Nov. 13, 2009
Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame women’s lacrosse coach Tracy Coyne, who begins her 14th season as the coach of the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse program, has announced the signing of seven high school lacrosse players to national letters-of-intent. They will attend the University beginning in the fall of 2010.
Signing letters-of-intent in the early-signing period are: Kaitlyn Brosco (Shoreham, N.Y.), Kristin Cousins (Glen Ridge, N.J.), Grace Dooley (Chicago, Ill.), Lindsay Powell (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.), Molly Shawhan (Fulton, Md.), Margaret Smith (Westminster, Md.) and Lauren Sullivan (Winchester, Mass.).
In making the announcement, Coyne said, “We are very excited to be bringing in another talented class to Notre Dame.”
“The 2010 class is joining the program at a time when we are working to establish ourselves among the elite teams in the nation. They bring speed and athleticism and a desire to win and will join us after playing for some of the top programs in the nation. They all come from great families and understand what it means to be a part of the Notre Dame community.”
The seven-player class consists of two players from Maryland, two from New York and one each from Illinois, New Jersey and Massachusetts. The group includes one defender, one midfield/defender, four midfielders and one attack player.
Kaitlyn Brosco is a 5-2 midfielder from Shoreham, N.Y., where she attends Shoreham Wading River High School and plays for the Yellow Jackets lacrosse club. A two-sport standout in lacrosse and field hockey, Brosco will begin her fifth season of varsity lacrosse action in the spring where she has helped Shoreham Wading River High School to three (2007, 2008, 2009) New York Lacrosse Class C championships, including last spring’s win over fellow recruit Lindsay Powell’s Honeoye Falls-Lima team. A 2009 U.S. Lacrosse All-American, she scored 54 goals with 42 assists for 96 points after a 50-goal, 28-assist season in 2008 that gained her honorable mention All-American honors. Selected the most valuable player in the 2009 New York State championship, Brosco is a three-time all-Suffolk County selection. The talented middie has been selected to Newsday’s all-Long Island team #2 in `08 and `09 and has been selected by Inside Lacrosse as a rising senior in 2009. A two-year team captain for the field hockey team, she has been the team’s top scorer in each of the last three seasons, helping the team to three consecutive Suffolk County class B championships. Heading into this season, Brosco is a two-time all-New York State, all-Suffolk County and all-Long Island selection. In 2008, she was a member of Newsday’s 2008 first team all-Long Island field hockey team.
Coyne on Brosco: “In my opinion, Kaitlyn is the best player from Long Island who continues our tradition of signing the top middie from the Island. She has the speed, quickness and scoring ability along with the toughness that reminds me of our three-time All-American Caitlin McKinney. She was the catalyst behind Shoreham Wading River’s third straight state title. That competitiveness will make her a top player on the Division I level.”
Kristin Cousins joins the Irish as a 5-11 defender from Glen Ridge, New Jersey where she plays for Glen Ridge High School. As a junior she helped Glen Ridge to a 13-5 record and its first appearance in the New Jersey state sectional finals. She had 19 goals and 23 assists from her defensive midfield spot and chipped in 49 ground balls, 43 draw controls and 32 caused turnovers. A member of the STEPS Elite lacrosse program, Cousins was a first team all-Essex County and all-Stripes Division selection. An honorable mention U.S. Lacrosse All-American, she was chosen second team all-State and was selected to the Under Armour All-American Classic New Jersey underclass all-star team. She will bring size and a physical presence to the Irish defense during her career.
Coyne on Cousins: “We’re very excited to have a player with Kristen’s athletic ability who has the potential to develop into a dominating defender in our program. Her physical presence along with her versatility will make her an invaluable member on our defensive unit. She will create turnovers on defense with blocks and knockdowns and will be an important part of our draw control unit. Not only will she contribute on the field, Kristen is an excellent candidate for Academic All-American honors.”
Grace Dooley is a 5-8 midfielder from Chicago, Illinois who plays for Loyola Academy and the Wildcat Elite club program. A four-year varsity team member at Loyola, Dooley was a key member of Loyola’s 2008 Illinois State championship team that went 22-3 on the year. She led Loyola in scoring and was sixth in the state with 47 goals and 23 assists for 70 points on the way to first team all-state and U.S Lacrosse All-American honors. A two-time all-State selection, Dooley also has been selected all-conference in three consecutive years. In 2009 she was a member of the Under Armour All-American Classic Midwest Elite Underclass team and was a member of the Great Lakes national team. Dooley also plays basketball, volleyball and runs cross-country at Loyola Academy.
Coyne on Dooley: “We’re thrilled to be signing our first player from Chicago. Grace has proven that she can perform at the highest level as she helped lead Loyola Academy to a state championship last year. A fluid midfielder with excellent endurance, Grace has good stick skills and a knack for winning the draw. She will be a great addition to our midfield unit. She will develop into one of our top middies during her career.”
