SCAC Announces Inaugural All-Conference Women’s Lacrosse Team

SUWANEE, Ga. – In exclusive 2011 all-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference voting by the league’s head women’s lacrosse coaches, Sarah Mastey of Centre College and Chelsea VanVoorhis of Birmingham-Southern College were selected SCAC Offensive Co-Players-of-the-Year, while Stephanie Gore of Birmingham-Southern was voted conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year.

In the same balloting, Meg Hawthorne of Centre and Elise Buchard of Colorado College were tabbed as SCAC Co-Rookies-of-the-Year, and Colorado College head coach Susan Stuart was selected SCAC Coach-of-the-Year.

Centre’s Sarah Mastey, a first-year midfielder from Chattanooga, Tenn., led the SCAC in almost every offensive category in her inaugural season in the league, including points (86) points, points per game (5.06), goals (75), goals per game (4.41), draw controls (5.0) and game-winning goals (four). In the last NCAA statistical rankings, Mastey was fifth in the nation in goals scored, ninth in goals scored per game, 15th in points and 11th in draw controls. She had a season-high nine points (7 goals, 2 assists) in an 18-4 victory over Fontbonne on April 10.

Chelsea VanVoorhis, a junior attacker from Dallas, Ga., and Birmingham-Southern’s leading scorer this season, finished fourth in the SCAC in points (68) and fifth in both goals (56), goals per game (3.73) and points per game (4.53). She was also tied for sixth in assists (12) and sixth alone in assists per game (0.8). VanVoorhis had a season-best eight goals in an April 8, 19-18, double overtime loss at Centre.

Mastey and VanVoorhis picked up two votes each in sharing the league’s Offensive Player-of-the-Year award. Junior midfielder Meg Welton of Sewanee-The University of the South received the remaining vote.

Birmingham-Southern’s Stephanie Gore, a sophomore defender from Davie, Fla., led the SCAC in ground balls, averaging 4.53 per game (18th in the nation) as well as caused turnovers with 2.27 per game (24th in the nation) – and was the only player in the conference to be ranked in the top 100 nationally in both categories. She also chipped in offensively with eight goals and three assists for 11 points.

Gore received three votes for SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year, followed closely by sophomore defender Hollis Moore of Colorado College who received the remaining two votes.

Meg Hawthorne, a first-year attacker from Cary, N.C., finished second in the SCAC – only behind her Centre teammate Sarah Mastey – in both goals scored (73 – eighth in the nation) and goals scored per game (4.29 – 13th in the nation). Her 79 points was good for third in the conference (31st in the nation), as were her 4.65 points per game average and draw controls per game (2.88 per game). Hawthorne posted a season-best eight goals at Millsaps College on March 12.

Elise Buchard, a first-year midfielder from Glenview, Ill, finished in the top third of most categories for her Colorado College team. Despite playing limited minutes due to a severe ankle sprain, she was a great presence on the attack and provided 19 goals and eight assists for 27 points (tied for 17th in the SCAC) in 13 games played.

Hawthorne and Buchard each received two votes in the Rookie-of-the-Year balloting. First-year goalkeeper Madelyn Walker of Millsaps received the remaining vote.

Colorado College head coach Susan Stuart, the program's first and only varsity head coach, guided the Tigers to a 3-1 conference mark, a 13-2 overall record (with two games remaining in the regular season) and a runner-up finish in the inaugural SCAC Women’s Lacrosse Tournament. Stuart, who has guided the Tigers to a 152-76-1 (.666) overall record during her 15 seasons that included six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, was named West Region Coach of the Year by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association in 2001, 2004 and 2005.

Stuart received three votes from her peers in the COTY voting. Michele Dombrowski of Sewanee received the remaining two votes.

To view the complete 2011 All-SCAC Women's Lacrosse release, click here.