WomensLacrosse.com Piles on Honors

LANCASTER, Pa. - Six members of Franklin & Marshall's NCAA Division III National Champion women's lacrosse team gathered eight honors from WomensLacrosse.com when the site released its postseason awards list on Friday. Blake Hargest, Devi Hensch, Sarah Meisenberg, Jen Pritchard, Lidia Sanza and Shannon Summers were each recognized.

Lidia Sanza was named the Goalie of the Year, while Jen Pritchard was named the Offensive Player of the Year. Each was named WomensLacrosse.com First Team All-Americans, along with Summers. Midfielders, Hensch and Meisenberg, were named Second Team All-Americans, while Hargest was named a Third Team All-American.

Sanza helped the Diplomats to a second national title in three years. She ranked fourth in the nation in goals-against average while posting a 53.9% save percentage. Her save percentage was eighth in the nation despite facing the second-toughest schedule in the country. Sanza was the WomensLacrosse.com Goalie of the Year and First Team All-American in 2007, the last time F&M won the National Championship. She was also the Rookie of the Year that season.

Pritchard ends her career having scored in the final 69 games of her career, an NCAA record. She scored in 83 of her 84 career games. She twitched twine 268 times in her career, 47 more times than the previous record holder. She wrapped her career with 320 total points, resetting that school record as well. She has the NCAA record for career goals in the tournament (53) and in a single tournament (19 in 2007). This is Pritchard's fourth time earning All-American honors from WomensLacrosse.com and third time appearing on the First Team. She was named their Attack of the Year in 2007.

Summers earns her second All-America honor from WomensLacrosse.com. She was a Second Team choice in 2008. Her final campaign marked the second 100-point season (104) on record at Franklin & Marshall, falling two points shy of the school record. Summers dished out 65 assists this season to move to the top of the career chart in the category (150).  Summers rolled up seven or more points six times, including a stretch of four in five games. Her season high of nine came in the regular season against Dickinson. That was followed by back-to-back eight-point performances.  

Hensch earns her first All-America nod on the same day she earned her first IWLCA All-Region nod. She has been one of F&M's most consistent defensively oriented players over her career. She was voted to the All-Centennial team for the first time this year.  In the title game, she was tasked with marking Salisbury's top scorer, Robyn Bishop, holding the Sea Gull scoreless. The consummate team player was second on the team in caused turnovers (24) and fifth amongst field players in ground balls (28).

Meisenberg has now been honored by WomensLacrosse.com in each of her four years. An All-Rookie Team selection in 2006, Meisenberg was a First Team All-American in 2007 and 2008. Despite injuries that hampered her playing time and numbers in 2009, she was third on the team in assists (30), including the helper to Hargest's overtime in game winner in the NCAA National Championship Game. The final of her team-best 27 caused turnovers provided F&M with the possession needed to send the title game into overtime. Meisenberg was second on the team amongst field players in ground balls with 34 and third on the draws with 48 controls.

A WomensLacrosse.com All-Rookie Team selection in 2007, Hargest's Third Team honor marks the first All-America tag of her stellar career. She netted the game-winning goal in overtime of the NCAA title game. It was her third game-winning goal of the year and the last of her 37 on the season. In addition to being fifth on the team in goals, Hargest was second on the team in assists with 41, leaving her third on the team in points (78).

Franklin & Marshall posted a record of 21-1 en route to the 2009 NCAA Division III National Championship. It was the Diplomats' second title in three years. In less than 24 hours on championship weekend, F&M defeated both of the teams that combined for their only three losses over the past three years. The 2009 Diplomats became the first F&M women's lacrosse team to roll up 500 points in a season by scoring 345 goals with 200 assists - both program records - for a combined 545 points.

WomensLacrosse.com Honorees

Goalie of the Year - Lidia Sanza

Offensive Player of the Year - Jen Pritchard

All-Americans

First Team - Jen Pritchard, Lidia Sanza, Shannon Summers

Second Team - Devi Hensch, Sarah Meisenberg

Third Team - Blake Hargest