Drexel University Athletics
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Women's Lacrosse Earns Third Consecutive NCAA Tournament Berth
5/7/2023 9:31:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
PHILADELPHIA - The Drexel women's lacrosse team earned its third consecutive bid to the NCAA Championships, gaining one of 14 at-large bids based on its play during the season. The Dragons will face the Maryland Terrapins in a regular-season rematch. The game will be held Friday, May 12 at 5 p.m. on the campus of James Madison University. The winner of the contest will advance to the second round against either James Madison or Army.
Drexel had five players named to All-CAA teams this season, including Corinne Bednarik as the CAA Attacker of the Year and Jenika Cuocco as both the Rookie and Goalkeeper of the Year. Bednarik, Cuocco and Belle McHugh were selected to the First Team with Maura Cissel and Hayleigh Simpson earning Second Team accolades. Additionally, Cuocco garnered a spot on the All-Rookie Team and is the first of 29 Rookies of the Year in league history to add a second major award.
Bednarik has been the CAA's top-scoring attacker with 45 goals and 21 assists while also adding 66 draw controls to her stats. The senior from Glenmoore, Pa. has 2.81 goals and 4.12 points per game, which is second in the CAA and first among conference attackers. Additionally, she ranks sixth in the conference with 4.12 draws per game. The captain also collected USA Lacrosse Magazine National Player of the Week honors in March and a CAA Player of the Week accolade in February. This is Bednarik's second All-CAA First-Team honor.
Cuocco is the top goalie in the conference with a .533 save percentage which is third in the nation. This season she has amassed 163 saves, 29 ground balls and caused three turnovers in the cage for the Dragons. Nationally, she ranks 12th with a 9.08 goals-against average and 11th with an average of 10.19 saves per game across Division I. The sophomore broke the CAA record with seven Rookie of the Week awards and was honored as the IWLCA Co-Defensive Player of the Week in April.
McHugh has led a defensive unit that is 16th in the NCAA in scoring defense at 9.19 goals/game. The captain has 20 ground balls, 21 caused turnovers and seven draw controls. She held San Diego State's top scorer to two tallies in a matchup on March 28 and guided the Dragons to an overtime victory over Temple in April with three caused turnovers.
A fifth-year senior, Simpson has been an integral part of Drexel's offense with 32 goals and five assists this season. The midfielder has added six caused turnovers and 20 ground balls on defense. Simpson's five goals against No. 19 Johns Hopkins led the Dragons to their first program victory against the Big Ten opponent.
Cissel has taken the majority of the draws this season and is tied with Bednarik with 66 draw controls. The defender has scooped 13 ground balls and caused 11 turnovers including two against No. 6 Maryland. She now holds three overall conference honors and two Second Team All-CAA recognitions in her two seasons in West Philadelphia.
Drexel had five players named to All-CAA teams this season, including Corinne Bednarik as the CAA Attacker of the Year and Jenika Cuocco as both the Rookie and Goalkeeper of the Year. Bednarik, Cuocco and Belle McHugh were selected to the First Team with Maura Cissel and Hayleigh Simpson earning Second Team accolades. Additionally, Cuocco garnered a spot on the All-Rookie Team and is the first of 29 Rookies of the Year in league history to add a second major award.
Bednarik has been the CAA's top-scoring attacker with 45 goals and 21 assists while also adding 66 draw controls to her stats. The senior from Glenmoore, Pa. has 2.81 goals and 4.12 points per game, which is second in the CAA and first among conference attackers. Additionally, she ranks sixth in the conference with 4.12 draws per game. The captain also collected USA Lacrosse Magazine National Player of the Week honors in March and a CAA Player of the Week accolade in February. This is Bednarik's second All-CAA First-Team honor.
Cuocco is the top goalie in the conference with a .533 save percentage which is third in the nation. This season she has amassed 163 saves, 29 ground balls and caused three turnovers in the cage for the Dragons. Nationally, she ranks 12th with a 9.08 goals-against average and 11th with an average of 10.19 saves per game across Division I. The sophomore broke the CAA record with seven Rookie of the Week awards and was honored as the IWLCA Co-Defensive Player of the Week in April.
McHugh has led a defensive unit that is 16th in the NCAA in scoring defense at 9.19 goals/game. The captain has 20 ground balls, 21 caused turnovers and seven draw controls. She held San Diego State's top scorer to two tallies in a matchup on March 28 and guided the Dragons to an overtime victory over Temple in April with three caused turnovers.
A fifth-year senior, Simpson has been an integral part of Drexel's offense with 32 goals and five assists this season. The midfielder has added six caused turnovers and 20 ground balls on defense. Simpson's five goals against No. 19 Johns Hopkins led the Dragons to their first program victory against the Big Ten opponent.
Cissel has taken the majority of the draws this season and is tied with Bednarik with 66 draw controls. The defender has scooped 13 ground balls and caused 11 turnovers including two against No. 6 Maryland. She now holds three overall conference honors and two Second Team All-CAA recognitions in her two seasons in West Philadelphia.
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