Coach Tracy Coyne begins her 13th season guiding the Notre Dame women's lacrosse program.  The Irish are ranked 11th in the IWLCA preseason poll.

Women's Lacrosse Signs Nine To National Letters-Of-Intent

Nov. 25, 2008

Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame women’s lacrosse coach Tracy Coyne, who begins her 13th season as the only coach of the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse program, has announced the signing of nine high school lacrosse players to national letters-of-intent. They will attend the University beginning in the fall of 2009.

Signing letters-of-intent in the early-signing period are: McKenzie Brown (Greenwood Village, Colo.), Emily Conner (Alexandria, Va.), Francie Crowell (Seal Beach, Calif.), Louise Fauth (Alexandria, Va.), Jenny Granger (East Setauket, N.Y.), Ellie Hilling (Rochester, N.Y.), Betsy Mastropieri (Richmond, Va.), Jaimie Morrison (Yorktown, N.Y.) and Michelle Tremblay (Tonka Bay, Minn.).

In making the announcement, Coyne said, “We are very excited to be bringing in such a talented class to Notre Dame.”

“This is definitely one of our best recruiting classes. They will compliment the team with their skill and athletic ability. This is a very accomplished group athletically – we felt individually they were each a perfect fit for Notre Dame.”

The nine-player class consists of three players from New York, three from Virginia and one each from Colorado, California and Minnesota. The group includes two goalkeepers, one defender and six midfield and attack players.

McKenzie Brown is a two-sport athlete from Greenwood Village, Colo., and plays lacrosse and field hockey at Cherry Creek High School. A 5-10 midfielder, she was the Colorado Player of the Year as selected by the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News. An all-state and all-league selection, she has helped Cherry Creek to three consecutive state championships and led the state with 64 goals in 2008. An all-state selection in field hockey, she was a member of the 2007 Colorado field hockey championship team and was selected most valuable player of the state championship game by the Denver Post.

Coyne on Brown: “McKenzie is tall and athletic with plenty of championship-game experience. She has been instrumental in her high school team winning four state titles in field hockey and lacrosse. She knows what it takes to win. She understands the work ethic and the mental edge necessary to be a winner. It’s exciting to have another Cherry Creek standout on the team.”

Emily Conner is a 5-9 defensive standout from Alexandria, Va., and plays lacrosse and field hockey for St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School, the top-ranked women’s lacrosse high school program in the country. An extremely intelligent player with great defensive instincts, she plays a tenacious defensive style and has great stick skills that will help Notre Dame’s transition game. Conner is an impact player who should step right into the regular lineup in the 2010 campaign. She has been the leading scorer in field hockey in each of the last two seasons and is a member of the Mid-Atlantic I team that won the US Lacrosse high school national championship in 2008.

Coyne on Conner: “Emily is the total package – athleticism, game sense and winning attitude. She also has the intangible of understanding about what it takes to win championships. She has played on five state championship teams in both lacrosse and field hockey. She has such great instincts for the game and makes big plays at crucial times. She will be an impact player on our defense.”

Francie Crowell becomes the first Notre Dame women’s lacrosse player from California as she hails from Seal Beach and plays at Los Alamitos High School at midfield/attack. Her team’s offensive player of the year, she set school records for goals (46) and points (63) in a season as she helped Los Alamitos to a 3-2 record in 2007. An all-league and all-county first team selection as a junior, Crowell is a natural leader with an eagerness to improve her game.

Coyne on Crowell: Francie is new to the game of lacrosse and has a tremendous upside. She has a passion for the sport and is a quick learner. She is a great fit for our program. She has the ability to step in and compete.”

Louise Fauth is a 5-9 goalkeeper who plays for St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Va., where she is a teammate of fellow recruit Emily Conner. A tall, athletic goalkeeper who plays with a great deal of poise, she has competed on two state championship teams. A two-sport athlete in lacrosse and tennis, she was an All-Met selection and an honorable mention lacrosse high school All-American in 2008. A member of the Mid-Atlantic 1 team that captured the US Lacrosse national championship last summer, Fauth has what it takes to play at a championship level.

Coyne on Fauth: Louise is a tall and athletic goalkeeper who plays with a great deal of poise and composure in the cage. Playing for the top high school program in the country, Louise has faced the top players every day. She knows what it takes to win championships and will push our shooters to get better.”

Jenny Granger is a 5-9 midfielder from East Setauket, N.Y. where she played for Ward Melville High School and was a teammate of current Irish sophomore Shaylyn Blaney. A two-sport athlete in lacrosse and field hockey, she was a member of the 2008 New York State field hockey championship team this fall. Granger is an outstanding lacrosse player with excellent size and stick skills plus a great sense for the game. A two-time US Lacrosse High School All-American (honorable mention in 2007, first team in 2008), Granger served as team captain as a junior and was an all-County selection. A two-time second team Newsday All-Long Island selection (2007, 2008), she was a member of the New York I team that lost in the US Lacrosse National Tournament to the Mid-Atlantic 1 team that included new Irish teammates, Emily Conner and Betsy Mastropieri.

