Women's Lacrosse | April 30, 2015

PHILADELPHIA - Katelyn Fay and Caitlyn Brostrand were once again named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Team, announced by the league office on Thursday afternoon. Fay was named to the First Team, while Brostrand earned Second Team honors. Freshman Rachel Ceplo was recognized on the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team, marking the seventh consecutive year that an Explorer rookie has been honored.

Three Explorers - Brostrand, Claire Andrews and Anastasia Fries - were also voted to the Academic All-Conference Team. The honor is the third straight for Brostrand.

Fay earned First Team honors for the first time in her career after a Second Team selection last year. The junior led all Explorers this season with a career-high 45 points on 40 goals and five assists despite being faceguarded in almost every game. She led the team with three game-winning goals, including the winning tallies against Kennesaw State, Sacred Heart and Davidson. Fay is up to 99 career goals and 16 career assists for 115 points. Her 99 goals ranks 10th in program history and 115 points is also 10th in program history, and she has one more year to add to those totals. Fay tied her career high with six points against Delaware State, and tied her career high with five goals twice this season. She drained five against regular season champion Massachusetts and also five against DSU. 

"Kate Fay is an amazing attacker and finisher and its great to see her recognized as one of the top players in the conference," Head Coach Candace Taglianetti Bossell said. "This honor is so well deserved and I couldn't be happier."

Brostrand picked up her third straight All-Conference honor and third straight Academic All-Conference award. One of the best players in program history, Brostrand concluded her four-year career ranked third in both career goals (145) and points (168), and seventh in draw controls (76). She was second on the team this season with 43 points on 33 goals and career-high-tying 10 assists. After leading the team in scoring in each of the previous three seasons, she took on a more defensive midfielder role this year while maintaining her offensive knack. Her defense was spectacular, as she doubled her previous career high with 14 caused turnovers this year and also recorded a career high with 25 ground ball pickups. Brostrand also hit two game winners in A-10 play against George Washington and Saint Joseph's. She has also been one of the academic leaders of the team, boasting a 3.61 GPA as a Nursing major.

"[Caitlyn] has had an amazing career and I am happy to see her once again being recognized among the best in the conference," Taglianetti Bossell said. "She had to take on a different role this season and I am really proud of her ability to adapt. She will definitely leave some huge shoes to fill for our midfielders in the years to come."

Ceplo made an immediate impact in her rookie campaign as a top defensive midfield reserve. She also started six games, including the first four of her college career. Ceplo led the Explorer rookies in ground ball pickups (12) and caused turnovers (5), and was second among rookies with eight goals and 10 draw controls. Her five caused turnovers contributed to a squad that ranked second in the Atlantic 10 in caused turnovers per game. She also netted the game-winning goal at St. Bonaventure and picked up a career-high three ground balls in her first collegiate game at UMBC.

"Ceplo has been an impact player for us this season and i'ts exciting to see her get recognition on this year's All-Rookie Team," Taglianetti Bossell said.

Andrews picked up her first Academic All-Conference accolade. The senior accounting major came back strong from two straight years of season-ending injuries to record 17 points on 13 goals and four assists this season. She finished with 64 career points on 51 goals and 13 assists despite playing just a combined 11 games between her sophomore and junior seasons. Andrews was an Atlantic 10 All-Rookie pick in 2012, scoring 25 goals that year. She was a two-time A-10 Rookie of the Week and an All-Philly Division I selection in 2012. The Accounting major has earned Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll every semester of her college career and sports an impressive 3.95 GPA.

Fries also picked up a well-deserved Academic All-Conference honor. The senior was the anchor of the Explorer backfield, tasked with the job of marking up opponents' top players. She held four All-Conference honorees and leading scorers to just one goal apiece, and helped the squad rank second in the conference in caused turnovers per game. She committed just three turnovers in 16 games this season, while recording 13 caused turnovers. Fries concluded her four-year career with 31 caused turnovers and 46 ground balls, while recording her first career point on an assist this season. She was named the Atlantic 10 Defender of the Week in mid-March after holding Sacred Heart's leading scorer without a point. The Geology & Environmental Science major sports a 3.90 GPA and earned Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll each semester of her college career.

"Caitlyn, Claire and Anastasia have been huge assets and performers on the field and it's great to see them receive recognition for their accomplishments in the classroom," Taglinetti Bossell added.

The Explorers concluded their season at an even 8-8 overall and 4-4 in the Atlantic 10.