YORK, Pa. - Christopher Newport junior Meaghan Galvin and Salisbury senior Megan Wallenhorst headlined the 2016 All-CAC Women's Lacrosse team, as the duo were selected by the conference coaches as Co-Players of the Year. Seven CAC squads earned at least one spot on the All-CAC team, led by Mary Washington with seven all-star nods.
Galvin becomes the first CNU player to earn Player of the Year recognition after leading the CAC in points (72) this spring from her attack position. This marks the third-straight first-team all-conference honor for Galvin, who was also Rookie of the Year in 2014.
Wallenhorst becomes the ninth different Sea Gull to capture Player of the Year honors after leading the Sea Gulls to their 14 consecutive title last weekend. She was a repeat first-team pick after also garnering first-team recognition in 2015. Wallenhorst and Galvin are just the second co-winners of the award, with the other co-recipients occuring in 1998.
Mary Washington led all squads with a conference-best seven all-stars, including Rookie of the Year and first-team selection Mackenzie Maguire, a freshman attacker. Maguire is the fifth Eagle to win Rookie of the Year and first since Catherine Kennedy in 2009. Maguire was joined on the All-CAC first team by a pair of defenders, junior Maiah Bartlett and sophomore Kirsten Littlefield. Bartlett was a repeat first-team pick, while Littlefield nabbed all-conference honors for the first time.
Representing UMW on the second team were senior attacker Ashlyn Dacey, sophomore attacker Holly Hudson, junior midfielder Sabrina Elliott, and junior midfielder Emily Mott. Dacey, Hudson, and Elliott are first-time All-CAC honorees, while Mott landed on the second team for the third year in a row.
Salisbury head coach Jim Nestor was picked by his peers as the Coach of the Year for the fourth-straight season and 12th time overall - easily the most of any coach in CAC women's lacrosse history.
A trio of Sea Gulls joined Wallenhorst on the All-CAC first team, including sophomore goalkeeper Gianna Falcone, a repeat first-teamer and the 2015 Rookie of the Year. Junior midfielder Gabby Nieves and junior defender Kayla Miller earned the first all-star recognition of their careers as first-team selections. Junior defender Kacy Koolage was named to the second team for the Sea Gulls, her first all-conference honor.
CNU placed five players on the all-star squad, headlined by first-teamers Galvin and sophomore attacker Catie Chess, who nabbed second-team honors in 2015. Junior defender Mariah Ginebra, who earned first-team recognition last spring, was named to the second team along with a pair of freshmen - goalkeeper Emma Walsh and attacker Sarah Culver.
York's four-player contingent on the All-CAC team was led by first-team senior all-stars Megan Strauch on defense and Allison Kolacy on attack. Strauch secured first-team accolades for the third-straight year, while Kolacy was a second-team pick last spring. Sophomore midfielder Melissa Meehling and freshman defender Nicole Clauter claimed second-team honors for the Spartans.
St. Mary's, which advanced to the CAC title game for the first time since 2008, was rewarded with four All-CAC berths, including a trio of senior first-teamers. Midfielder Shelby Newman made her way onto the first team for the fourth-straight year, midfielder Tori Poffenberger grabbed first-team honors for the first time after receiving second-team recognition each of the last two years, and defender Kate Somerville earned all-star honors for the second straight year after being a second-team pick in 2015. Junior defender Mackenzie Rayburn was a second-team pick for the Seahawks.
Three Marymount players received second-team All-CAC accolades. Sophomore attacker Abby Wescott, sophomore defender Liah Agouras, and freshman midfielder Bridget Odom each earned all-star nods for the first time.
Southern Virginia junior Rainey Whitworth became the first Knight named to the All-CAC squad since they joined the CAC for the 2014 campaign. Whitworth was a second-team selection.
2016 All-CAC Women's Lacrosse Team
First Team Yr. Pos. Team Hometown/High School Previous Honors
Meaghan Galvin Jr. Att Christopher Newport Arlington, Va./Yorktown 1st in '15, 1st & ROY in '14
Allison Kolacy Sr. Att York Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls 2nd in '15
Mackenzie Maguire Fr. Att Mary Washington Sparta, N.J./Sparta
Megan Wallenhorst Sr. Att Salisbury Ellicott City, Md./Centennial 1st in '15
Catie Chess So. Att Christopher Newport Fairfax, Va./Flint Hill 2nd in '15
Shelby Newman Sr. Mid St. Mary's Hampstead, Md./Manchester Val. 1st in '15, 1st in '14, 1st & ROY in '13
Gabby Nieves Jr. Mid Salisbury Centreville, Va./Paul VI
Tori Poffenberger Sr. Mid St. Mary's Sharpsburg, Md./Boonsboro 2nd in '15, 2nd in '14
Maiah Bartlett Jr. Def Mary Washington Lexington, Va./St. Anne's-Belfield 1st in '15
Kirsten Littlefield So. Def Mary Washington Milstone Twp., N.J./Allentown
Kayla Miller Jr. Def Salisbury Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake
Megan Strauch Sr. Def York Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall 1st in '15, 1st in '14
Kate Somerville Sr. Def St. Mary's Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep 2nd in '15
Gianna Falcone So. GK Salisbury Florham Park, N.J./St. Elizabeth 1st & ROY in '15
Second Team Yr. Pos. Team Hometown/High School Previous Honors
Sarah Culver Fr. Att Christopher Newport Westhampton Bch., N.Y./Westhamp. Bch.
Ashlyn Dacey Sr. Att Mary Washington Round Hill, Va./Woodgrove
Holly Hudson So. Att Mary Washington Lynchburg, Va./Virginia Episcopal
Abby Wescott So. Att Marymount Haymarket, Va./Battlefield
Sabrina Elliott Jr. Mid Mary Washington Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson
Melissa Meehling So. Mid York Monkton, Md./Hereford
Emily Mott Jr. Mid Mary Washington Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place 2nd in '15, 2nd in '14
Bridget Odom Fr. Mid Marymount Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Acad.
Rainey Whitworth Jr. Mid Southern Virginia Savannah, Ga./Savannah A&D
Liah Agouras So. Def Marymount Brookfield, Conn./Brookfield
Nicole Clauter Fr. Def York Bel Air, Md./John Carroll
Mariah Ginebra Jr. Def Christopher Newport Myersville, Md./Middletown 1st in '15
Kacy Koolage Jr. Def Salisbury Arnold, Md./Broadneck
Mackenzie Rayburn Jr. Def St. Mary's Bel Air, Md./John Carroll
Emma Walsh Fr. GK Christopher Newport Marshall, Va./Highland
2016 CAC Co-Player of the Year: Meaghan Galvin, Christopher Newport
2016 CAC Co-Player of the Year: Megan Wallenhorst, Salisbury
2016 CAC Rookie of the Year: Mackenzie Maguire, Mary Washington
2016 CAC Coach of the Year: Jim Nestor, Salisbury (12th time, also in 2003-10 and 2013-15)