University of Connecticut Athletics
Three Huskies Receive IWLCA Regional Honors
5/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
IWLCA All-Regional Honorees
GRAND LAKE, Colo. -- Three University of Connecticut women's lacrosse players have received honors from the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), as announced by the organization on Monday afternoon.
Junior defender Lauren Kwasnowski (Kingston, N.Y.) and junior goalkeeper Shannon Nee (Lancaster, Pa.) were both named to the IWLCA All-Northeast Region First Team, while attacker Katherine Finkelston (Leonardtown, Md.) grabbed a spot on the Second Team.
Kwasnowski earned the nod on the First Team after anchoring a Connecticut defense that finished first in the Big East in caused turnovers per match (10.22). Her 1.94 caused turnovers per game were good for the 10th-best mark nationally, and she was one of two Huskies to finish with 40 ground balls on the year. The 2015 Big East Defender of the Year also ranked third on Connecticut with 21 draw controls.
Monday's announcement marks the third straight All-Northeast Region First Team honor for Nee, who tied a school record with 11 wins this spring. Nee, the 2015 Big East Goalkeeper of the Year, ranked 15th among Division I keepers in save percentage (0.471), and she boasted the most saves (147) and the second-best goals against average (9.62) in the conference. Her 32 career wins at Connecticut are one short of the program record. Â
Finkelston paced the Connecticut offense with a career-high 40 goals in 2015. She became just the ninth Husky ever to reach that goal total in a season, and her 57 points this past season also marked a career-high. The Leonardtown, Md. native, who has reached at least 35 goals in each of the last two seasons, was named Lacrosse Magazine's National Female Player of the Week last month after helping the Huskies upset No. 8 Florida, 11-10, back on Apr. 18.
A total of 13 UConn players have now earned IWLCA All-Regional honors under Katie Woods. The fifth-year head coach led Connecticut to its first ever Big East postseason victory this past year, and UConn's 34 wins since 2013 are its most-ever in a three-year stretch.
