ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Three members of the Tusculum women's lacrosse team were recognized by the South Atlantic Conference head coaches with selection to the All-SAC team, the league office announced Thursday.
Senior midfielder Madison Malone and sophomore midfielder Juliette Cusano were second-team picks, while junior attack Rachel Holmes was an honorable mention selection after helping the Pioneers to their fourth straight SAC Championship tournament appearance. Tusculum finished 6-11 overall and tied for fourth place in the SAC with a 4-4 conference record, before being eliminated by Wingate in the opening round of the conference tournament.
Malone was a four-time All-SAC selection for the Pioneers, having earned honorable mention All-Conference honors as a freshman and first-team status in each of the last two years. Malone finished this season with 21 goals and a team-high 27 assists for a team-leading 48 points in 15 games. Malone also led the Pioneers with 37 ground balls, 58 draw controls and 23 caused turnovers, and finished the season with a flourish by collecting 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points in the Pioneers' final five games.
The Maple Grove, Minnesota native finished her career as Tusculum's career leader in assists (154), points (241), ground balls (173), draw controls (222) and caused turnovers (105). Her 154 career assists are a SAC record, while her 241 points rank fourth on the all-time conference list. She scored at least one point in 62 of her 63 career games, including 61 in a row to finish her Pioneer career.
Cusano led the Pioneers with 42 goals to rank 10th in the latest conference statistics, and was second to Malone in points with 46. Cusano added 30 ground balls, 57 draw controls and 20 caused turnovers for the Pioneers, and scored at least one goal in all 15 games in which she played. Cusano had 13 multi-goal games, including five apiece against both Newberry (March 31) and Coker (April 6), and she had five or more draw controls in a game five times.
The native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida has 53 goals and 10 assists for 63 points in 30 career games for the Pioneers, and already ranks in the top 10 in program history in goals, points, draw controls (93) and caused turnovers (28).
Holmes was second on the Pioneers with 25 goals and ranked fifth with 30 points, while playing in 15 games. She also ranked third on the squad with 26 ground balls and in draw controls with 36, including 10 in a victory at Newberry on March 31. Holmes also scored a season-high five goals and had a season-best seven points in the Newberry victory, and scored at least one goal in 12 of 15 matches.
The Norcross, Georgia product ranks sixth in program history with 96 points and fourth with 76 goals, while her 80 ground balls are tied for fourth-best in program history and her 76 draw controls rank fifth all-time.
Lenoir-Rhyne goalie Ines Flueck was named conference Player of the Year, with Brooklyn Tilley of Catawba being honored as Freshman of the Year. Carlee Buck of Lenoir-Rhyne was voted Coach of the Year after leading the Bears to their first-ever SAC championship.
2018 South Atlantic Conference Women's Lacrosse All-Conference
First Team
A – Faith Kent, Coker
A – Hanna Scott, Queens
A – Gabby Sousa, Lenoir-Rhyne
A – Olivia Hokanson, Mars Hill
MF – Rachel Elmore, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Haley McCusker, Coker
MF – Katie Wardle, Queens
MF – Nicole Hunt, Catawba
D – Cammy Case, Queens
D – Zoe Zervos, Lincoln Memorial
D – Sierra Street, Wingate
D – Ashley MacIntyre, Lenoir-Rhyne
GK – Ines Flueck, Lenoir-Rhyne
Second Team
A – Cathleen Gaffney, Lenoir-Rhyne
A – Kendall Wells, Wingate
A – Gianna Pezzulo, Catawba
A – Katie Barth, Catawba
MF – Casey Kelly, Lincoln Memorial
MF – Madison Malone, Tusculum
MF – Juliette Cusano, Tusculum
MF – Allison Conn, Queens
D – Madison Prkna, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Hannah Scott, Catawba
D – Emily Kessler, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Becky Frost, Catawba
GK – Chase Brokaw, Queens
Honorable Mention
A – Erin DePaul, Lincoln Memorial
A – Erin Green, Catawba
A – Rachel Holmes, Tusculum
A – Kennedy Buechner, Lincoln Memorial (T)
A – Nina Cifolilli, Wingate (T)
MF – Emily Ketron, Wingate
MF – Amara Moss, Lincoln Memorial
MF – Imani Grays, Catawba
MF – Brooklyn Tilley, Catawba
D – Sarah Cliff, Queens
D – Nicole Hinkle, Wingate
D – Cassie Lafler, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Kennadi Holt, Catawba
GK – Shannon Novak, Lincoln Memorial
Player of the Year: Ines Flueck, Lenoir-Rhyne
Freshman of the Year: Brooklyn Tilley, Catawba
Coach of the Year: Carlee Buck, Lenoir-Rhyne
