May 15, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse standout Barbara Sullivan has been named a first team All-American by both the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) and Synapse Sports, the organizations announced this week.
In addition to Sullivan’s first team honors, freshman defensive standout Stephanie Peragallo received a spot on Synapse Sports All-Rookie team, which is the same honor Sullivan earned a year ago.
“I’m very honored to be chosen as an All-American and I’m humbled to be among the other players that were selected for the award,” said Sullivan. “This honor would not have been possible without the help of my awesome teammates and coaches.”
Sullivan, who earlier in the month earned first team all-BIG EAST and IWLCA all-West/Midwest region honors, becomes the youngest player in Irish history, and eighth overall, to earn first team accolades. She is also just the fifth Notre Dame sophomore to receive an All-America scroll. Twenty-five Irish standouts have earned All-America accolades since 2002.
The Garden City, N.Y., native started all 17 games and totaled 57 ground balls, 67 draw controls and 34 caused turnovers. She also chipped in the first two goals and the first two assists of her career. She broke the school record for draw controls in a season and finished tied for fifth in ground balls and tied for seventh in caused turnovers in school history. Sullivan is the only player in Notre Dame history to finish in the top seven in all three categories in one season.
Just two seasons into her Irish career, Sullivan is already eighth in school history with 99 draw controls and tied for eighth with 66 caused turnovers.
During the season, Sullivan had two or more ground balls in 15 games, two or more draw controls in 13 games and two or more caused turnovers in 11 games. She tied the school record with nine draw controls in a 12-11 win at Vanderbilt and had a remarkable six or more draw controls in six games. Sullivan also came within two of tying the school record for most ground balls and most caused turnovers in a game.
The Tewaaraton Trophy nominee earned a spot on the BIG EAST’s Weekly Honor Roll three times this season – once after 12 ground balls, two draw controls and seven caused turnovers in wins over Detroit and Boston, another time after five ground balls and nine draw controls in a win over Vanderbilt and finally after seven ground balls, 10 draw controls and seven caused turnovers in victories over Louisville and Cincinnati.
Sullivan ranks first in the BIG EAST and third in the country in ground balls per game (3.35), first in the BIG EAST and ninth in the country in caused turnovers per game (2.0) and second in the BIG EAST and 22nd in the country in draw controls per game (3.94).
“Congratulations to Barbara on yet another incredible accomplishment in her young career,” said head coach Christine Halfpenny. “She has set a new standard here for ND lacrosse with her level of intense play and will to win. She has shown our players that its never too early to assert yourself amongst your peers and lead by example. She embodies all the characteristics a first team All-American should with her sportsmanship, integrity and how she honors the game.”
Peragallo hit the ground running in her first year with the Irish, starting all 17 games at defense and providing a powerful one-two punch with Sullivan as the last line of defense. Last week she was named a second team IWLCA all-West/Midwest region performer.
The Hauppauge, N.Y., native finished second on the team in ground balls (38) and third on the team in caused turnovers (31). Her caused turnover numbers also place her fourth in the BIG EAST and 16th nationally in caused turnovers per game (1.83), while her ground ball totals place her fourth in the BIG EAST in ground balls per game (2.24). Peragallo had 11 games with two or more ground balls and 10 games with two or more caused turnovers.
Peragallo received BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors after helping the Irish to a 12-10 win over Stanford in the first game of her collegiate career.
Sullivan and Peragallo gave opponents fits all season, combining for 95 ground balls, 73 draw controls and 65 caused turnovers as they helped the Irish defense place third in caused turnovers per game (11.12), fifth in ground balls per game (19.12) and 19th in the country in scoring defense at 8.71 goals allowed a game.
The Irish finished the 2013 season at 12-5, and qualified for the NCAA Championship for the eighth time in school history.
IWLCA All-Americans
First Team
Alex Aust, Maryland, Sr., A
Becca Block, Syracuse, Sr., D
Kara Cannizzaro, North Carolina, Sr., M
Kitty Cullen, Florida, Sr., A
Taylor Cummings, Maryland, Fr., M
Brittany Dashiell, Florida, Sr., M
Erin Fitzgerald, Northwestern, Sr., A
Mikey Meagher, Florida, Sr., GK
Alyssa Murray, Syracuse, Jr., A
Iliana Sanza, Maryland, Sr., D
Katie Schwarzmann, Maryland, Sr., M
Sloane Serpe, North Carolina, Jr., D
Barbara Sullivan, Notre Dame, So., D
Taylor Thornton, Northwestern, Sr., M
Kayla Treanor, Syracuse, Fr., A
Taylor Virden, Duke, Jr., D
Second Team
Taylor D’Amore, Johns Hopkins, Jr., A
Alexa Demski, Towson, Sr., D
Kelsey Duryea, Duke, Fr., GK
Danielle Etrasco, Boston University, Sr., A
Sam Farrell, Florida, Sr., D
Gabby Flibotte, Northwestern, Sr., D
Abbey Friend, North Carolina, Jr., A
Shannon Gilroy, Florida, So., A
Kate Henrich, Denver, Sr., D
Lauren Kahn, Connecticut, Jr., M
Kelly Lechner, Penn State, So., M
Maggie McCormick, Penn State, So., A
Erin McMunn, Princeton, So., A
Marlee Paton, Loyola, Jr., M
Mikaela Rix, Boston College, So., M
Covie Stanwick, Boston College, So., A
Third Team
Courtney Bennett, Dartmouth, Sr., M
Bridget Bianco, Northwestern, So., GK
Casey Ancarrow, James Madison, Sr., A
Casey Bocklet, Virginia, So., A
Nikki Boltja, Louisville, Jr., A
Demianne Cook, Stony Brook, Sr., M
Brittney Coppa, North Carolina, Jr., M
Jasmine DePompeo, Navy, Sr., A
Katie Ferris, Massachusetts, Jr., A
Katie Guy, Penn State, Sr., D
Ashley Hunter, Georgetown, Sr., D
Kate Ivory, Cornell, Sr., D
Lily Kalata, Rutgers, Sr., GK
Kelsey McGovern, Massachusetts, Jr., D
Caroline Tarzian, Georgetown, So., A
Taryn VanThof, Loyola, So., M
–ND–