Middlebury’s Elizabeth Renehan honored as 2005 Player of the Year

HADLEY, Mass. - Junior midfielder Elizabeth Renehan of Middlebury was named the 2005 NESCAC Women’s Lacrosse Player of the Year in a vote by the conference coaches. Renehan, the 2003 NESCAC Rookie of the Year, led the Panthers to their fifth consecutive NESCAC title with 53 points on the season (37 goals and 16 assists) for the high powered Middlebury offense which ranks fifth nationally in goals per game (15.46 gpg).

Joining Renehan on the all-conference first team are teammates Kim Walker and Caitlin McCormick. McCormick, a senior defender, anchored a Panther defense which led the conference allowing just 6.36 goals per game. Sophomore midfielder Walker has led the Panthers with 40 goals on the year. The three have combined to lead Middlebury to a 14-1 mark as they enter the NCAA Division III Championship set on defending their national title. Panthers head coach Missy Foote earned NESCAC Coach of the Year honors for the fifth consecutive season.

Trinity senior Beatrice Gratry earned first team all-conference honors after leading the conference in goals with 71 this season. Gratry, the 2002 Rookie of the Year who had earned second team honors each of the last three seasons, finished second in the conference in goals per game each of the past two years after leading the conference with 55 goals in her first season. Gratry ended her career as Trinity’s all-time leading scorer with 233 goals and 55 assists for 288 points.

Seniors Becca Vogel and Ashley Harmeling were both honored on the first team for the second consecutive season. Harmeling, the NESCAC Player of the Year in 2004, led Amherst to a 12-3 mark and their fifth straight appearance in the NESCAC Championship game. The senior attacker is currently second in the conference in points per game averaging three goals and just over one assist per contest. Vogel, Wesleyan’s all-time leading scorer, ended the season with 61 points (52 goals and nine assists) and finished her career with 176 goals and 213 points for the Cardinals.

Bowdoin goalkeeper Kendall Cox was a repeat first-team selection. The senior goalkeeper has a .538 save percentage with 143 stops on the season. Cox leads a Bowdoin defense which was second in the conference allowing just 7.17 goals per game. She is joined on the first team by senior attacker Colleen McDonald. McDonald, a second team selection last spring, leads the Polar Bears in both goals (37) and assists (16) as Bowdoin earned their first NCAA tournament berth since 1999.

Williams junior Rachel Barr and sophomore Kaylan Tildsley earned first team honors for the Ephs. The duo accounted for almost half of Williams’ 185 goals on the season. Barr tallied 45 goals, fourth most in the conference, while Tildsley, last season’s Rookie of the Year, added 41 from her midfield position.

Senior defenders Kim Jones of Colby and Lauren Herman of Tufts rounds out the first team selections. Jones led the Mules with 72 ground balls and 54 caused turnovers. Herman contributed three goals to the Jumbo attack while collecting 40 ground balls and causing 24 turnovers on the year.

First year midfielders Molly Wagner of Bates and Lauren Barrett of Colby shared NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors. The two led their respective teams in scoring and were each named to the all-conference second team. Wagner finished the year with 46 goals for the Bobcats while Barrett tallied 38 scores for the Mules.

2005 NESCAC Women's Lacrosse All-Conference Team