Five Earn All-American Plaudits from the NFHCA

Posted: Dec 22, 2021

KANSAS CITY, Mo. --- The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) announced their annual end of season awards earlier this month following the conclusion of the 2021 fall season. Five standouts from ODAC schools earned recognition as Division III All-Americans.

Washington and Lee University duo Sara Amil and Tess Muneses -- the ODAC Defensive and Offensive Players of the Year, respectively -- headline the list as the Generals' goalkeeper and midfielder were tabbed First Team All-Americans. University of Lynchburg forward Jackie Lerro earned a spot on the All-America Second Team, while Shenandoah University midfielder Kelsey Jones and W&L midfielder Kailey Fitzgerald were selected to the All-America Third Team.

The All-America release comes on the heels of the NFHCA announcing its Division III All-Region Awards. Led by head coach Gina Wills, Washington and Lee garnered Region VI Coaching Staff of the Year. The five All-Americans highlight a large group of 11 standouts from ODAC members that earned recognition on one of two award teams in Region VI.

NATIONAL FIELD HOCKEY COACHES ASSOCIATION ALL-REGION VI | ODAC HONOREES

First Team (7): Jackie Lerro, LYN (F); Emilee Wooten, RC (F); Kelsey Jones, SU (M); Sara Amil, W&L (GK); Kailey Fitzgerald, W&L (M); Tess Muneses, W&L (M); Grace Weise, W&L (F)
Second Team (4): Kessa Romero, LYN (M); Mairead McKibbin, SU (F); Elise Velasquez, SU (D); Abby Hamilton, W&L (D)

This is the first time W&L has had more than one All-American in any one season. Amil, Muneses, and Fitzgerald are the fourth, fifth, and sixth All-Americans in program history.

Amil started all 19 games for the Blue and White. She recorded the third-best save percentage in Division III at .842, which also set a single-season program record. Her goals-against average of 0.93 was 19th in Division III and set a new program mark. Amil finished the year with a career-best 85 saves in over 1,000 minutes, while breaking her own school record for single-season shutouts with eight. She was named NFHCA First Team All-Region, First Team All-ODAC, and was the ODAC Defensive Player of the Year earlier this season.

For her career, Amil set school records in shutouts (19) and goals-against average (1.08). She is also second all-time in save percentage (.799), third in goals allowed (49) and seventh in saves (195).

Muneses started all 19 games for the Generals. She led the team in points (37) and assists (9), and was tied for second in goals (14). Muneses' 37 points are tied for the fifth-most in a single-season in program history, while her nine assists are the fourth-most. Earlier this season, she was named NFHCA First Team All-Region, First Team All-ODAC and was the ODAC Offensive Player of the Year.

Through three seasons, Muneses is already fourth in career assists at W&L with 19, ninth in career goals with 24 and ninth in career points with 67.

Lerro's awards mantle is packed with five All-ODAC First Team honors, the 2017 ODAC Rookie of the Year award, and 2019 ODAC Offensive Player of the Year distinction. She is now a two-time All-American, pairing this award with a second team seletion in 2019. Add in a host of all-state honors to go with a CoSIDA Third Team Academic All-America plaque to highlight her plaudits last spring.

Lerro led the ODAC in points (57) and assists (17) while finishing third in goals scored (20). She registered at least one point in 16-of-22 games played with a season-best eight points on two occasions in wins at Bridgewater and over Ferrum. Lerro's career numbers are among the best in ODAC history. She is third all-time in points (249) and goals scored (99) and sixth in assists (51). Her points and assists figures are second in Lynchburg history, while her goals total ranks third.

Jones is the first on-field All-American in program history. She pairs this honor with four All-ODAC appointments -- three on the first team -- and the 2020 ODAC Offensive Player of the Year award. Jones led the ODAC with 23 goals scored and finished second with 55 points. Her nine assists tied for fifth. She registered at least one point in 16-of-17 games played including a season-high eight points in a win over Virginia Wesleyan.

Jones is the all-time leader in SU program history in points (153), goals scored (52), and assists (49). While her point and goals totals fall just outside the ODAC's top-10, her assists mark ranks eighth in conference history.

Fitzgerald was second on the team in assists (8), tied for fifth in goals (8) and fifth in points (24), while starting all 19 contests. She scored a point in nine games this year and had multiple points in five contests. Her eight assists this year are tied for fifth on the W&L single-season list and she is ninth in career assists with 16.

Fitzgerald also was the first line of defense for W&L, which had the 10th-best goals-against average in Division III at 0.84. The defense also held opponents to just 9.90 shots per contest. She was named NFHCA First Team All-Region and First Team All-ODAC earlier this season.