Colorado University Athletics
Ann Elliott and Sarah Brown
Photo by: Dan Madden
Elliott Named Pac-12 Coach of the Year, Brown Tabbed Defensive Player of the Year
May 04, 2018 | Lacrosse
Five Buffs Named To All-Pac-12 Teams
BOULDER — After guiding the Colorado women's lacrosse team to the regular season Pac-12 Championship, head coach Ann Elliott has been named the Pac-12 Conference Coach of the Year. Senior defender Sarah Brown was tabbed the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Brown was also named to the All-Pac-12 First Team with three teammates: redshirt sophomore Julia Lisella, senior Darby Kiernan and junior Miranda Stinson. Senior Kelsie Garrison was selected to the All-Pac-12 Second Team.
Elliott has seen her Buffs compile a 13-5 record this season, which included a 9-1 mark in league play, as they head into the NCAA Tournament. CU is averaging 13.78 goals per game, the second best mark in the Pac-12 (30th in the NCAA), and have allowed just 9.28 opponent goals, which is second in the league and 13th in the NCAA. The Buffs have earned top 15 rankings in all three polls and are currently 14th in the IWLCA Coaches poll. This is the second straight season Elliott has earned the conference coach of the year award as she was the 2017 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year.
Brown was a two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week this season, earned the IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week honor on April 11 and was named to the initial Tewaaraton Watch List at the start of the season. Brown leads the Buffs with 32 caused turnovers and her 1.78 caused turnovers per game ranks second in the Pac-12. She is also fourth in the Pac-12 in ground balls per game (2.83) and seventh in draw controls per game (3.83). Brown has also provided an offensive spark for the team, scoring five goals and adding two assists. She was 3-3 on free-position attempts and scored on five of her six shots on goal.
In her first season as a starter, Lisella has recorded a 12-3 record. She leads the Pac-12 in goals against average (8.54) and save percentage (0.527), and is second in saves per game (9.19). Nationally she is fifth in goals against as well as save percentage. Lisella was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week on March 19 and on April 26, was named to the Tewaartaon Top 25 list. She has recorded 10 or more saves in seven games this year, which includes a career-high 17 against Southern California on March 16.
Kiernan was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week five times, including the final three weeks of the regular season, which was the most for an individual player in the league's inaugural season. She was named the IWLCA Offensive Player of the Week (April 18), Brine/USL National Player of the Week (March 12) and Alpha Lacrosse National Player of the Week (March 14), and is on the Tewaaraton Top 25 list. She leads the team in goals, assists, points and draw controls. Her 86 points this season is a CU single season record, surpassing her previous record of 77 points from the 2017 season. She has also set the CU single season goals record with 61 and is tied for first in assists with 25 this year (she also had 25 in 2017). Kiernan has earned 141 draw controls this season, besting her former single season record of 120 from 2017.
Nationally, Kiernan is fifth in draw controls per game (7.89), 11th in goals, 12th in points, 14th in points per game (4.78), 21st in free-position goals per game (1.06), 24th in goals per game (3.39) and is 30th in shots on goal per game (5.11). She leads the Pac-12 in draw controls per game, free-position goals per game, goals, goals per game and points per game.
Stinson was selected as the first-ever Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week after scoring a school-record seven goals in CU's season opener against Michigan. She has recorded 53 goals and 16 assists for the Buffs this season. Stinson also leads the Buffs with 147 shots this campaign, which ranks first on CU's single season chart, and 100 of those have been on goal, another top mark on CU's single-season chart. Stinson leads the Pac-12 in shots per game and is second in shots on goal per game. She also ranks third in the Pac-12 in goals and goals per game, is fourth in points and points per game. In the NCAA, she is fourth in shots per game and is 17th in shots on goal per game.
Garrison is second for the Buffs with 27 caused turnovers this season and leads the Buffs with 51 ground balls, which is tied for the CU single-season record. She became the CU career leader in ground balls earlier this season and currently has 155. In the draw circle, she has recorded 25 wins this season. In the Pac-12, Garrison is third in caused turnovers, averaging 1.50 per game. She is also fifth in ground balls, averaging 2.78. Nationally those numbers rank 61st and 41st, respectively.
The Buffs are awaiting the NCAA Tournament announcement on Sunday, May 6. The selection show will be streamed on NCAA.com at 7:30 p.m. MT.
Pac-12 Conference Women's Lacrosse Post-Season Awards
Attacker of the Year: Kelsey Murray, Stanford
Midfielder of the Year: Kerrigan Miller, USC
Defensive Player of the Year: Sarah Brown, Colorado
Freshman of the Year: Ali Baiocco, Stanford
Coach of the Year: Ann Elliott, Colorado
All-Pac-12 First Team
Sarah Brown, Colorado, Defender
Jackie Gilbert, USC, Defender
Kaeli Huff, USC, Midfielder
Darby Kiernan, Colorado, Attack
Julia Lisella, Colorado, Goalkeeper
Julia Massaro, Stanford, Defender
Daniella McMahon, Stanford, Midfielder
Kerrigan Miller, USC, Midfielder
Kelsey Murray, Stanford, Attack
Miranda Stinson, Colorado, Attack
Lydia Sutton, USC, Defender
Jill Zubillaga, Oregon, Attack
All-Pac-12 Second Team
Ali Baiocco, Stanford
Areta Buness, Stanford
Kerri Clayton, Arizona State
Cambi Cukar, Oregon
Allie DaCar, Stanford
Kelsie Garrison, Colorado
Mariah Gatti, Oregon
Meredith Haggerty, California
Gussie Johns, USC
Brittany Read, Oregon
Kirsten Swanson, California
Shannon Williams, Oregon
Brown was also named to the All-Pac-12 First Team with three teammates: redshirt sophomore Julia Lisella, senior Darby Kiernan and junior Miranda Stinson. Senior Kelsie Garrison was selected to the All-Pac-12 Second Team.
