University of Massachusets Athletics
Connaughton And Croke Headline Eight A-10 All-Conference Selections
April 29, 2021 | Women's Lacrosse
AMHERST, Mass. – Stephanie Croke was named the Atlantic 10 Midfielder of the Year for the third straight season, and Haley Connaughton was tabbed the league's Co-Offensive Player of the Year as the duo led eight Massachusetts Minutewomen to earn conference accolades ahead of the Atlantic 10 Championship this weekend.
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Connaughton and Croke were also named to the A-10 All-Conference First Team, joined by teammates Kaitlyn Cerasi, Lauren Hiller and Kelly Marra. Caitlyn Petro, meanwhile was named to the All-Conference Second Team and Alex Finn and Audra Tosone represented UMass on the All-Rookie Team.
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The group will lead No. 22 Massachusetts into the Atlantic 10 Semifinals this weekend, beginning on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. when UMass hosts Davidson at Garber Field (ESPN+). Richmond and Saint Joseph's will square off in the first semifinal at 12 p.m., with the winners advancing to Sunday's title game on Garber Field (12 p.m., ESPN+).
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Connaughton's selection as the Co-Offensive Player of the Year is the first of her career, and ninth time that a UMass player has earned the honor. The Westwood, Mass. native has started all 15 games this season and leads the team with 73 points (37 goals, 36 assists), which are already tied for 14th on the UMass single-season record list. Her 73 points are second in the conference and ninth in the NCAA, while her 36 assists (eighth on the UMass single-season list) are also ninth in the nation. Connaughton has recorded six or more points in a game eight different times this season.
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Croke (Norwell, Mass.) is the second Minutewoman to be named the A-10 Midfielder of the Year, and the second to win the award in three straight seasons after current assistant coach Hannah Murphy won three straight from 2015 to 2017. Croke is fourth on the team with 50 points (37 goals, 13 assists). Her 37 goals this season are good for 42nd in the NCAA, and she enters the 2021 Atlantic 10 Championship ranked eighth all-time at UMass in career assists (70).
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Cerasi is 20th in the NCAA with 62 points this season and 21st in the NCAA in assists (27). The Wantagh, N.Y. native enters the 2021 Atlantic 10 Championship ranked second all-time at UMass in career points (298), sixth in career goals (157) and second all-time in career assists (141).
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Hiller, the backbone of the UMass defense for the last five seasons and two-time Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week this season, has started all 15 games as the UMass goalkeeper. The North Andover, Mass. native is 13-2 on the season with a 9.52 goals against average that leads the conference and is 11th in the nation. She is also 49th in the NCAA with 95 saves this season and has helped the Minutewomen defense hold opponents to just 9.80 goals per game this season, which is first in the A-10 and 15th in the NCAA. Hiller enters the championship ninth on UMass' all-time list in career starts (70) and third in career saves (540).
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Marra (West Sayville, N.Y.) is 51st in the NCAA with 52 points this season and 25th in the country with 42 goals. She had a season high seven goals on Mar. 28 vs. La Salle, and is also tied for fourth on the team with 10 caused turnovers and sixth on the squad with 20 ground balls.
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Petro (Manchester, N.H.) is the nation's most elite draw specialist. The only player in conference to be named a Midseason All-American (second team), she is a two-time Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week. Petro is the nation's leader in total draw controls with 200, 48 ahead of the next closest player, and her 14.29 draw controls per game leads the nation and is on pace to set the NCAA single-season record. She has reset the UMass single-game record on three different occasions this season, and also tied the NCAA single-game record with 24 draw controls on Apr. 23 vs. St. Bonaventure. She enters the A-10 Championship already fifth on the NCAA single-season list in draw controls (200), and could become the all-time leader this weekend.
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Finn (Westwood, Mass.) is seventh on the team with 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists), and has record multi-point games on eight occasions this season, including a season-high six points (two goals, four assists) on Apr. 23 against St. Bonaventure.