Lindsay Powell is a 5-3 midfielder from Honeoye Falls, New York where she is a two-sport standout in soccer and lacrosse at Honeoye Falls-Lima Senior High School. She also plays club lacrosse for the Lady Roc Club team in Rochester, N.Y. As a junior, she helped lead Honeoye Falls-Lima to a 19-3 record and its first New York state championship game where they lost to incoming Irish recruit Kaitlyn Brosco’s Shoreham Wading River team. Powell led the team with 69 goals and 34 assists for 103 points with 56 ground balls and 38 caused turnovers. A three-time all-Monroe County selection (first team in `08 and `09, second team in `07), she also was selected to the all-Greater Rochester team in her junior year. The Time Warner Sport most valuable player for Honeoye Falls-Lima in the Class C final game, Powell also helped lead her club team to the 2009 Star-Spangled Elite Tournament Championship last summer. In soccer, Powell had 12 goals and nine assists this season in helping Honeoye Falls-Lima to the state championship game while taking first team all-Monroe County honors. As a junior, she was a first team all-County choice and third team all-state.
Coyne on Powell: “Lindsay was definitely flying under the radar in the recruiting process. What’s most impressive about Lindsay is the way she slices through people on the way to the cage. We have had a lot of success with players from the Rochester area and we expect Lindsay to have the same success. Although small in stature, her speed and quickness are going to make her hard to stop.”
Molly Shawhan is a 5-8 midfielder from Fulton, Maryland, who plays field hockey and lacrosse at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Md. During her junior year in 2009 she helped Good Counsel to its sixth Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) title while taking first team all-WCAC honors. A member of two WCAC title teams (2008-09), Shawhan was a member of the Metro D.C. Team 1 that played in the U.S. Women’s Lacrosse national tournament. A member of the Hero’s Lacrosse Club, she was selected to the Under Armour All-American Classic Washington, D.C., underclass all-star team. A 2009 U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-American, Shawhan was a 2009 WCAC honorable mention selection in field hockey. She also has played basketball, soccer and ran track during her high school career.
Coyne on Shawhan: “Molly has been visiting the Notre Dame campus since she was three years old. She understands better than any of our recruits what it means to be a part of the Notre Dame family. It’s a pleasure to have a player with a strong connection to Notre Dame joining our program. A true middie, we expect Molly to contribute at both ends of the field. She is a workhorse who is reliable and will do a lot for us between the 30’s. Not only will she contribute on the field, Molly is an excellent candidate for Academic All-American honors.”
Margaret Smith is a 5-7 midfield/defender from Westminster, Maryland and plays soccer and lacrosse at the McDonogh School. One of the top-ranked high school players in the nation she was ranked by Inside Lacrosse.com as the No. 2 rising senior last August. A tough, talented midfielder, she helped lead McDonogh to the 2009 Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A conference state championship with a 13-10 win over Notre Dame Prep. A first team all-Baltimore County selection, she was an all-Baltimore Sun first team all-Metro choice and a U.S. Lacrosse first team high school All-American. A member of the M&D Lacrosse Club, she was selected as the most valuable player at the Vail Tournament in 2009. The soccer team captain in 2009, she will serve as the lacrosse captain this coming year. As a junior in 2009, Smith had 29 goals and 11 assists for 40 points and led the team in ground balls (52), draw controls (52) and caused turnovers (39).
Coyne on Smith: “Margaret Smith in my opinion is the number one player in the country who plays for the number one team in the country. Any time you sign a player of her caliber you can only expect great things. Margaret joins other elite players from our program – Jillian Byers, Shaylyn Blaney and Jenny Granger – who were also recognized as top players in their recruiting classes who chose Notre Dame. Margaret is an amazing athlete. She has the competitive drive of a champion along with tremendous speed and quickness. Her skill and talent will have an immediate impact on our style of play.”
Lauren Sullivan is a 5-5 attack player from Winchester, Mass., where she plays ice hockey and lacrosse at Winchester High School and is a member of the Mass. Elite lacrosse Club. The sister of current Irish midfielder, sophomore Megan Sullivan, Lauren is the captain of the hockey and lacrosse teams. She and her sister, Megan, become the ninth set of sisters to play for the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse program. A two-time member of LNE team 1 as a sophomore and a junior, she was a Middlesex League all-star and an Eastern Massachusetts all-star in 2009 as she set a school record with 115 points. Sullivan also was selected to the Under Armour All-American Classic as a member of the New England underclass team. In 2008 she was a starter on Winchester’s Division 2 state championship team and was an all-Galaxy first team selection.
Coyne on Sullivan: “We’re delighted to have another set of sisters as part of the Notre Dame lacrosse program. What I like most about Lauren is her competitive drive and toughness. Lauren has great stick skills, nice moves around the cage and a variety of shots that will make her successful on the Division I level. She’s a talented player and who gives us another scoring threat and will develop into a key member of our attacking unit.”
2010 Notre Dame Women's Lacrosse Recruits
Player Pos. Ht. Hometown/SchoolKaitlyn Brosco M 5-2 Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham Wading RiverKristin Cousins D 5-11 Glen Ridge, N.J./Glen RidgeGrace Dooley M 5-9 Chicago, Ill./Loyola AcademyLindsay Powell M/A 5-3 Honeoye Falls, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima SeniorMolly Shawhan M 5-8 Fulton, Md./Our Lady of Good CounselMargaret Smith M 5-7 Westminster, Md./McDonogh SchoolLauren Sullivan A 5-5 Winchester, Mass./Winchester