ROSEMONT, Ill. – Four Northwestern lacrosse student-athletes have been named to the All-Big Ten First Team, the league office announced on Wednesday afternoon. Erin Coykendall, Lauren Gilbert, Jill Girardi and Ally Palermo earned first team recognition, while Katie Shanley was named a Big Ten sportsmanship honoree.
Coykendall grabbed the first all-league honor of her career and ranks third in the Big Ten with 29 assists and ninth with 37 goals scored. The junior tied her career-high by registering five goals against Penn State. In the Wildcats 16-12 victory over No. 6 Stony Brook, Coykendall posted a season-high nine points on four goals and five assists.
Leading the Big Ten with 63 goals Gilbert was a unanimous selection to the first team, and was named all-conference for the second time in her career. The Oswego, Ore. product is second nationally posting 87 points and was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week three times this year. Additionally, she earned IWCLA National Player of the Week after scoring a career-high eight goals against Rutgers.
Girardi was a unanimous selection in her first career All-Big Ten selection. Her 10.64 draw controls per game lead the Big Ten and ranks second nationally, and is seventh in the conference in goals (40). Against Rutgers, the graduate student registered 19 draw controls, the second-highest single-game mark in program history and the highest by a Big Ten student-athlete this season. Girardi was named Big Ten Midfielder of the Week on four occasions this year.
Earning All-Big Ten honors for the third time in her career, Palermo serves as the anchor of the Wildcats defense and leads the team with 17 caused turnovers, with her mark of 1.13 per game placing 10th in the conference. The Seaford, N.Y. native is second on the team totaling 27 ground balls.
The No. 5 Northwestern lacrosse team embarks on postseason play later this week when it travels to Rutgers for the Big Ten Tournament semifinals at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, May 6. The game will air on Big Ten Network.
Coykendall grabbed the first all-league honor of her career and ranks third in the Big Ten with 29 assists and ninth with 37 goals scored. The junior tied her career-high by registering five goals against Penn State. In the Wildcats 16-12 victory over No. 6 Stony Brook, Coykendall posted a season-high nine points on four goals and five assists.
Leading the Big Ten with 63 goals Gilbert was a unanimous selection to the first team, and was named all-conference for the second time in her career. The Oswego, Ore. product is second nationally posting 87 points and was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week three times this year. Additionally, she earned IWCLA National Player of the Week after scoring a career-high eight goals against Rutgers.
Girardi was a unanimous selection in her first career All-Big Ten selection. Her 10.64 draw controls per game lead the Big Ten and ranks second nationally, and is seventh in the conference in goals (40). Against Rutgers, the graduate student registered 19 draw controls, the second-highest single-game mark in program history and the highest by a Big Ten student-athlete this season. Girardi was named Big Ten Midfielder of the Week on four occasions this year.
Earning All-Big Ten honors for the third time in her career, Palermo serves as the anchor of the Wildcats defense and leads the team with 17 caused turnovers, with her mark of 1.13 per game placing 10th in the conference. The Seaford, N.Y. native is second on the team totaling 27 ground balls.
The No. 5 Northwestern lacrosse team embarks on postseason play later this week when it travels to Rutgers for the Big Ten Tournament semifinals at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, May 6. The game will air on Big Ten Network.