Gulford's Garcia Headlines ODAC Women's Lacrosse Awards

Gulford's Garcia Headlines ODAC Women's Lacrosse Awards

W&L's O'Brien, LC's Francis, R-MC's Johnsen also Honored

FOREST, Va. --- Guilford College attack E'leyna Garcia headlines the 2013 ODAC Women's Lacrosse All-Conference awards as she was tabbed the ODAC Player of the Year in a vote of the league's head coaches.  Washington and Lee University mentor Brooke O'Brien earned ODAC Coach of the Year honors, while Lynchburg College midfielder Katherine Francis received ODAC Rookie of the Year accolades.  Randolph-Macon College midfielder Rachel Johnsen garned ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete laurels for the second straight year in a vote of the conference's sports information directors.

Garcia, a junior from Plantation, Fla., helped lead the Quakers on their first undefeated run through the ODAC regular season with a 10-0 record.  She not only leads the ODAC but tops NCAA Division III with 99 goals scored, a new ODAC single-season record (95 by BC's Amy Rafalski in 1998).   Her 114 points are #1 in the conference and tied for fourth in the country.  In just three years, Guilford's all-time leading scorer has beaten opposing keepers 201 times, leaving her 87 goals shy of tying the ODAC record owned by former Roanoke College standout Gina Valles.  Garcia recorded at least three goals in all of her 17 games played in 2013, including a pair of 10-goal games in non-conference wins over Greensboro College and Catawba College. 

O'Brien, in her sixth season guiding the W&L women's lacrosse program, enjoys her third ODAC top coaching honor after leading the Generals to their fourth straight and 14th overall women's lacrosse conference crown.  Washington and Lee has hoisted the league's hardware in five of the six seasons during O'Brien's tenure.  After winning their ODAC quarterfinal match, the fourth-seeded Generals defeated both the first and second seeded teams on the way to the conference title and a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament.  O'Brien enters Wednesday's first round game with an 84-32 (.724) career record.

Francis, a freshman from Lebanon, N.J., stepped right into the Hornets' starting lineup and promptly went on to lead the team in goals scored (43) and tie for the team lead in points (49).  Those totals rank eighth and 15th in the conference, respectively.  A two-way midfielder, Francis is fourth in the conference with 26 caused turnovers, and has picked up 30 groundballs.  She racked up five or more points in a game five times, including a season-high six points against Guilford in late March.

Johnsen, a senior from Laurel, Md., performs on and off the field for the Yellow Jackets.  In the classroom, Johnsen maintains a 3.90 grade point average as a double major in Political Science and French.  She is a member of several honor societies including Phi Beta Kappa (national historic academic), Pi Sigma Alpha (political science), Pi Delta Phi (French), Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership) and Gamma Sigma Alpha (Greek academic).  A multiple Dean's List honoree and a three-time member of the All-ODAC Academic Team, Johnsen has been the recipient of three scholarships on R-MC's campus.  On the field, Johnsen notched 19 points on 14 goals and five assists.  She is eighth in the ODAC with 59 draw controls, and has also racked up 39 groundballs and 16 caused turnovers.

Listed below are the full 2013 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 the ODAC on Twitter at @odacathletics.

2013 All-ODAC Women's Lacrosse Teams
ODAC Player of the Year: E'leyna Garcia, Jr., Att., Guilford
ODAC Coach of the Year: Brooke O'Brien, Washington and Lee
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Katherine Francis, Fr., M, Lynchburg
ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete: Rachel Johnsen, Sr., M, Randolph-Macon

ALL-ODAC FIRST TEAM
Attack
Kendall Adkin, Sr., Lynchburg
Allison Bonanno, Jr., Roanoke
Lily Colley, Jr., Guilford
E'leyna Garcia, Jr., Guilford

Midfield
Darragh Evarts, So., Roanoke
Katherine Francis, Fr., Lynchburg
Eleanora Keene, So., Guilford
Samantha Sisson, So., Shenandoah

Defense
Amari Agee, So., Virginia Wesleyan
Summer Fowler, Fr., Gulford
Brianna Lamarca, Jr., Lynchburg
Leanne Stone, Jr., Washington and Lee

Goalkeeper
Liza Mettler, Sr., Guilford

ALL-ODAC SECOND TEAM
Attack
Taylor Chamberlain, Jr., Bridgewater
Jamie Golden, Sr., Roanoke
Katie Hagen, Jr., Washington and Lee
Bri Slate, Jr., Lynchburg

Midfield
Liz Bereit, So., Shenandoah
Meade Brewster, Jr., Washington and Lee
Emily Lynch, Sr., Randolph-Macon
Kathleen Wager, Sr., Roanoke

Defense
Caroline Augsberger, So., Bridgewater
Erin Oliver, Jr., Shenandoah
Stephanie Vogel, Sr., Roanoke
Olive Waxter, Jr., Washington and Lee

Goalkeeper
Ashley Cross, Jr., Shenandoah

ALL-ODAC THIRD TEAM
Attack
Betsy Hebert, So., Randolph-Macon
Rosie Knisley, Sr., Roanoke
Amy Rollins, Sr., Shenandoah
Katie Russo, Fr., Randolph-Macon
Nikki Salyers, Sr., Virginia Wesleyan

Midfield
Carli Bafford, Fr., Bridgewater
Becca Colley, Jr., Guilford
Corrinne Kosmowski, Sr., Shenandoah
Julie Will, Sr., Lynchburg

Defense
Maggie Benson, Sr., Randolph-Macon
Celine De Perlinghi, Jr., Guilford
Katie Gehrdes, Fr., Roanoke
Ashley Stevens, Sr., Randolph

Goalkeeper
Caroline Baker, So., Sweet Briar