M • Sr. • East Carolina • Cary, N.C.
Scored a game-high three goals, all in the second half, in a 7-5 win against Old Dominion
Emma LoPinto • A • So. • Florida • Manhasset, N.Y.
Scored five goals with three assists and three ground balls in a 1-1 week. Scored a game-high four goals in a 14-9 loss to No. 7 James Madison.
Mairead Durkin • D • Sr. • James Madison • Stony Point, N.Y.
Had three caused turnovers and two ground balls in a 14-9 win against No. 8 Florida.
2023 Weekly Award Winners
Attack Player of the Week
Feb. 13 Emma LoPinto, Florida
Feb. 20 Grace Wehland, Cincinnati
Feb. 27 Isabella Peterson, James Madison
Mar. 6 Tai Jankowski, James Madison
Mar. 13 Isabella Peterson, James Madison
Mar. 20 Isabella Peterson, James Madison
Midfielder of the Week
Feb. 13 Ava Goeller, Cincinnati
Feb. 20 Belle Mastropietro, Temple
Feb. 27 Belle Mastropietro, Temple
Mar. 6 Caroline Kimel, East Carolina
Mar. 13 Emily Heller, Florida
Mar. 20 Ava Goeller, Cincinnati
Defensive Player of the Week
Feb. 13 Katie Shallow, Temple
Feb. 20 Rachel Matey, James Madison
Feb. 27 Alexandra Giacolone, East Carolina
Mar. 6 Mairead Durkin, James Madison
Mar. 13 Becky Browndorf, Florida
Mar. 20 Sophia Finotti, Cincinnati
Goalkeeper of the Week
Feb. 13 Sarah Reznick, Florida
Feb. 20 Brynn Knight, East Carolina
Feb. 27 Brynn Knight, East Carolina
Mar. 6 Kat Buchanan, James Madison
Mar. 13 Paige Gunning, Vanderbilt
Mar. 20 Brynn Knight, East Carolina
Freshman of the Week
Feb. 13 Camryn Callaghan, A, Cincinnati
Feb. 20 Camryn Callaghan, A, Cincinnati
Feb. 27 Maddie Epke, M, James Madison
Mar. 6 Camryn Callaghan, A, Cincinnati
Mar. 13 Brianna Mennella, M, James Madison
Mar. 20 Maddie Epke, A, James Madison