GC's Grosso RC's Evarts, R-MC's Johnsen also Earn Major Honors
FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University midfielder Christina Benedetti headlines the 2012 All-ODAC Women's Lacrosse Teams as she was named ODAC Player of the Year on Monday. Guilford College mentor Matthew Grosso earned ODAC Coach of the Year accolades, and Roanoke College midfielder Darragh Evarts was tabbed the ODAC Rookie of the Year. Randolph-Macon College midfielder Rachel Johnsen was named the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete in a vote of the league's sports information directors.
Benedetti, a senior from Derwood, Md., helped lead the Generals to their third straight and ODAC-record 13 overall women's lacrosse conference title. She was the midfield glue behind W&L's offense, defense and transition game. Offensively, she finished the season with 20 points on 15 goals and five assists. She forced 16 turnovers on defense, helping the Generals lead the ODAC with 169 goals allowed and 8.45 goals against average. Benedetti also recorded 68 draw controls, fifth-best in the ODAC, and picked up 40 ground balls.
Grosso completed his eighth season guiding the Quakers' women's lacrosse program and is the all-time winningest coach in GC history with a 56-75 career mark. He led the 2012 Quakers to a program-best 11 wins, the first time any Guilford women's lacrosse team reached double figure wins in a season since the program's start in 1983. Guilford also improved its conference record from 5-4 in 2011 to 7-2 and a tie for second in the final ODAC regular season standings.
Evarts, a freshman from Goldens Bridge, N.Y., stepped in and contributed big numbers up-and-down the field for the Maroons. She notched 66 points on 54 goals and 12 assists. She recorded three or more points in a game 11 times with a high of eight (7 goals, 1 assist) in early April. She also picked up an ODAC fourth-best 50 ground balls and corralled 61 draws. Defensively, she caused 33 turnovers, the third highest total in the conference.
Johnsen, a junior from Laurel, Md., shined both on and off the field for Randolph-Macon. In the classroom, Johnsen maintains a 3.89 grade point average as a double major in Political Science and French. She is a member of several honor societies including Pi Sigma Alpha (political science), Pi Delta Phi (French), Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership) and Gamma Sigma Alpha (Greek academic). The R-MC honors program participant is a multiple Dean's List honoree and a two-time member of the All-ODAC Academic Team. On the field, Johnsen collected 25 points on 16 goals and nine assists. She was second in the ODAC with 56 ground balls and third with 72 draw controls. She also caused 28 turnovers.
Listed below are the complete 2012 All-ODAC Women's Lacrosse Teams. For more information on ODAC Women's Lacrosse, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com. Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter.
2012 ALL-ODAC WOMEN'S LACROSSE TEAMS
ODAC Player of the Year: Christina Benedetti, Sr., M, Washington and Lee
ODAC Coach of the Year: Matthew Grosso, Guilford
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Darragh Evarts, Fr., M, Roanoke
ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Rachel Johnsen, Jr., M, Randolph-Macon
All-ODAC First Team
Attack
Allison Bonanno, So., Roanoke
Lesley Buckingham, Sr., Lynchburg
Alli Shearin, Sr., Washington and Lee
Midfield
Christina Benedetti, Sr., Washington and Lee
Darragh Evarts, Fr., Roanoke
Eleanora Keene, Fr., Guilford
Kathleen Wager, Jr., Roanoke
Julie Will, Jr., Lynchburg
Defense
Elizabeth Hartge, Sr., Roanoke
Brianna LaMarca, So., Lynchburg
Leanne Stone, So., Washington and Lee
Goalkeeper
Liza Mettler, Jr., Guilford
All-ODAC Second Team
Attack
Kendall Adkin, So., Lynchburg
Taylor Chamberlain, So., Bridgewater
E'leyna Garcia, So., Guilford
Midfield
Meade Brewster, So., Washington and Lee
Summer Frazier, Sr., Guilford
Olivia Hurt, So., Sweet Briar
Emily Lynch, Jr., Randolph-Macon
Nikki Salyers, Jr., Virginia Wesleyan
Defense
Amari Agee, Fr., Virginia Wesleyan
Maggie Benson, Jr., Randolph-Macon
Katie Oliver, Sr., Guilford
Goalkeeper
Cara Mulligan, Fr., Washington and Lee
All-ODAC Third Team
Attack
Natalie Belva, Sr., Virginia Wesleyan
Lily Colley, So., Guilford
Kelly Egan, Sr., Randolph-Macon
Midfield
Mariko Carmichael, Jr., Virginia Wesleyan
Paige Hennessy, Fr., Bridgewater
Taylor Klevenz, Fr., Randolph
Rachel Johnsen, Jr., Randolph-Macon
Sarah Shannon, Jr., Lynchburg
Courtney Shelton, Sr., Virginia Wesleyan
Defense
Kelly Jacobson, Fr., Virginia Wesleyan
Ashley Stevens, Jr., Randolph
Stephanie Vogel, Jr., Roanoke
Olive Waxter, So., Washington and Lee
Goalkeeper
Christina Tran, Sr., Lynchburg