Sophomore Kaitlyn Brosco and the Irish look to improve to 2-0 on the season after Saturday's tilt against Duquesne.

Irish Picked Fourth; Brosco, Tamasitis Named To Preseason All-BIG EAST Team

Jan. 20, 2012

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Just weeks from the beginning of the 2012 season, the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team was picked to finish fourth in the BIG EAST in a poll of the league’s head coaches, the conference office announced on Friday. Also announced was a 16-member preseason All-BIG EAST team, with senior Maggie Tamasitis and sophomore Kaitlyn Brosco representing the Irish.

The Irish (44 points), who advanced to the BIG EAST Championship game last season on the heels of a 10-9 record, placed behind Georgetown (60 points), Syracuse (59 points) and reigning BIG EAST Champion Loyola (Md.) (51 points).

Tamasitis, one of nine unanimous selections, returns for her final year in the blue and gold after a breakout junior year that saw the Boyertown, Pa., native named third team All-America by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), first team all-region for the West/Midwest region by the IWLCA and first team all-BIG EAST. She also earned a spot on the BIG EAST’s all-tournament team. Tamasitis is just 15 assists from setting a new Irish standard for assists in a career at 107 and is 51 points from breaking into the top five in career points with 197.

Brosco is returning after a stellar freshman campaign that saw the Shoreham, N.Y., product earn second team all-region for the West/Midwest region by the IWLCA and second team all-BIG EAST. She was third on the team in goals (32) and points (40).

Notre Dame enters the 2012 campaign under first-year head coach Christine Halfpenny, who comes to the Irish from William & Mary, where she put together four consecutive 10-win seasons.

Returning 16 Monogram winners from a 10-win team a year ago, the Irish open their regular season on Feb. 19, when they host Stanford at 12 p.m. at Arlotta Stadium, weather permitting. The 2012 BIG EAST Tournament is slated for May 3 and 5 at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. The top four teams at the end of the regular season clinch a spot in the field.

2012 BIG EAST Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll

Points
1. Georgetown (5) 60
2. Syracuse (3) 59
3. Loyola (1) 51
4. Notre Dame 44
5. Rutgers 34
6. Connecticut 27
7. Louisville 26
8. Villanova 12
9. Cincinnati 11

First-place votes in parentheses

2012 BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Michelle Tumolo, Syracuse, Junior, Attack

2012 BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Ana Heneberry, Loyola, Senior, Defense

2012 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Kelly Barnes, Georgetown, Senior, Defense
Becca Block, Syracuse, Junior, Defense
Kaitlyn Brosco, Notre Dame, Sophomore, Midfield
*Kelsi Bozel, Georgetown, Junior, Midfield
Justine Donodeo, Villanova, Senior, Midfield
Kellye Gallagher, Loyola, Senior, Defense
*Ana Heneberry, Loyola, Senior, Defense
Dina Jackson, Georgetown, Junior, Attack
*M.E. Lapham, Connecticut, Senior, Attack
Marlee Paton, Loyola, Sophomore, Midfield
*Ali Steinberg, Rutgers, Senior, Midfield
*Kerry Stoothoff, Loyola, Senior, Goalkeeper
*Maggie Tamasitis, Notre Dame, Senior, Attack
*Sophia Thomas, Georgetown, Junior, Midfield
*Michelle Tumolo, Syracuse, Junior, Attack
*Katie Webster, Syracuse, Sophomore, Midfield

*Unanimous selections

–ND–