IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of its weekly women’s lacrosse honors for the week-ending March 30.
 
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ATTACK PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Maddie Epke • Jr. • James Madison • Guilford, Conn.
Epke scored eight goals and added an assist, two ground balls and 38 draw controls in two games for James Madison. She scored five goals with an assist and set an American Athletic Conference record with 23 draw controls in a 17-10 win against Charlotte. She scored four goals in the second half against the 49ers and helped the Dukes win every draw in the second half to erase a 7-5 halftime deficit. Epke added three goals and 15 draw controls in a 17-8 loss to No. 5 Johns Hopkins. Epke leads all NCAA Division I players with 141 draw controls in 2025 and is third in The American in scoring with 2.9 goals and 4.0 points per game.
 
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MIDFIELDER OF THE WEEK
Kaitlyn Tartaglione • Jr. • South Florida • Bernardsville, N.J.
Tartaglione contributed at both ends of the field to help South Florida to a 3-0 start in American Athletic Conference play with a 17-7 win against Vanderbilt. She scored a goal and added two assists on the offensive end and finished with game highs of five ground balls and three caused turnovers to go with four draw controls.
 
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mikaela Ness • Gr. • South Florida • Forest Lake, Minn.
Ness led a defensive effort that helped limit Vanderbilt to a season-low seven goals and 19 shots in a 17-7 Bulls win, improving South Florida to 9-2 overall and 3-0 in The American. Ness finished with three ground balls and two caused turnovers as the Bulls held their opponent to single-digit scoring for the sixth consecutive game. Ness leads the Bulls with 11 caused turnovers and is fourth on the squad with 13 ground balls in 2025. 
 
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
Jaime Behar • Jr. • East Carolina • Mineola, N.Y.
Behar made 12 saves, including three in the fourth quarter and one in overtime, to help East Carolina to an 11-10 win at Temple, giving the Pirates their first win against the Owls in eight games. Behar and the Pirates held Temple scoreless for the last 16:29 of regulation, and she delivered a big save on the Owls’ only possession of overtime to allow East Carolina to overcome a 10-6 deficit. Behar added nine saves in a 14-13 setback to No. 13 Duke.
 
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Sarah Murrell • M • Fr. • Old Dominion • Perryville, Md.
Murrell figured in half of Old Dominion’s goals in the Monarchs’ only game last week, an 11-10 heartbreaker against Robert Morris. Murrell scored four goals with an assist to go with seven draw controls and scored two goals with an assist in the fourth quarter to keep the Monarchs in the game. Murrell leads ODU with 34 goals and 39 points in 2025 and is fourth in The American at 2.6 goals per game.
 
 
HONORABLE MENTION
Avery Olsen • A • Fr. • Charlotte • Alexandria, Va.
Had a goal and four assists with a ground ball in a 17-10 loss at No. 14 James Madison.
 
Erin Gulden • A • Sr. • East Carolina • West River, Md.
Scored five goals with five assists in a 1-1 week. Had a hat trick with two assists in a 14-13 loss to No. 13 Duke.
 
Sofia Chepenik • So. • South Florida • Jacksonville, Fla.
Sang the national anthem before the game, then scored three goals with an assist in a 17-7 win against Vanderbilt.
 
Paige Pagano • Gr. • South Florida • Toronto, Ont.
Made nine saves and allowed only seven goals in a 17-7 win against Vanderbilt.
 
Erin King • A • Sr. • Temple • Kennesaw, Ga.
Scored six goals with an assist in two games. Had a team-high four goals with an assist in a 13-10 loss to Pitt.
 
 

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
Mar. 24  Jaime Biskup, Vanderbilt
Mar. 31  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
Mar. 24  Kemper Robinson, Vanderbilt
Mar. 31  Kaitlyn Tartaglione, 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
Mar. 24  Reese Cuivello, James Madison
Mar. 31  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
Mar. 24  Paige Pagano, South Florida
Mar. 31  Jaime Behar, East Carolina
 
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
Mar. 24  Bailey Lower, A, Vanderbilt
Mar. 31  Sarah Murrell, M, Old Dominion