April 26, 2002

EASTON, Pa. --- On Friday, April 26, the Patriot League held its annual women's lacrosse conference awards banquet prior to the opening day of the 2002 Patriot League Tournament. Four Wildcat players were honored for their outstanding accomplishments over the course of the season. Highlighting the evening for Villanova was head coach Shannon O'Neil being named Patriot League Coach of the Year in only her second season at the helm.

O'Neil earned the award after leading the Wildcats to a 9-7 overall record, the best record in the program's 11-year history. Villanova also posted a 4-2 mark in league play, which was good enough to earn them the #3 seed in the upcoming post-season tournament.

Junior midfielder Meghan Carolan (Hicksville, N.Y/Hicksville) and sophomore defender Lauren Ferrara (Tabernacle, N.J./Shawnee) took home the highest honors for the Wildcats, receiving first team All-Conference accolades. Carolan garnered the award for the second straight year after a sensational junior campaign. She led the Patriot League in points (60), goals (45) and draw percentage with a 2.9 per game average. Ferrara, who wins the award for her first time, finished second on the team in caused turnovers with 24 and third in groundballs with 40.

Villanova also had two other Wildcats named to Patriot League teams as seniors Sarah DePeters (Rochester, N.Y./Irondequoit) and Cecily Pierce (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) were selected to the second team. DePeters had a outstanding senior year, tallying 37 points on 28 goals and nine assists while leading the team and ranking third in the Patriot League with 64 groundballs. In addition, she recorded the 100th goal of her career becoming the third Wildcat in Villanova history to do so. Pierce, who was an all-Patriot League selection in 2001, finished second on the team in groundballs and assists and third in goals scored with 19.

Villanova (9-7 overall, 4-2 Patriot League) will look to advance to the championship game of the 2002 Patriot League tournament when they battle American University tomorrow afternoon in the semifinal round at 1:00 pm. The tournament will be held at Rappolt Field on the campus of Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.