(Story courtesy of Colorado College athletics)
GRAND LAKE, Colo. - The Colorado College women's lacrosse team added to its impressive list of academic achievements by scoring team and individual honors from the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association.
CC was one of 146 Division III programs to earn the award and one of only 33 Honor Squads that also competed in the 2019 NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship.
"I am incredibly proud of our student-athletes for their success in the classroom," head coach Susan Stuart said. "It is an amazing accomplishment to succeed both in the classroom and on the field at such a high level, and the commitment they have to excellence is truly admirable."
In addition to the team award, four Tigers garnered the organization's top individual award, a spot on the IWLCA's Academic Honor Roll.
Recent graduate Ellie Meyer was honored for the second time, while rising seniors Cherry Jones, Laura Pejza and Cassis Schafer received the award in their first year of eligibility for recording a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or greater.
Meyer, who earned her bachelor's degree in geology in May, posted a 3.60 GPA. The second-team all-West Region selection was a key contributor in all phases of the game. Offensively, Meyer produced 17 goals, 10 assists and 27 points. At the defensive end of the field, she led the team with a career-high 35 caused turnovers, tied for the team lead with 39 ground balls and was second with 32 draw controls.
Jones, who currently owns a 3.78 GPA as an environmental science major, started 13 games as a defender and set single-season highs with eight ground balls and five caused turnovers.
Pejza, a molecular biology major with a 3.64 GPA, ranked among the team's statistical leaders in all areas of the field and earned all-region honors from the IWLCA. Offensively, she was fourth with 14 assists, fifth with 37 points and sixth with 23 goals, all of which were single-season highs. The SCAC Midfielder of the Year and Defensive MVP of the conference tournament led the Tigers with 74 draw controls, was second with 21 caused turnovers and fourth with 35 ground balls.
Schafer, who has a 3.68 GPA in political science, helped anchor the Colorado College defense that led the SCAC with a 7.39 goals-against average. The all-conference selection tied for the team lead with 39 ground balls and tied for sixth with 16 caused turnovers.
Earlier this year, they were among the 16 Tigers who were named to the conference's Academic Honor Roll for maintaining a minimum 3.25 GPA. The others who earned that distinction are Nikki Blair, Emmeline Kelley, Sydney Lane, Margaret McDonnell, Avery Newton, Natalie Schluter, Rachel Sheridan, Maggie Shields, Olivia Steiner, Alena Stern, Allie Thuet, and Abigail Turner.
During the recently completed 2019 season, CC posted an 18-2 record and earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the fourth year in a row and the 11th time overall.
The Tigers set program records for victories in a single season and a .900 winning percentage, as well as their 15-game winning streak to begin the campaign.
