2012 All-Little East Women's Lacrosse Teams Announced

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Plymouth State University claimed four of the six major awards and Ashley Prizio (Brookfield, Conn.) of Eastern Connecticut State University repeated as the Offensive Player of the Year when the Little East Conference announced its 2012 women's lacrosse major award winners and all-conference teams this afternoon. Rhode Island College completed the major awards program by garnering the Team Sportsmanship Award.

In addition to the major award winners, the conference office also sponsored a 12-member first and second team. Plymouth State placed a Little East-best five student-athletes on the first team, while the Warriors were just two off the pace.

Prizio became just the third student-athlete to defend her Little East Offensive Player of the Year Award, joining Plymouth State's Katie Sheridan (2002-2004) and Southern Maine's Jessica Knight (2009-2010). The senior from Brookfield, Conn. made her third consecutive appearance on the All-Little East teams, and second straight on the top team. A starter in each of her 17 games, Prizio scored 71 points, on 50 goals and 21 assists, this past spring. She ranked among the conference leaders in assists per game (5th, 1.24), points (5th, 4.18), and goals per game (7th, 2.94). In six Little East matches, Prizio produced 20 goals and nine assists to average 4.8 points per game. She recorded a season-high five goals and eight points to lead the Warriors past UMass Dartmouth on April 17. Prizio handed out a season-best three helpers against Southern Maine four days later. She will depart Willimantic, Conn. with 207 career points, including 159 markers.

Plymouth State sophomore goalie Lorin Field (Hollis, N.H.) became the sixth Panther to be voted the Little East Defensive Player of the Year after backstopping the conference's top defensive unit. The sophomore from Hollis, N.H. was ranked among the NCAA Division III leaders in save percentage (12th, .535) and goals against average (20th, 8.06). A starter in 15 games between the pipes, Field posted an individual record of 13-2 with 123 saves. She reached double figures in stops six times on the campaign, including as season-high 15 at Springfield College. Field allowed a season-low two markers against UMass Dartmouth on April 7. She was named the top goalie of the week once on the season.

Plymouth State junior Caitlin Swanson (Holderness, N.H.) was chosen as the Midfielder of the Year. The junior from Holderness, N.H. ranked among the conference leaders in game-winning goals (3rd, 4) and goals per game (9th, 2.60). A starter in 15 games, Swanson registered 47 points, on 39 goals and eight assists, while collecting 46 draw controls and 34 ground balls. She was a consistent contributor to the offensive attack, recording multiple points 12 times. Swanson posted 10 hat tricks on the campaign, including a season-best five markers at Fitchburg State on March 27. She matched her season-high in points most recently against Keene State with two goals and three helpers. Swanson was a dominant force during restarts, winning at least four draw controls in seven contests. She collected a season-high eight at Springfield. Swanson also contributed to the defensive pressure as the Panthers limited their opponents to nine or fewer markers 12 times.

Plymouth State freshman Meghan McNabb (Lexington, Mass.) was tabbed as the Rookie of the Year, and earned All-Little East, first-team honors. The freshman attacker from Lexington, Mass. made an immediate impact in the Panther lineup, ranking seventh in the nation in assists per game (3.14) and 16th in points per game (6.07). McNabb helped the Panthers rank seventh in Division III in scoring offense, averaging 16.73 goals per game. A starter in 13 of her 14 matches, she produced 85 points, on 41 goals and 44 assists, while scooping up 21 ground balls. McNabb was Plymouth State's top scoring option as she registered at least four points 12 times. She matched her season-high in points (8) three times on the campaign and most recently against Rhode Island College in the regular-season finale. McNabb handed out a season-best six helpers at Southern Maine on April 25. She was honored as the top offensive player of the week once, while securing the top rookie award on three occasions.

Kristin Blanchette of Plymouth State claimed Coach of the Year Award for the first time in her career. Under her watchful eye, the Panthers sported a 13-2 overall record, marking the second time in the past three years Plymouth State has reached double figures in wins. The Panthers boasted a 6-0 mark in the conference circuit to capture the program's first outright Little East regular-season title since 2006. Blanchette and her charges proved the preseason prognosticators wrong as Plymouth State was projected to place fourth in the preseason survey with the University of Southern Maine. The Panthers posted a season-high 13-game winning streak between March 14 and April 28. She mentored six members of the All-Little East teams, including five first-team selections. Blanchette will graduate just three seniors from the current 2012 edition.

Formed in 1986, the Little East serves as New England's premier athletic conference for public institutions in NCAA Division III. Featuring 19 championship sports, the Little East sponsors quality competition in every season for our student athletes. Our eight state colleges and universities dedicate themselves to an ongoing fulfillment of the Division III mission of passion, responsibility, sportsmanship, and citizenship.