Coyne on Granger: “Jenny has the size, speed and skill to make an immediate impact on the college level. She is an exceptional young woman with a positive attitude. She is the complete player. The team will love playing with her because she’s unselfish and team oriented.”

Ellie Hilling joins Louise Faust as one of two goalkeepers who will become members of the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team in September. Hilling is a 5-2 netminder from Rochester, N.Y., and plays at Brighton High School where she was an honorable mention US Lacrosse All-American in 2008. A dynamic goalkeeper between the pipes and around the crease, Hilling is quick and technically sound in goal. A two-sport athlete in lacrosse and soccer, she was a second team all-county selection in lacrosse as a sophomore and a first teamer in 2008. She participated in the US Lacrosse national tournament as a member of New York 3.

Coyne on Hilling: “Ellie is small and quick with great mobility outside the cage. Just like Louise Fauth, her high school is very competitive so she faces quality players every day. There is no doubt that not only is she prepared to play at the next level, but she is ready to excel. Having two goalkeepers from such great programs is going to make it a very competitive practice atmosphere and that is only going to make us better.”

Betsy Mastropieri is a 5-2 attack standout from Richmond, Va., who is a three-sport standout at the Collegiate School where she participated in field hockey, indoor track and lacrosse. Blessed with outstanding speed and quickness, Mastropieri is non-stop hustle on the field. A playmaker, she also has the ability to play without the ball and work for a good shot. A US Lacrosse high school All-American in 2007 and 2008, she was the team MVP in 2008 and has been selected all state in each of the last two seasons. Her field hockey and lacrosse teams have won the League of Independent Schools (LIS) in each season she has played at the Collegiate School. Last summer she was a member of the Mid-Atlantic Team 1 that won the US Lacrosse national championship along with Emily Conner.

Coyne on Mastropieri: “Betsy is very difficult to stop due to her speed and quickness. Add to that her hand-eye coordination and it’s hard to stop her from scoring. She plays a smart game and is relentless in her pursuit of the ball. We’ll be counting on her to have an impact next season.”

Jaimie Morrison is a 5-6 midfield attack player from Yorktown High School in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., where she is a three-sport athlete, playing volleyball, basketball and lacrosse. A versatile player, she has the talent and skill to contribute on the draw, in the attack, at midfield or on defense. Morrison was an all-league and all-section choice in lacrosse last season and was named to the North County News all-star team. An honorable mention US Lacrosse high school All-American as a junior, Morrison scored 88 goals with 42 assists for 130 points in the 2008 campaign. She was named captain of the 2008 volleyball team and the 2008-09 women’s basketball team at Yorktown.

Coyne on Morrison: “Jaimie is a very versatile player. With her stick skills, her speed, her shooting, she will find a role on our team. She plays a simple, smart game and is always around the ball and contributing to her team’s success.”

Michelle Tremblay is a 5-7 attack player who is from Tonka Bay, Minn., and attended the Blake School in Hopkins, Minn. where she is a three-sport athlete, playing soccer, hockey and lacrosse. A tough, hard-nosed player and a tremendous competitor, Tremblay will look to contribute to the Irish attack. A first team US Lacrosse high school All-American as a junior, she scored 66 goals with 34 assists for 100 points while leading the Blake School to the Minnesota State championship. A first team all-state selection in each of the last two seasons, she is the school’s all-time leading scorer. An all-conference selection in soccer she helped lead the team to second place in the state in 2007 and is a member of the 2007 state championship hockey team.

Coyne on Tremblay: “Michelle is strong and athletic and a very competitive player. She has been a leader throughout her high school career and is respected by her peers. She has tremendous upside and will benefit from being a part of the Notre Dame environment. Along with a great work ethic, she will add a tough, gritty style of play to our program.”

            2009-10 Notre Dame Women's Lacrosse Recruits
Player Pos. Ht. Hometown/School
McKenzie Brown M 5-10 Greenwood Village, Colo./Cherry CreekEmily Conner D 5-9 Alexandria, Va./St. Stephen's & St. Agnes SchoolFrancie Crowell A/M 5-7 Seal Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos, Calif.Louise Fauth GK 5-9 Alexandria, Va./St. Stephen's & St. Agnes SchoolJenny Granger M 5-9 East Setauket, N.Y./Ward MelvilleEllie Hilling GK 5-2 Rochester, N.Y./BrightonBetsy Mastropieri A 5-2 Richmond, Va./Collegiate SchoolJaimie Morrison M/A 5-6 Yorktown Heights, N.Y./YorktownMichelle Tremblay A 5-7 Tonka Bay, Minn./The Blake School