University of Massachusets Athletics
Six Named To IWLCA Northeast All-Region Team
May 19, 2021 | Women's Lacrosse
AMHERST, Mass. – After leading the program back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, six members of the Massachusetts women's lacrosse team have been named to the IWLCA Northeast All-Region Team for 2021 are now eligible to be named to a national IWLCA All-American team. Haley Connaughton, Stephanie Croke and Caitlyn Petro were all named to the Northeast All-Region First Team, while Kaitlyn Cerasi, Lauren Hiller and Kelly Marra earned second team accolades.
Connaughton, the Atlantic 10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year, was also an Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference Selection as a dual threat and the connector of the UMass offense in 2021. The Westwood, Mass. native has started all 18 games this season and led the team with 83 points (42 goals, 41 assists), which are sixth on the UMass single-season record list. Her 83 points are second in the conference and 13th in the NCAA, while her 41 assists (tied for fourth on the UMass single-season list) are also 13th in the nation. Connaughton recorded six or more points in a game nine different times this season, and was also named to the A-10 All-Tournament Team. She ended the season ranked 10th all-time in career points at UMass (193) and sixth in assists (90) with one season of eligibility remaining.
Croke, who was named the Atlantic 10 Midfielder of the Year for the third straight season in 2021, was also an Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference Selection and A-10 All-Tournament Team honoree. She is the second Minutewoman to win the A-10 Midfielder of the Year in three straight seasons after current assistant coach Hannah Murphy won three straight from 2015 to 2017. Croke was fourth on the team with 57 points (43 goals, 14 assists). Her 43 goals this season were good for 49th in the NCAA, due in part to her 63% success rate on free positions (25th in the nation). She concluded her career ranked ninth all-time at UMass in career assists (69). In addition to her offensive numbers, the Norwell, Mass. native was consistently used her speed to cause problems on the defensive end of the field, allowing the Minutewomen to push in transition, and also played a large role in UMass' success on the draw.
Petro (Manchester, N.H.) was the nation's most elite draw specialist and one of the most dominant players on the field for UMass in 2021. An A-10 All-Conference First Team, A-10 All-Tournament Team and Inside Lacrosse Midseason Second Team All-American this season, Petro is the nation's leader in total draw controls with 220, 40 ahead of the next closest player, and her 13.75 draw controls per game leads the nation and is on pace to shatter the NCAA single-season record (12.71, set by Robert Morris' Jessica Karwacki in 2014).She 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 secured the UMass single-season record during the Atlantic 10 Championship, passing current assistant coach Hannah Murphy (212 in 2017), and was four away from tying the NCAA single-season record of 224, set by Marist's Hailey Wagner in 2019.
Cerasi (Wantagh, N.Y.) was the Atlantic 10 Tournament's Most Outstanding Player in addition to an A-10 First Team All-Conference selection in 2021, concluding her career at UMass second all-time in points (314), fourth all-time in goals (169) and first all-time in assists (145). She was one of the top offensive players in team history as a dual threat from behind the cage who drew top matchups from opponents all season long. Cerasi was second on the team with 78 points and tied for the team-lead with 47 goals. She was 18th in the nation in total points and also 25th in assists, and recorded 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in her first two games of the season, including a four-goal and three-assist day against Saint Joseph's in the A-10 title game.
Hiller was a five-year starter in goal for the Minutewomen, and saved her best for last in 2021. She was the backbone of the UMass defense and two-time Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week this season, started all 18 games as the UMass goalkeeper. The North Andover, Mass. native was 15-3 on the season with a 9.48 goals against average that led the conference and was 12th in the nation. She was also 14th in the NCAA with 119 saves this season and helped the Minutewomen defense hold opponents to just 9.72 goals per game this season, which was first in the A-10 and 13th in the NCAA. Hiller finished her career tied for seventh on UMass' all-time list in career starts (73) and tied for second in career saves (564). Additionally, her leadership and aggressiveness has elevated UMass' defensive play and contributed to a drastic improvement in goals scored against this season.
Marra, one of the top scoring threats in the nation, had a breakout season for UMass in 2021. A two-sport athlete (soccer) who chose to play lacrosse in the spring, was tied for the team-lead with 47 goals this season (t-33rd in the NCAA) and was 64th in the NCAA with 58 points. She had a season high seven goals on Mar. 28 vs. La Salle.
The Minutewomen finished the season 15-3 during a year that saw Massachusetts capture a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season title, its first Atlantic 10 Tournament championship since 2017, and go on a 14-game winning streak that was the fifth longest in program history. UMass made its 13th ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and first since 2017.
