WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (May 31, 2011) - The
postseason honors continue to roll in for William and Mary midfielder Grace Golden and defender Sarah Jonson, as both were selected as All-Americans by the
Intercollegiate
Women's Lacrosse Coaching Association (IWLCA) and synapsesports.com (formerly
womenslacrosse.com). Golden and Jonson earned second and third-team honors,
respectively, from the IWLCA, while both garnered second-team distinction from
synapsesports.com
An
All-America selection by three organizations in 2011, Golden posted the best
season of her collegiate career this spring. The first-team all-region honoree
was chosen as the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year and became
just the third player in league history to earn first-team all-conference
distinction four times.
A
Tewaarton Award nominee, the Manhasset, N.Y., native led the conference in
goals per game (3.2), points per game (3.9), draw controls per game (3.1),
caused turnovers per game (2.7) and game-winning goals (5), while she also
ranked among the top 10 in ground balls per game. Additionally, her
caused turnovers average ranked second nationally, while her goals average
ranked 14th.
En route to
achieving the lofty rankings, Golden broke the program's single-season caused turnovers
record (45) and equaled the draw controls single-season mark of 52 established
by classmate Molly Wannen last spring. Golden finished the regular season with
12 hat tricks and was honored as the CAA Player of the Week twice (2/28, 4/18).
One of her best efforts came in the win against Richmond when she equaled a
single-game school record with eight goals (on nine shots) with an assist.
Golden
owns W&M's school record for career draw controls (153), while she ranks
second in career points (231) and goals (187). Additionally, she ranks among the
program's all-time top 10 in assists, ground balls and caused turnovers.
A
two-time IWLCA All-American, Jonson was one of the nation's premier
defenders during the past few seasons. The three-time first-team all-region
selection was chosen as the 2011 CAA Defensive Player of the Year, marking the
second-straight season she earned the honor. In doing so, she became just the third
player in league history to garner the distinction multiple times. Additionally,
the two-time Tewaaraton Award Nominee was a three-time All-CAA selection and
a first-team choice each of the past two seasons.
Jonson finished her senior season
ranked sixth nationally in caused turnovers per game (2.2), while she ranked
second in the CAA in draw controls per game (2.7) and caused turnovers per game
and fourth in ground balls per game (2.4). Jonson's 46 draw controls ranks tied
for third on W&M's single-season list, while her 38 caused turnovers is
sixth.
Highlighting Jonson's list of
impressive performances this season was her effort in the win against Virginia
Tech when she set a single-game school record with nine caused turnovers.
Following the contest, she was honored as the CAA Player of the Week and named
to the Synapse Sports National Honor Roll.
Perhaps
the greatest defender in the program's history, Jonson owns the school record
for career caused turnovers (134) and ranks third in draw controls (122) and
sixth in ground balls (167).
