Lacrosse Celebrates 2017 Season At Banquet

BOULDER — The 2017 Colorado lacrosse team had a season to remember last spring, and on Sunday, the team got back together to celebrate its historic campaign.

The 16-4 Buffs set a record for most wins in a season and advanced to their first NCAA Tournament. They also recorded a 7-1 mark in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, the best conference record to date.

Head coach Ann Elliott welcomed the crowd at the start of the banquet. After recapping the season, which included several wins over top-20 ranked teams, Elliott handed the mic over to Mindy Sclaro, the team's academic advisor and Associate Director of Academics in the Herbst Academic Center.

Sclaro handed out the award for MPSF All-Academic Team awards, which were given out to Olivia Aschman, Sarah Brown, Carly Cox, Kelsie Garrison, Marie Moore, Samantha Nemirov, Molly Rovzar and Paige Soenksen. She also handed out the awards for the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association All-Academic honors to Cox, Maddie DeWinter, Sydney Evensen and Soenksen.

Following the academic awards, athletic awards were handed out from the season. The Buffs placed eight on the all-conference team, the most in CU history. Brown, Darby Kiernan, Miranda Stinson and Soenksen were first team members, while Cox, Johnna Fusco, Garrison and Moore were named to the second team.

CU set a record for the most IWLCA all-region honorees in 2017 as well. Brown, Kiernan and Soenksen were members of the IWLCA All-West/Midwest Region First team, while Fusco and Stinson claimed second team all-region honors.

Three Buffs earned IWLCA All-America honors. Brown was named to the second team, while Kiernan and Soenksen were tabbed to the third team. Those three also earned All-American recognition on the Inside Lacrosse All-America teams. Soenksen was a third team honoree, while Brown and Kiernan were honorable mention selections.

Each class also received their letter awards at the banquet. Cox came to the podium to introduce the sophomore class, last year's freshmen, which included Anna Collawn, Audrey Kingdom, Jen Mistretta, Bridget Mitchell, Annika Nissen, Dominique Shells, Holly Sutherland and Elinor Wolf.

Mitchell introduced the junior class, last year's sophomores, who earned their second letter. Those athletes are: Aschman, Sophia Castillo, Julia Lisella, Samantha Nemirov, Caroline Perry and Stinson.

Next up was Castillo to introduce the senior class, last year's juniors: Brown, Cox, Evenson, Garrison, Kiernan, Annee O'Connor, Julia Sarcona and Blair Sisk.

The final group to be honored was last year's senior class, the first full alumni class, which started the CU lacrosse program in 2014. Elliott talked about the group which took a chance to start a program and built it from the ground up. Perri Baker, Amelia Brown, Cali Castagnola, DeWinter, Fusco, Sophia Gambitsky, Maddie Hunt, Emily Knapp, Tori Link, Katie Macleay, Claire McCain, Moore, Annie Morsches, Rovzar, Amanda Salvadore and Soenksen all earned their fourth letter after helping build this program into what it is now.

After speeches by Link and DeWinter talking about their experiences the last four years, the crowd was treated to the banquet video.

Players Mentioned

Olivia Aschman

Perri Baker

Amelia Brown

Sarah Brown

Cali Castagnola

Sophie Castillo

Anna Collawn

Carly Cox

Maddie DeWinter

Sydney Evensen

Johnna Fusco

Sophia Gambitsky

Kelsie Garrison

Maddie Hunt

Darby Kiernan

Audrey Kingdom

Emily Knapp

Tori Link

Julia Lisella

Katie Macleay

Claire McCain

Jen Mistretta

Bridget Mitchell

Marie Moore

Annie Morsches

Samantha Nemirov

Annika Nissen

Annee O'Connor

Caroline Perry

Molly Rovzar

Amanda Salvadore

Julia Sarcona

Dominique Shells

Blair Sisk

Paige Soenksen

Miranda Stinson

Holly Sutherland

Elinor Wolf