Dec. 10, 2002
Notre Dame, Ind. –
Notre Dame women’s lacrosse coach Tracy Coyne has announced the 2003 women’s lacrosse captains for the upcoming spring season.
Seniors Elizabeth Knight (Baltimore, Md.), Kelly McCardell (West Chester, Pa.) and Danielle Shearer (Hampstead, Md.) were selected by their teammates to serve as team captains for the 2003 season. All three will be serving their first season as captain for the Notre Dame lacrosse program.
In making the announcement, Coyne said, “Elizabeth, Kelly and Danielle all have shown strong leadership qualities during their careers at Notre Dame. They know what it will take for this team to build on last season’s success. They are outstanding communicators and excellent role models, but most importantly they have the respect of their teammates. I think they are looking forward to their chance to make their mark on the program. They are true leaders and will be a positive influence on the rest of the team.”
Knight has seen action for the Notre Dame defense as both a starter and off the bench during her career. A smart and intelligent player, Knight is a strong defender who makes good decisions and moves the ball well in the Notre Dame transition game. She has played in 40 games during her career, making 14 starts, all during her sophomore year. As a junior, Knight was a key member of a Notre Dame defensive corps that set a school record mark by allowing just 7.49 goals per game.
McCardell is a solid all-around performer who has started every game in her three seasons with the Irish as a midfield defender. As a junior, she played a key role for the Irish defense as they allowed just 7.49 goals per game on the way to the best record (13-5) in the program’s history. The Irish advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time and finished the year with their highest ranking ever (7th). In 48 career games, McCardell has 12 goals and five assists for 17 points and has grabbed 74 career ground balls.
Shearer is Notre Dame’s top returning scorer who was named second team All-American, first team All-BIG EAST and was the BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year as a junior. Blessed with outstanding speed and quickness, Shearer scored 39 goals with 20 assists for 59 points. A talented playmaker and scorer, Shearer scored at least one point in all 18 games the Irish played in 2002. For her career, she has started all 48 games and has 95 goals and 49 assists for 144 career points, which ranks her third on Notre Dame’s all-time scoring list.
The Irish open the 2003 season on Sunday, March 2 when they travel to Ithaca, N.Y., to face the Cornell Big Red.