SELINSGROVE, Pa. - Susquehanna University has placed three players on the 2001 NCAA Division III Metro Regional All-American team, as selected by coaches from the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA).
Senior defender Erin Powell earned Regional All-American honors for the second straight year and is the first Crusader ever named to the first team while junior attack Krista O'Brien and sophomore goalkeeper Giulia Umile were voted to the second team.
The trio the Crusaders to their first regular-season MAC title in program history as Susquehanna finished 6-1 in the league and 12-5 overall before bowing to eight-time defending champion Drew 10-9 in triple overtime in the MAC championship game.
Powell (Claymont, Del./Ursuline Academy), a three-time MAC first-team All-Star and the 2001 conference Most Valuable Player, started all 17 games on defense and led the team in caused turnovers (49) while ranking second on the squad in groundballs (84) and recording five assists. Her 2.88 caused turnovers per game tied her with Lycoming's Lauren Evangelist for the conference lead, while her 4.94 groundballs per game are third in the MAC.
Powell was part of a defense that ranks 16th in NCAA Division III in goals allowed per game (7.35 gapg) and kept its opponents under 10 goals in 11 of 17 games this season. For her career, Powell played in 60 games and scored 24 goals and 11 assists for 35 points while frequently matching up against the opponent's best offensive player.
O'Brien (Sykesville, Md./Liberty H.S.) appeared in 16 of the team's 17 games and scored a school single-season record 51 goasl while leading the team in points (63), shots (121) and draw controls (40). She ranks fifth in the MAC in points per game at 3.94 and fourth in goals per game at 3.19.
In her three-year career, O'Brien already holds the school records for goals (129) and points (173) and is second in career assists with 44.
Umile (Blue Bell, Pa./Gwynedd Mercy Academy) played every minute of all 17 games in goal and made a school-record 221 saves for the season, including a single-game record 26 stops against Widener in a 6-4 overtime win on March 24. She currently ranks fifth in NCAA Division III in save percentage at .639 and is 11th in goals against average at 7.12.
After two seasons, Umile is the Susquehanna career leader in save percentage (.624) and goals against average (7.39) while her 411 saves are just 63 shy of the school record of 474 set from 1992 to 1995 by Maria Kuwani.
