IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of its weekly women’s lacrosse honors for the week-ending February 27.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ATTACK PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kylie Nause • Sr. • Cincinnati • Phoenix, Md.
Nause added two more hat tricks to her season ledger as she scored seven goals in a 1-1 week for the Bearcats. Nause scored four goals in a 15-9 win against Gardner-Webb as she had three goals as part of Cincinnati’s decisive 7-1 run to open the game. She added three more goals in a 15-4 setback to Davidson. Nause has had at least three goals in all five of Cincinnati’s games this season and leads all American Athletic Conference players with 17 goals in 2022.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MIDFIELDER OF THE WEEK
Bri Gross • Sr. • Vanderbilt • El Dorado Hills, Calif.
Gross led Vanderbilt to a 17-11 win at Elon in the Commodores’ first road contest of the season. She scored a game-high four goals and added two ground balls, eight draw controls and three caused turnovers to help Vanderbilt to its third straight win to open the season. Gross leads the Commodores with seven goals and 16 ground balls in 2022.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophie Bandorick • G • Sr. • East Carolina • Berlin, Md.
Bandorick who serves as East Carolina’s closer in goal by playing the second half of each game, came up with her best performance in the Pirates’ 16-10 win at George Mason. Entering the game at the start of the third quarter and the score tied at 8-8, Bandorick made 10 saves and allowed only two goals to allow the Pirates to pull away for the win. She kept the Patriots off the scoreboard for the final 19:48, improving her season save percentage to .800 and lowering her goals-against average to 3.92 in more than 107 minutes of game action.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Leah Bestany • A • Fr. • East Carolina • Bethpage, N.Y.
Bestany repeats as The American’s Freshman of the Week after she scored a pair of goals in the Pirates’ 16-10 win at George Mason. Bestany has scored six goals with an assist through East Carolina’s first four games.
HONOR ROLL
Frances Kimel • A • Jr. • East Carolina • Durham, N.C.
Scored three goals with two assists to go with two ground balls, a draw control and a caused turnover in a 16-10 win at George Mason.
Danielle Pavinelli • A • So. • Florida • Northport, N.Y.
Scored a game-high four goals in an 18-8 loss at No. 5 Maryland.
Maddie Mullenbach • A • Jr. • Old Dominion • Urbandale, Iowa
Scored a career-high five goals in a 15-6 win against Longwood.
Belle Mastropietro • M • Jr. • Temple • Springfield, Pa.
Had three goals with two assists and seven draw controls in a 14-10 loss at No. 11 Princeton
Mackenzie Roth • A • Jr. • Temple • Schnecksville, Pa.
Had two goals, two assists, two ground balls and a caused turnover in a 14-10 loss at No. 11 Princeton.