Kiera Kelly Named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year for QU Women's Lacrosse
5/2/2018 7:00:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — Senior defender Kiera Kelly earned the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Women's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year in a vote of the league's coaches, the conference announced this evening at the league's annual awards banquet.
Kelly earned the honor after a spectacular senior campaign, which saw her lead the nation in caused turnovers with 60 in 16 games (3.75 per game). Although Kelly won't officially be the statistical champion until the postseason is over, she is currently well ahead of the player in second, Jacqueline Kennedy of Binghamton, who has 3.00 caused turnovers per contest.
Kelly also currently ranks third in the nation in ground balls at 4.38 per game (70 in 16 contests), but first among defenders. The only other two players who average more than four, Gussie Johns of Southern California and Courtney Barrett of UMass Lowell, are both goalies. The next-highest defender on the national leaderboard for ground balls is Kasey Keane of UMass at 3.35 per game.
In addition to Kelly's honor, the Bobcats had two freshmen named to the All-Rookie team, Avery Drouin and Maddy Lamagna. Drouin ranked third on the Bobcats in points in her rookie campaign with 22 on 14 goals and eight assists. Lamagna emerged as a key part of the team's defense over the second part of the season and finished the spring with 30 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers.
The Bobcats also had 18 players selected to the MAAC All-Academic team, which ranked second in the league behind Manhattan's 21. Quinnipiac's 18 selections, including all four members of its senior class, are as follows:
Loren Antonacci, Health Science
Caitlinn Riedell, Public Relations
Bianca Kaluta, Nursing
Alexa Paul, Nursing
Kiera Kelly, Biology
Brianna Fitzgerald, Nursing
Allison Kuhn, Management
Kayla Moreau, Health Science
Taylor Sanna, Business Marketing
Cara O'Meally, Business Marketing
Haley Everding, Health Science
Allie Kelsey, Health Science
Ellie Swenson, Finance
Julia Corrice, Psychology
Ashley Bobinski, Mathematics
Victoria Bobinski, Mathematics
Aubrey Conti, Accounting
Kaitlin Unser, Health Science
Kelly earned the honor after a spectacular senior campaign, which saw her lead the nation in caused turnovers with 60 in 16 games (3.75 per game). Although Kelly won't officially be the statistical champion until the postseason is over, she is currently well ahead of the player in second, Jacqueline Kennedy of Binghamton, who has 3.00 caused turnovers per contest.
Kelly also currently ranks third in the nation in ground balls at 4.38 per game (70 in 16 contests), but first among defenders. The only other two players who average more than four, Gussie Johns of Southern California and Courtney Barrett of UMass Lowell, are both goalies. The next-highest defender on the national leaderboard for ground balls is Kasey Keane of UMass at 3.35 per game.
In addition to Kelly's honor, the Bobcats had two freshmen named to the All-Rookie team, Avery Drouin and Maddy Lamagna. Drouin ranked third on the Bobcats in points in her rookie campaign with 22 on 14 goals and eight assists. Lamagna emerged as a key part of the team's defense over the second part of the season and finished the spring with 30 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers.
The Bobcats also had 18 players selected to the MAAC All-Academic team, which ranked second in the league behind Manhattan's 21. Quinnipiac's 18 selections, including all four members of its senior class, are as follows:
Loren Antonacci, Health Science
Caitlinn Riedell, Public Relations
Bianca Kaluta, Nursing
Alexa Paul, Nursing
Kiera Kelly, Biology
Brianna Fitzgerald, Nursing
Allison Kuhn, Management
Kayla Moreau, Health Science
Taylor Sanna, Business Marketing
Cara O'Meally, Business Marketing
Haley Everding, Health Science
Allie Kelsey, Health Science
Ellie Swenson, Finance
Julia Corrice, Psychology
Ashley Bobinski, Mathematics
Victoria Bobinski, Mathematics
Aubrey Conti, Accounting
Kaitlin Unser, Health Science
WLAX vs. Manhattan (3/28/26)
Saturday, March 28
Women's Lacrosse vs. Niagara (3/21)
Saturday, March 21
WLAX vs. New Haven (3/7)
Saturday, March 07
WLAX vs. Bryant
Wednesday, March 04