Connaughton, the Atlantic 10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year, was also an Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference Selection as a dual threat and the connector of the UMass offense in 2021. The Westwood, Mass. native has started all 18 games this season and led the team with 83 points (42 goals, 41 assists), which are sixth on the UMass single-season record list. Her 83 points are second in the conference and 13th in the NCAA, while her 41 assists (tied for fourth on the UMass single-season list) are also 13th in the nation. Connaughton recorded six or more points in a game nine different times this season, and was also named to the A-10 All-Tournament Team. She ended the season ranked 10th all-time in career points at UMass (193) and sixth in assists (90) with one season of eligibility remaining.
Croke, who was named the Atlantic 10 Midfielder of the Year for the third straight season in 2021, was also an Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference Selection and A-10 All-Tournament Team honoree. She is the second Minutewoman to win the A-10 Midfielder of the Year in three straight seasons after current assistant coach Hannah Murphy won three straight from 2015 to 2017. Croke was fourth on the team with 57 points (43 goals, 14 assists). Her 43 goals this season were good for 49th in the NCAA, due in part to her 63% success rate on free positions (25th in the nation). She concluded her career ranked ninth all-time at UMass in career assists (69). In addition to her offensive numbers, the Norwell, Mass. native was consistently used her speed to cause problems on the defensive end of the field, allowing the Minutewomen to push in transition, and also played a large role in UMass' success on the draw.
Petro (Manchester, N.H.) was the nation's most elite draw specialist and one of the most dominant players on the field for UMass in 2021. An A-10 All-Conference First Team, A-10 All-Tournament Team and Inside Lacrosse Midseason Second Team All-American this season, Petro is the nation's leader in total draw controls with 220, 40 ahead of the next closest player, and her 13.75 draw controls per game leads the nation and is on pace to shatter the NCAA single-season record (12.71, set by Robert Morris' Jessica Karwacki in 2014).She 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 secured the UMass single-season record during the Atlantic 10 Championship, passing current assistant coach Hannah Murphy (212 in 2017), and was four away from tying the NCAA single-season record of 224, set by Marist's Hailey Wagner in 2019.
Cerasi (Wantagh, N.Y.) was the Atlantic 10 Tournament's Most Outstanding Player in addition to an A-10 First Team All-Conference selection in 2021, concluding her career at UMass second all-time in points (314), fourth all-time in goals (169) and first all-time in assists (145). She was one of the top offensive players in team history as a dual threat from behind the cage who drew top matchups from opponents all season long. Cerasi was second on the team with 78 points and tied for the team-lead with 47 goals. She was 18th in the nation in total points and also 25th in assists, and recorded 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in her first two games of the season, including a four-goal and three-assist day against Saint Joseph's in the A-10 title game.
Hiller was a five-year starter in goal for the Minutewomen, and saved her best for last in 2021. She was the backbone of the UMass defense and two-time Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week this season, started all 18 games as the UMass goalkeeper. The North Andover, Mass. native was 15-3 on the season with a 9.48 goals against average that led the conference and was 12th in the nation. She was also 14th in the NCAA with 119 saves this season and helped the Minutewomen defense hold opponents to just 9.72 goals per game this season, which was first in the A-10 and 13th in the NCAA. Hiller finished her career tied for seventh on UMass' all-time list in career starts (73) and tied for second in career saves (564). Additionally, her leadership and aggressiveness has elevated UMass' defensive play and contributed to a drastic improvement in goals scored against this season.
Marra, one of the top scoring threats in the nation, had a breakout season for UMass in 2021. A two-sport athlete (soccer) who chose to play lacrosse in the spring, was tied for the team-lead with 47 goals this season (t-33rd in the NCAA) and was 64th in the NCAA with 58 points. She had a season high seven goals on Mar. 28 vs. La Salle.
The Minutewomen finished the season 15-3 during a year that saw Massachusetts capture a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season title, its first Atlantic 10 Tournament championship since 2017, and go on a 14-game winning streak that was the fifth longest in program history. UMass made its 13th ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and first since 2017.
Players Mentioned
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's LacrosseM
/ Women's LacrosseGK
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse2025 A10 CHAMPIONS! | Massachusetts Women's Lacrosse | 5.4.25
Tuesday, May 06
Massachusetts Women's Lacrosse vs. Richmond | A10 Semifinal Recap | 5.2.25
Friday, May 02
UMass WLAX | Highlights vs George Mason | 04.26.25
Saturday, April 26
UMass WLAX vs. UMass Lowell | Broadcast Highlights | 04.22.25
Wednesday, April 23