July 19, 2007
Notre Dame, Ind. – Six members of the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse program’s incoming freshman class have been honored by US Lacrosse as high school All-Americans for the 2007 campaign. Four of the incoming freshmen were selected first team for their respective regions while the other two were honorable mention choices.
Selected as first team US Lacrosse All-Americans for the Metro New York City/Long Island region were midfielders Kailene Abt (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington) and Shaylyn Blaney (Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville). They were joined by defender Lauren Fenlon (Dayton, Md./Good Council) and midfielder Kaitlin Keena (Vienna, Va./Stone Ridge) from the Potomac region. Midfield defender Jackie Doherty (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) from the Baltimore region and midfielder Ansley Stewart (Alexandria, Va./Episcopal) from the Potomac region were honorable mention selections.
The six recruits join Tracy Coyne’s Notre Dame squad that was 11-6 in the 2007 campaign and played in the first BIG EAST Tournament in April. The Irish return 22 players from that team.
“We’re pleased that each member of our incoming freshman class has received national All-American recognition for their outstanding play this season,” said Coyne, who begins her 12th season as the Irish women’s lacrosse coach. “It’s a very talented group of student athletes who will play a key role in the future success of the Notre Dame program.”
Abt will join the Irish after helping lead Huntington High School to a 14-6 record and a trip to the Suffolk County Class B finals this past spring. A three-sport athlete, Abt is a four-year starter in field hockey, basketball and lacrosse, playing midfield on Huntington’s girls’ lacrosse team. An alternate on US Lacrosse’s Under-19 team, she served as team captain at Huntington this season. A first team All-Suffolk County selection from 2004-06, Abt is a member of the Long Island Yellow Jackets club team, where she helped them to the `04 and `05 national club championship and in `05-’06 was selected first team all-Galaxy. She has twice played in the US Lacrosse national tournament, helping New York 1, along with incoming freshman Shaylyn Blaney, to the national tournament championship in 2006. Abt was also one of three Notre Dame players to be named Under Armour All-American and participate in the Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Classic.
Blaney is considered by many as the top recruit in the country and has now been named All-American for the third consecutive year at Ward Melville High School in Stony Brook, N.Y. A member of the USA Under-19 Team, the high-scoring Blaney helped guide Ward Melville to an 18-2 record and its first Suffolk County Class A title since 1994, scoring 75 goals on the year. The 2007 Suffolk County player of the year, Blaney finished her high school career with 288 goals and 73 assists. A four-time all-county selection, she also played for the Long Island Express Club team. A three-time member of the New York Region team that participated in the US Lacrosse national championship, Blaney, along with future Irish teammate Kailene Abt, were members of the 2006 national championship team. She also has been a member of three Empire State teams, winning a gold medal in `06 and silver medals in `04 and `05. Along with defender Jackie Doherty and Abt, Blaney was one of three Notre Dame players to play in the Under Armour All-America Classic.
Representing the Potomac region were first teamers Fenlon and Keena with Stewart named honorable mention.
Fenlon is a tough, tenacious defender who helped lead Good Counsel High School to a 17-3 overall record and its fourth consecutive WCAC title in 2007. An alternate on US Lacrosse’s Under-19 team this summer, Fenlon scored 24 goals and added 15 assists in addition to her stellar defensive play. This marks the second consecutive year that Fenlon has taken US Lacrosse All-American honors. A Washington Post first team All-Met selection in 2007, Fenlon served as the lacrosse team captain and was also a member of the school’s basketball team. A teammate of fellow freshman Jackie Doherty on the M&D lacrosse club team, Fenlon was an Academic All-American in 2006.
Keena takes All-American honors in 2007 after being an honorable mention selection in 2006. A two-sport athlete at Stone Ridge School in Bethesda, Md., Keena played both lacrosse and field hockey during her career. An aggressive, hardworking midfielder, she was a four-time all-Independent School League (ISL) selection during her lacrosse career and a three-time all-ISL pick in field hockey. Keena served as the lacrosse team captain in 2006 and 2007 and the field hockey captain as a senior. An honorable mention Washington Post All-Met selection this season, she was selected first team all-Gazette and all-Examiner for the 2006 campaign. A two-time winner of the school’s Coaches Award (`05 and `06), Keena has played three years in the US Lacrosse national tournament, playing one season with Mid-Atlantic 5 (2004) and two seasons with Mid-Atlantic 2 (2005, 2006). She also has played for the Capital Lacrosse Club where she was a teammate of fellow incoming freshman Ansley Stewart.
Stewart joins the Irish from Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Va. where she was a midfield/attack standout. An honorable mention All-American selection this season, Stewart took first team honors in 2006 in leading Episcopal to the Virginia State title. The team’s 2007 most valuable player, Stewart scored 49 goals with 26 assists this year and is a two-time all-ISL and all-State selection. She also was an honorable mention choice to the Washington Post’s all-Met team following her senior year. As a junior in 2006, Stewart scored 63 goals with 71 assists for 134 points and was selected all-Virginia by the Washington Examiner. A member of the Capital Lacrosse Club, she has participated in two US Lacrosse national tournaments, playing for Mid-Atlantic 2 in `06 and Mid-Atlantic 4 in `05. She also captained the field hockey team as a senior and was a two-time all-ISL selection in that sport the past two seasons.
Rounding out the group of six recruits is Doherty who was an honorable mention selection this season is Doherty who will join the Irish after playing four seasons at Mt. Hebron High School in Ellicott City, Md., one of the top women’s lacrosse programs in the nation. The talented midfielder/defender has received All-American recognition in each of the last three seasons, including first team honors in 2006 and honorable mention in 2005. A first team Washington Post all-Met selection this year and a two-time first team Baltimore Sun all-Metro choice, Doherty collected 53 ground balls and 45 goals this past season as Mt. Hebron won its 11th consecutive Maryland state title. Selected the 2007 Howard County player of the year, Doherty was a 2007 selection to the Under Armour All-American Classic along with Abt and Blaney. She also has played for the M&D Lacrosse Club and was selected first team all-Galaxy. She also participated in the national tournament with the Mid-Atlantic I team. Doherty also is a four-year member of the Mt. Hebron basketball team and was first team all county in 2006 and a second-team selection in “04 and `05.
2007-08 Notre Dame Women's Lacrosse Recruits
Player Pos. Ht. Hometown/SchoolKailene Abt M/D 5-11 Huntington, N.Y./HuntingtonShaylyn Blaney M 5-4 Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward MelvilleJackie Doherty D/M 5-6 Ellicott City, Md./Mt. HebronLauren Fenlon D 5-10 Dayton, Md./Good CouncilKaitlin Keena M 5-5 Vienna, Va./Stone RidgeAnsley Stewart M/A 5-8 Alexandria, Va./Episcopal