Elliott has seen her Buffs compile a 13-5 record this season, which included a 9-1 mark in league play, as they head into the NCAA Tournament. CU is averaging 13.78 goals per game, the second best mark in the Pac-12 (30th in the NCAA), and have allowed just 9.28 opponent goals, which is second in the league and 13th in the NCAA. The Buffs have earned top 15 rankings in all three polls and are currently 14th in the IWLCA Coaches poll. This is the second straight season Elliott has earned the conference coach of the year award as she was the 2017 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year.
Brown was a two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week this season, earned the IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week honor on April 11 and was named to the initial Tewaaraton Watch List at the start of the season. Brown leads the Buffs with 32 caused turnovers and her 1.78 caused turnovers per game ranks second in the Pac-12. She is also fourth in the Pac-12 in ground balls per game (2.83) and seventh in draw controls per game (3.83). Brown has also provided an offensive spark for the team, scoring five goals and adding two assists. She was 3-3 on free-position attempts and scored on five of her six shots on goal.
In her first season as a starter, Lisella has recorded a 12-3 record. She leads the Pac-12 in goals against average (8.54) and save percentage (0.527), and is second in saves per game (9.19). Nationally she is fifth in goals against as well as save percentage. Lisella was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week on March 19 and on April 26, was named to the Tewaartaon Top 25 list. She has recorded 10 or more saves in seven games this year, which includes a career-high 17 against Southern California on March 16.
Kiernan was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week five times, including the final three weeks of the regular season, which was the most for an individual player in the league's inaugural season. She was named the IWLCA Offensive Player of the Week (April 18), Brine/USL National Player of the Week (March 12) and Alpha Lacrosse National Player of the Week (March 14), and is on the Tewaaraton Top 25 list. She leads the team in goals, assists, points and draw controls. Her 86 points this season is a CU single season record, surpassing her previous record of 77 points from the 2017 season. She has also set the CU single season goals record with 61 and is tied for first in assists with 25 this year (she also had 25 in 2017). Kiernan has earned 141 draw controls this season, besting her former single season record of 120 from 2017.
Nationally, Kiernan is fifth in draw controls per game (7.89), 11th in goals, 12th in points, 14th in points per game (4.78), 21st in free-position goals per game (1.06), 24th in goals per game (3.39) and is 30th in shots on goal per game (5.11). She leads the Pac-12 in draw controls per game, free-position goals per game, goals, goals per game and points per game.
Stinson was selected as the first-ever Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week after scoring a school-record seven goals in CU's season opener against Michigan. She has recorded 53 goals and 16 assists for the Buffs this season. Stinson also leads the Buffs with 147 shots this campaign, which ranks first on CU's single season chart, and 100 of those have been on goal, another top mark on CU's single-season chart. Stinson leads the Pac-12 in shots per game and is second in shots on goal per game. She also ranks third in the Pac-12 in goals and goals per game, is fourth in points and points per game. In the NCAA, she is fourth in shots per game and is 17th in shots on goal per game.
Garrison is second for the Buffs with 27 caused turnovers this season and leads the Buffs with 51 ground balls, which is tied for the CU single-season record. She became the CU career leader in ground balls earlier this season and currently has 155. In the draw circle, she has recorded 25 wins this season. In the Pac-12, Garrison is third in caused turnovers, averaging 1.50 per game. She is also fifth in ground balls, averaging 2.78. Nationally those numbers rank 61st and 41st, respectively.
The Buffs are awaiting the NCAA Tournament announcement on Sunday, May 6. The selection show will be streamed on NCAA.com at 7:30 p.m. MT.
Pac-12 Conference Women's Lacrosse Post-Season Awards
Attacker of the Year: Kelsey Murray, Stanford
Midfielder of the Year: Kerrigan Miller, USC
Defensive Player of the Year: Sarah Brown, Colorado
Freshman of the Year: Ali Baiocco, Stanford
Coach of the Year: Ann Elliott, Colorado
All-Pac-12 First Team
Sarah Brown, Colorado, Defender
Jackie Gilbert, USC, Defender
Kaeli Huff, USC, Midfielder
Darby Kiernan, Colorado, Attack
Julia Lisella, Colorado, Goalkeeper
Julia Massaro, Stanford, Defender
Daniella McMahon, Stanford, Midfielder
Kerrigan Miller, USC, Midfielder
Kelsey Murray, Stanford, Attack
Miranda Stinson, Colorado, Attack
Lydia Sutton, USC, Defender
Jill Zubillaga, Oregon, Attack
All-Pac-12 Second Team
Ali Baiocco, Stanford
Areta Buness, Stanford
Kerri Clayton, Arizona State
Cambi Cukar, Oregon
Allie DaCar, Stanford
Kelsie Garrison, Colorado
Mariah Gatti, Oregon
Meredith Haggerty, California
Gussie Johns, USC
Brittany Read, Oregon
Kirsten Swanson, California
Shannon Williams, Oregon
Players Mentioned
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