IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of its weekly women’s lacrosse honors for the week-ending March 16.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ATTACK PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Maddie Epke • Jr. • James Madison • Guilford, Conn.
Epke scored four goals and set the American Athletic Conference single-game record with 20 draw controls to lead No. 14 James Madison to a 20-8 win at Vanderbilt in the Dukes’ only game last week. Epke scored two of JMU’s first three goals to help the Dukes erase an early 3-0 deficit, and she added a pair of second-half goals as James Madison outscored the Commodores 9-1 in the final 30 minutes. Her proficiency in the draw circle allowed the Dukes to go on runs of 8-0 and 9-0 on their way to their first conference win of the season. Epke ranks second among all Division I players 11.4 draw controls per game in 2025.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MIDFIELDER OF THE WEEK
Claire Natoli • RFr. • South Florida • Doylestown, Pa.
Natoli contributed on both ends in South Flordia’s 2-0 week, including a 15-9 win against Temple to begin conference play. Natoli scored a goal and added five ground balls against the Owls, while she added three ground balls with three caused turnovers in a 16-8 nonconference win against Bucknell. Natoli leads the Bulls with 16 ground balls in their inaugural season.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mikaela Ness • Gr. • South Florida • Forest Lake, Minn.
Ness led a South Florida defense that held two opponents to single-digit scoring in a 2-0 week as the Bulls improved to 7-2 in their first season of varsity competition. Ness had three ground balls and a game-high four caused turnovers in a 15-9 win against Temple, while she added a ground ball and a caused turnover in a 16-8 win against Bucknell. Ness has a team-high nine caused turnovers in 2025.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
Paige Pagano • Gr. • South Florida • Toronto, Ont.
Pagano led the Bulls to two wins as she made a combined 18 saves and allowed 17 goals, going the distance in both games. She had 12 saves in a 16-8 win against Bucknell and added six stops in a 15-9 win against Temple for the first conference win in program history. Pagano leads The American with a .531 save percentage to go with a 9.06 goals-against average in 2025.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Sarah Murrell • M • Fr. • Old Dominion • Perryville, Md.
Murrell scored seven goals with an assist, a ground ball and 13 draw controls in two games for Old Dominion, including a 15-9 win against Charlotte in the Monarchs’ conference opener. Murrell had two goals, an assist and seven draw controls against the 49ers and scored a game-high five goals with a ground ball and six draw controls in a 9-8 loss at Mount St. Mary’s. Murrell leads ODU in scoring as a true freshman with 28 goals, three assists and 31 points, while she ranks fourth in The American with 2.8 goals per game.
HONORABLE MENTION
Brooke Alessandrini • A • Fr. • Charlotte • Sewell, N.J.
Scored eight goals with an assist in two games. Scored four goals each against American and Old Dominion.
Rachel Chessock • A • Jr. • East Carolina • Winston-Salem, N.C.
Scored six goals with two assists, two ground balls and three draw controls in a 1-1 week. Had four goals and two assists in a 17-9 win against Quinnipiac.
Alex Kulinski • M • Jr. • Old Dominion • Marlton, N.J.
Scored four goals with three caused turnovers in a 1-1 week. Had a hat trick in a 15-9 win against Charlotte.
Sofia Chepenik • A • So. • South Florida • Palm Coast, Fla.
Scored nine goals with an assist and two ground balls in a 2-0 week. Had a game-high six goals in a 15-9 win against Temple.
Nancy Halleron • A • Sr. • Vanderbilt • Timonium, Md.
Scored a combined six goals in two games. Had a game-high four goals in a 19-7 win at Coastal Carolina.
2025 Weekly Award Winners
Attack Player of the Week
Feb. 10 Kylie Gioia, Charlotte
Feb. 17 Maddie Epke, James Madison
Feb. 24 Sofia Chepenik, South Florida
Mar. 3 Maddie Epke, James Madison
Mar. 10 Kylie Gioia, Charlotte
Mar. 17 Maddie Epke, James Madison
Midfielder of the Week
Feb. 10 Bailey Morris, South Florida
Feb. 17 Sabrina Martin, Temple
Feb. 24 Alex Kulinski, Old Dominion
Mar. 3 Chloe Bleckley, James Madison
Mar. 10 Brooke Baker, Vanderbilt
Mar. 17 Claire Natoli, South Florida
Defensive Player of the Week
Feb. 10 Emma Magazu, East Carolina
Feb. 17 McKenzie Raech, Old Dominion
Feb. 24 Rylee Dockery, Charlotte
Mar. 3 McKenzie Raech, Old Dominion
Mar. 10 McKenzie Raech, Old Dominion
Mar. 17 Mikaela Ness, South Florida
Goalkeeper of the Week
Feb. 10 Molly Joyce, Vanderbilt
Feb. 17 Paige Pagano, South Florida
Feb. 24 Katie Ling, Charlotte
Mar. 3 Adanya Moyer, James Madison
Mar. 10 Paige Pagano, South Florida
Mar. 17 Paige Pagano, South Florida
Freshman of the Week
Feb. 10 Sarah Murrell, M, Old Dominion
Feb. 17 Sarah Murrell, M, Old Dominion
Feb. 24 Katie Gorski, A, Charlotte
Mar. 3 Olivia Matthews, A, James Madison
Mar. 10 Sarah Murrell, M, Old Dominion
Mar. 17 Sarah Murrell, M, Old Dominion