CENTER VALLEY, PA. (4/22/09) – A day after being named a first team all-league honoree, Maddie Kearns (Chevy Chase, Md.) received another accolade, as the Patriot League released its players of the year for women’s lacrosse, Wednesday morning.
Kearns was tabbed as the league’s defensive player of the year by head coaches around the Patriot League. The senior becomes the sixth player in the program’s history to earn the honor and the first since current Colgate assistant coach Heidi Ross accomplished the feat in 2005.
“Maddie has been an instrumental part of our defense this year as well as a great connection between our midfield and attack,” said Colgate head coach Heather Bliss. “This award is well deserved for Maddie, as her play has shown that she is one of the top defenders in our league.”
The native of Chevy Chase, Md., a 2008 second team all-league honoree, has tallied 12 goals, 18 points, 43 groundballs and 23 caused turnovers in her final season as a defender. The senior was named the league’s defensive player of the week on March 31 for her efforts in victories over Binghamton and Navy. Her performances that week also got her national recognition as Kearns was tabbed as the national defensive player of the week by womenslacrosse.com. She ranks 10th all-time at Colgate with 77 draw controls.
In addition to Kearns’ recognition, Bliss was tabbed as the league’s coach of the year. This honor marks the sixth time a Colgate head coach has been bestowed with the honor and first since the 2005 campaign. Bliss, who is putting the finishing touches on her third year at Colgate, has piloted the Raiders to a 12-4 overall mark and a 2009 regular-season Patriot League crown. She coached six all-league performers in 2009, including five first team honorees and has led a squad, which ranks among the top 10 nationally in five team statistical categories.
Other league award recipients include Lehigh’s Lauren Dykstra (offensive player of the year) and Kelly Draper (rookie of the year), Bucknell’s Alyssa DeLorenz (goalie of the year).