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Tosone (Walpole, Mass.) is third on the team with 26 ground balls and second on the team with 15 caused turnovers this season. She is also fifth on the team with 12 draw controls, and has helped the Minutewomen allow only 9.80 goals per game this season, which is first in the Atlantic 10 and 15th in the nation.
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Connaughton and Croke were also named to the A-10 All-Conference First Team, joined by teammates Kaitlyn Cerasi, Lauren Hiller and Kelly Marra. Caitlyn Petro, meanwhile was named to the All-Conference Second Team and Alex Finn and Audra Tosone represented UMass on the All-Rookie Team.
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The group will lead No. 22 Massachusetts into the Atlantic 10 Semifinals this weekend, beginning on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. when UMass hosts Davidson at Garber Field (ESPN+). Richmond and Saint Joseph's will square off in the first semifinal at 12 p.m., with the winners advancing to Sunday's title game on Garber Field (12 p.m., ESPN+).
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Connaughton's selection as the Co-Offensive Player of the Year is the first of her career, and ninth time that a UMass player has earned the honor. The Westwood, Mass. native has started all 15 games this season and leads the team with 73 points (37 goals, 36 assists), which are already tied for 14th on the UMass single-season record list. Her 73 points are second in the conference and ninth in the NCAA, while her 36 assists (eighth on the UMass single-season list) are also ninth in the nation. Connaughton has recorded six or more points in a game eight different times this season.
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Croke (Norwell, Mass.) is the second Minutewoman to be named the A-10 Midfielder of the Year, and the second to win the award in three straight seasons after current assistant coach Hannah Murphy won three straight from 2015 to 2017. Croke is fourth on the team with 50 points (37 goals, 13 assists). Her 37 goals this season are good for 42nd in the NCAA, and she enters the 2021 Atlantic 10 Championship ranked eighth all-time at UMass in career assists (70).
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Cerasi is 20th in the NCAA with 62 points this season and 21st in the NCAA in assists (27). The Wantagh, N.Y. native enters the 2021 Atlantic 10 Championship ranked second all-time at UMass in career points (298), sixth in career goals (157) and second all-time in career assists (141).
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Hiller, the backbone of the UMass defense for the last five seasons and two-time Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week this season, has started all 15 games as the UMass goalkeeper. The North Andover, Mass. native is 13-2 on the season with a 9.52 goals against average that leads the conference and is 11th in the nation. She is also 49th in the NCAA with 95 saves this season and has helped the Minutewomen defense hold opponents to just 9.80 goals per game this season, which is first in the A-10 and 15th in the NCAA. Hiller enters the championship ninth on UMass' all-time list in career starts (70) and third in career saves (540).
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Marra (West Sayville, N.Y.) is 51st in the NCAA with 52 points this season and 25th in the country with 42 goals. She had a season high seven goals on Mar. 28 vs. La Salle, and is also tied for fourth on the team with 10 caused turnovers and sixth on the squad with 20 ground balls.
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Petro (Manchester, N.H.) is the nation's most elite draw specialist. The only player in conference to be named a Midseason All-American (second team), she is a two-time Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week. Petro is the nation's leader in total draw controls with 200, 48 ahead of the next closest player, and her 14.29 draw controls per game leads the nation and is on pace to set the NCAA single-season record. She has reset the UMass single-game record on three different occasions this season, and also tied the NCAA single-game record with 24 draw controls on Apr. 23 vs. St. Bonaventure. She enters the A-10 Championship already fifth on the NCAA single-season list in draw controls (200), and could become the all-time leader this weekend.
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Finn (Westwood, Mass.) is seventh on the team with 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists), and has record multi-point games on eight occasions this season, including a season-high six points (two goals, four assists) on Apr. 23 against St. Bonaventure.
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Tosone (Walpole, Mass.) is third on the team with 26 ground balls and second on the team with 15 caused turnovers this season. She is also fifth on the team with 12 draw controls, and has helped the Minutewomen allow only 9.80 goals per game this season, which is first in the Atlantic 10 and 15th in the nation.
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