Feb. 16, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. - Two Northwestern lacrosse players -- senior Courtney Koester and sophomore Kristen Kjellman -- are among a group of 32 women who have been named to the Tewaaraton Award Foundation's 2005 Watch List.
The Tewaaraton Award Foundation, in conjunction with The University Club of Washington, D.C., formally established the "Tewaaraton Trophy" on August 29, 2000. Today, the Tewaaraton Trophy is recognized as the pre-eminent lacrosse award honoring the top female and male varsity collegiate lacrosse player in the United States. Simply, it is the lacrosse equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. With the inaugural presentation taking place at the University Club of Washington, D.C. in June of 2001, the Tewaaraton Trophy is now presented annually following the collegiate season at a banquet honoring the finalists and winners.
Click here for more information on the Tewaaraton Trophy
"It is a great honor to be nominated for the Tewaartan Trophy, and I could not be more pleased that Kristen and Courtney are on the watch list," said NU head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. "Both of these players are extremely hard working and unselfish, and possess tremendous athletic ability and skill. This is a great honor for these individuals and for our program."
Both Koester and Kjellman have received several preseason awards, following a stellar 2004 campaign when they led NU to a 15-3 record, a share of the American Lacrosse Conference title, the No. 6 ranking in the final Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) national poll, and a berth in the NCAA quarterfinal round.
Koester -- who along with her twin sister Ashley Koester did not pick up the sport of lacrosse until her sophomore year of college -- was an IWLCA first-team All-America last year and has been a two-time first-team All-ALC selection. Kjellman, meanwhile, was an IWLCA second-team All-America as well as the choice for National Freshman of the Year by both Inside Lacrosse and womenslacrosse.com. Kjellman was also the ALC Rookie of the Year in 2004.
The 32 women named to the Watch List hail from all three NCAA divisions. Among the group are six players from the ALC -- in addition to Koester and Kjellman, the league is represented by Ashley Dardine and Mary Key from Johns Hopkins, Regina Oliver from Ohio State, and goalkeeper Elizabeth Tortorelli from Penn State.
Northwestern -- which is No. 3 in preseason national polls by both Inside Lacrosse and Lacrosse Magazine -- open up the regular season Sunday afternoon at North Carolina.
2005 Tewaaraton Award Watch List -- Women's Lacrosse
Erin Acone, Stonehill College
Amy Appelt, Virginia
Lindsey Biles, Princeton
Jessica Burnap, New Hampshire
Cary Chasney, Virginia
Katie Chrest, Duke
Katieanne Christian, Dartmouth
Delia Cox, Maryland
Ashley Dardine, Johns Hopkins
Meg Dentler, George Mason
Lauren Douger, College of New Jersey
Bridget Eder, Hofstra
Sydney Greene, Loyola (Md.)
Katherine Hock, Adelphi
Megan Huether, Duke
Monica Joines, Syracuse
Mary Key, Johns Hopkins
Kristen Kjellman, Northwestern
Courtney Koester, Northwestern
Nikki Lieb, Virginia
Melissa McCarthy, North Carolina
Regina Oliver, Ohio State
Elizabeth Pillion, Princeton
Elizabeth Renehan, Middlebury
Rachel Shuck, Loyola (Md.)
Helen Sneath, Colorado College
Greta Sommers, Maryland
Elizabeth Tortorelli, Penn State
Alyssa Trudel, Boston University
Lauren Vance, Princeton
Acacia Walker, Maryland
Devon Wills, Dartmouth