June 3, 2011
Notre Dame, Ind. – Three members of the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team have been selected to the 2011 Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Association (IWLCA) All-American teams.
Senior defender Jackie Doherty (Ellicott City, Md.) was selected first team All-American for the second consecutive season, becoming the first Notre Dame women’s lacrosse player to take first team honors twice in her career. Doherty was joined by senior midfielder Shaylyn Blaney (Stony Brook, N.Y.) who was selected as a second team All-American for the third consecutive year.
Those two repeat All-Americans were joined by junior attack standout Maggie Tamasitis (Boyertown, Pa.) who was named a third team IWLCA All-American, the first time that she has been honored in her career.
The IWLCA will honor the national All-Americans at the IWLCA All-American Banquet on June 11, 2011 at the Crowne Plaza Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pa.
Doherty, Blaney and Tamasitis were earlier named to the 2011 IWLCA West/Midwest Regional teams along with teammates Kaitlyn Brosco (Fr., Shoreham, N.Y.) and Lauren Fenlon (Sr., Dayton, Md.).
By being named first team All-American for the second time, Doherty becomes the fifth Notre Dame women’s lacrosse player to be named an IWLCA All-American two or more times in her career as she joins Jillian Byers `09 (four times), Caitlin McKinney `08 (three times), Blaney `11 (three times) and Crysti Foote `06 (two times) as multiple award winners. Doherty is one of seven Irish players named first team All-American during their careers – Meredith Simon `04 (2004), Foote `06 (2006), McKinney `08 (2008), Shannon Burke `09 (2009), Byers `09 (2009) and Doherty in 2010 and 2011.
Doherty, who along with Blaney was a preseason candidate for the Tewaaraton Award and served as a team captain in 2011, turned in the best season of her Notre Dame career as she was named first team all-BIG EAST and first team IWLCA West/Midwest regional team for the second consecutive year. One of the top defensive players in the nation, Doherty also added the Notre Dame Monogram Club’s team Most Valuable Player and the Notre Dame 2002 Award as the team’s top defensive player. A four-time BIG EAST honor roll selection, she had career bests in ground balls (56), draw controls (38) and caused turnovers (46), setting a Notre Dame single-season mark with the 46 caused turnovers. She finished the year ranked first in the BIG EAST in caused turnovers (2.42 per game) and ground balls (2.89 per game) and was third and 15th nationally in each category. She also helped the Irish record their third-lowest goals-against average (9.58) in the 15-year history of the program.
Senior midfielder Shaylyn Blaney was named second team IWLCA All-American for the third consecutive year.
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The two-time IWLCA All-American finishes her Notre Dame career ranked first in caused turnovers (117), tied for second in ground balls (177), ifth in draw controls (115) and tied for fourth in games played (72). She also had 21 goals and 18 assists for 39 points in four seasons.
Blaney caps her brilliant career by being selected as a second team IWLCA All-American for the third consecutive year after being a four-time, first team IWLCA all-West/Midwest region team selection during her Notre Dame playing days. She joins former Irish teammate Jillian Byers `09 as the only players in Irish women’s lacrosse history to be selected first team all-region in each of their four years playing for the Irish.
Junior attack Maggie Tamasitis earned All-American honors for the first time in her career, taking third team IWLCA honors in 2011.
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A first team all-BIG EAST selection for 2011, Blaney served as a team captain and led Notre Dame in goals (35) during the season while adding a career-high 11 assists to finish second on the team in points with 46. She led the Irish in draw controls with 39 and was second in ground balls (44) and caused turnover (39) with both those totals being career highs. A complete midfielder who played the entire field, Blaney finished the season with a 14-game point streak that saw her score 30 goals with six assists for 36 points. During the season, she had 13 games with two or more points and 10 with two or more goals.
A preseason Tewaaraton Trophy candidate, Blaney is a four-time all-BIG EAST selection (three first team and one second team). She finishes her Notre Dame career first in games played (77), second in goals (162), seventh in points (188), fifth in ground balls (135), first in draw controls (167) and second in caused turnovers (113).
Tamasitis was honored by the IWLCA for the first time in her career as she was named third team All-American for her junior season. The high-scoring attack player became the 14th Notre Dame player to be named to the IWLCA All-American team during her Irish career.
A first team all-BIG EAST selection and a first team IWLCA West/Midwest Region choice in 2011, Tamasitis led Notre Dame in scoring with 21 goals and 46 assists for 67 points, all career highs with the 46 assists being an Irish single-season record. The talented playmaker finished the year on a 37-game point streak (39g, 72a, 111 points) that started with the opening game of the 2010 season and is the second longest point streak in school history. She had nine games on the season with three or more assists and tied a Notre Dame single-season record with six assists in a game versus Connecticut on April 16. In her first three seasons, Tamasitis has 54 goals with 92 assists for 146 career points. She is second all-time with 92 assists and ranks ninth all-time in points with 146.
Notre Dame's IWLCA All-Americans
Kathryn Lam `02 (2002 - 2nd Team)Danielle Shearer `03 (2002 - 2nd Team)Jen White `03 (2003 - 3rd Team)Meredith Simon `04 (2004 - 1st Team)Abby Owen `04 (2004 - 3rd Team)Andrea Kinnik '04 (2004 - 2nd Team)Crysti Foote `06 (2005 - 3rd Team) (2006 - 1st Team)Caitlin McKinney `08 (2006 - 3rd Team) (2007 - 2nd Team) (2008 - 1st Team)Jillian Byers `09 (2006 - 2nd Team) (2007 - 2nd Team) (2008 - 2nd Team) (2009 - 1st Team)Shannon Burke `09 (2009 - 1st Team)Gina Scioscia `10 (2009 - 2nd Team)Shaylyn Blaney `11 (2009 - 2nd Team) (2010 - 2nd Team) (2011 - 2nd Team)Jackie Doherty `11 (2010 - 1st Team) (2011 - 1st Team)Maggie Tamasitis `12 (2011 - 3rd Team)