Five From Wellesley Lacrosse Named to NEWMAC All-Conference Team
WELLESLEY, Mass. -- The New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) released the 2017 Women's Lacrosse postseason awards on Tuesday afternoon and Wellesley College earned five selections. Leading the way for the Blue, senior Nikki Sharkin (Summit, N.J.) earned an All-Conference first team selection. Classmates Courtney Peterson (Glastonbury, Conn.), Wendy Nettleton (La Jolla, Calif.), junior Jenna Mulrenan (Glen Ridge, N.J.) and sophomore Dacia Persky (Las Vegas, Nev.) all earned a spot on the All-Conference second team.
Sharkin caps an outstanding lacrosse career with her first All-Conference first team selection and her third NEWMAC All-Conference selection in four years. She was also a NEWMAC Field Hockey first team All-Conference selection this fall. Sharkin scored a career high 51 points in 17 games during her senior campaign, establishing career-highs in goals (42), assists (9), draw controls (66) and caused turnovers (30). Sharkin finished tenth in the conference in scoring, but showed her versatility by finishing in a tie for third among the top-ten scorers in ground balls and second among the top-ten scorers in caused turnovers.
A two-time NEWMAC All-Conference selection in field hockey, Peterson earns her first All-Conference nod in lacrosse following a season in which she set career-highs in goals (31), assists (11), and points (42). Peterson also had a career-high 49 ground balls, 33 draw controls and 33 caused turnovers in 17 games this season. While she established offensive career-highs during her senior season, Peterson was also honored by the conference for her defensive play, earning NEWMAC Defensive Athlete of the Week honors on April 10, 2017.
The 2014 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year, Nettleton ends a career that included 452 saves and 28 career wins with her third All-Conference second team selection. Nettleton established career-highs in multiple categories in 2017, starting all 17 games between the pipes, while making 135 saves. Nettleton's 45.5 save percentage ranked her fourth among goalkeepers in the NEWMAC, helping her to finish her Wellesley career with a 46.4 save percentage in 56 career contests.
Also a NEWMAC All-Conference second team selection in 2016, Mulrenan solidifies her reputation as one of the top defenders in the conference with a second career All-Conference nod. Mulrenan played in all 17 games for the Blue in 2017 and at the end of her junior season has started all 47 of her career appearances. This season, Mulrenan recorded 38 ground balls, nine draw controls and 16 caused turnovers, to go along with a pair of assists.
Wellesley's leading scorer in 2017, Persky was named to the NEWMAC All-Conference team for the first time in her career. The Wellesley attacker finished the year tied for fifth in the NEWMAC in assists with 20, while also scoring 33 goals in 17 games. Persky's 53 points in 2017 were a career high and leave her just 13 shy of 100 following two seasons for the Blue. In addition to her offensive numbers, Persky also chipped in with 12 ground balls, six draw controls and six caused turnovers.
Wellesley lacrosse finished the 20117 season with a 9-8 overall record, advancing to the NEWMAC semifinals for the second time in the last three seasons.
2017 NEWMAC Women's Lacrosse All-Conference
Athlete of the Year: Shelby Corsano, Springfield
Defensive Player of the Year: Gabby Anderson, Springfield
Rookie of the Year: Molly Covarrubias, Wheaton
First Team
(Name, Position, Institution)
Shelby Corsano, A, Springfield College
Charlotte O'Halloran, A, Babson College
Emily Young, A, MIT
Bianca Raniolo, A, Springfield College
Molly Covarrubias, A, Wheaton College
Ann Mahoney, M, Springfield College
Meredith Weber, M, Emerson College
Nikki Sharkin, M, Wellesley College
Delaney Carroll, D, Babson College
Andie Stone, D, Springfield College
Lydia Regan, D, Wheaton College
Gabby Anderson, GK, Springfield College
Second Team
Dacia Persky, A, Wellesley College
Emily Bresnahan, A, Babson College
Francesca Giovanucci, A, Babson College
Julia Harrigan, M, Babson College
Courtney Peterson, M, Wellesley College
Angela Mallis, M, Wheaton College
Katie Notarangelo, M, MIT
Julia Bireley, D, Springfield College
Lauren Drakeley, D, Babson College
Paige Haley, D, Emerson College
Jenna Mulrenan, D, Wellesley College
Kristina Modica, GK, Emerson College
Wendy Nettleton, GK, Wellesley College