ROCHESTER, NY – The Empire 8 announced its 2011 Women’s Lacrosse All-Conference team with junior Shelby Barbay of Utica College repeating as Goalkeeper of the Year and sophomore midfielder Shelby Vakiener of Rochester Institute of Technology being named Player of the Year.
Barbay posted a .457 save percentage with 64 saves and an 11.94 goals against average in conference play. Overall, she registered 122 saves and a 10.85 goals against average.
Vakiener, the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year last season, led all scorers in Empire 8 play with 49 points on 33 goals and 16 assists. She added 27 ground balls, 31 draw controls, and 16 caused turnovers in eight games. Overall, she totaled 85 points on 57 goals and 28 assists, contributing 50 ground balls, 61 draw controls, and 24 caused turnovers.
Four players from Empire 8 champion Stevens Institute of Technology were named to the all-conference first team, including four-time honoree Christine Smith. The midfielder scored 25 goals and accumulated 31 points, 21 ground balls, 36 draw controls, and 13 caused turnovers in eight conference games in the regular season.
Senior defender Kate Cox of the Ducks was also named to the all-conference first team for the fourth consecutive year and was joined by junior defender Ashley Carey, the Most Valuable Player of the Empire 8 Women’s Lacrosse Championship, and junior attack Michelle Buonacuore. Cox (17 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers) and Carey (15 draw controls and 16 caused turnovers) anchored the team’s defense during conference play, while Buonacuore posted 20 goals and 20 assists for 40 points in conference play.
Junior attack Nicole Borisenok of tournament runner-up and NCAA at-large choice Ithaca College garnered first-team honors after scoring 29 goals and finishing with 39 points in Empire 8 action. Senior defender Abby Peterson of the Bombers was also selected to the first team, recording 14 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers in conference regular season games.
Senior attack Michelle Cook of Nazareth College repeated on the first team after tallying 33 points on 13 goals and 20 assists, adding 18 ground balls and 21 draw controls in the eight conference contests during the regular season. Sophomore midfielder Alyssa Johnston was a first-team selection this year after being named to the second team in her rookie campaign. She totaled 34 points (23 goals, 11 assists), 26 ground balls, 20 draw controls, and 20 caused turnovers in Empire 8 play. Senior defender Alyssa Mulheron was named to the first team after leading the Golden Flyers defense, contributing 14 ground balls and eight draw controls in league play.
Sophomore midfielder Melissa Leonhard and first-year defender Logan Barnard of St. John Fisher College were named all-conference first-team selections. Leonhard scored 32 goals, adding 25 ground balls, 46 draw controls, and 13 caused turnovers in eight conference games. Barnard was a stalwart on defense, finishing with 19 ground balls and 11 draw controls.
Attack Taylor Hughes of the Cardinals was named Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. She finished with 22 points (18 goals, 4 assists), 16 ground balls, and 13 draw controls in Empire 8 action.
Celine Cunningham was named Empire 8 Coach of the Year for leading Stevens to an undefeated mark in conference play and the conference tournament title.
One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2011 Women’s Lacrosse Sportswoman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.
2011 Empire 8 Women’s Lacrosse Awards
Player of the Year: Shelby Vakiener, Rochester Institute of Technology
Goalkeeper of the Year: Shelby Barbay, Utica College
Rookie of the Year: Taylor Hughes, St. John Fisher College
Coach of the Year: Celine Cunningham, Stevens Institute of Technology
2011 Women's Lacrosse All-Conference Release