Women's Lacrosse | 5/17/2023 12:01:37 PM
Eight student-athletes from three Empire 8 institutions were named to the 2023 Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-Empire Region Team. Four players earned first team honors, while Four were named to the second team. Empire 8 Champion St. John Fisher University led all E8 members with five selections, while two Nazareth College standouts and one Hartwick College student-athlete earned honors.
Both the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year, Emma States of Nazareth and Defensive Player of the Year, Shannon Foster of St. John Fisher were first team selections. Sydney Carpenter and Maddie Lowney of St. John Fisher were also first team selections. Kristen Vaccarelli of Hartwick College, Nazareth’s Maggie Gannon, Hanna Kumpf of St. John Fisher and teammate and goalkeeper Lily Goodsell, the 2023 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year were second team selections. All eight student-athletes previously earned 2023 All-Empire 8 first team accolades.
A total of 256 student-athletes were selected in the eight regions for 2023. These student-athletes are now eligible to be named to the national IWLCA All-American team that will be released on May 24.
Carpenter, a sophomore, was a force all over the field for the Cardinals in 2023, recording 74 points on 43 goals and 31 assists to go along with a program and league record 182 draw controls, 53 ground balls in 18 games on her way to earning her second consecutive IWLCA All-Empire Region First Team accolade. A native of Hilton, NY, Carpenter was also named the 2023 Empire 8 Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season after leading the Cardinals to their 11th straight league title.
Foster, who was previously the 2021 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and 2023 Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year, is the leader of a St. John Fisher defense that will lead all of Division III, allowing just 5.30 goals per game. The Syracuse, NY native has scooped up 43 ground balls and is among the team leaders with 26 caused turnovers.
Lowney, the 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, made a strong debut for the Cardinals with 51 ground balls, 36 draw controls and 21 caused turnovers. A native of Baldwin, MD, Lowney is a key component of the St. John Fisher defensive unit that allowed just 24 goals in seven Empire 8 regular season contests and just 5.30 goals per game overall in 2023, fewest in Division III.
States, of Phoenix, NY, garnered her third straight All-Region accolade and first, first team honor in 2023. States, who was named the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year, finished the season with 53 goals and 20 assists for 73 points, all team highs. The prolific goal scorer had three game-winning goals in the 2023 season. In 18 games, she ranked ninth in the Empire 8 conference at 4.06 points per game.
Gannon, a captain as a junior defender, started all 18 games for the Golden Flyers led the team with 43 ground balls. The Williston, VT native also had 13 caused turnovers and 13 draw controls to go along with a goal and an assist.
Goodsell, the 2023 E8 Goalkeeper of the Year, had an excellent senior season for the Cardinals, having played in all 20 games. She finished 17-3 and will lead the nation with a sensational 5.30 goals against average (lowest by a full goal per game). Goodsell, a native of Camillus, NY, has allowed six goals or less in a game 14 times this season.
Kumpf, a native of Victor, NY, enjoyed an excellent sophomore season, tallying 43 goals and 51 points in 18 games played. She tied for the team lead in goals and added 21 draw controls and 15 ground balls. Kumpf tallied eight games with at least three goals, including pair of six-goal efforts versus Colorado College and Ithaca College.
Vaccarelli, a native of Dix Hills, NY, became Hartwick's first All-Region selection in program history. She enjoyed had an outstanding season for the Hawks, leading the team in goals, points, and draw controls. Those numbers also ranked her first in the Empire 8 conference in goals per game, points per game, and second in draw controls per game. Vaccarelli finished th year with 64 goals, 82 points and 114 draw controls.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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