FIVE WOMEN’S LACROSSE PLAYERS NAMED TO 2015 GNAC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

BOSTON, Mass. – Five members of the Emmanuel College women's lacrosse team have been named to the 2015 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) All-Conference team, it was announced by the conference office on Tuesday, April 28. Junior attack Kristen Tuleja (Mansfield, Mass.) and sophomore defender Savannah Lundwall (Fiskdale, Mass.) were each named to the GNAC First Team while senior attack Sarah Wootten (Berlin, Md.), junior middie Sarah Higgins (Groveland, Mass.) and junior goalie Lauren White (Lynnfield, Mass.) all earned Second Team honors.

Tuleja enjoyed a standout campaign in which she ranked among the conference leaders in several offensive categories. The Mansfield, Mass. native ranked fifth in the GNAC in goals scored with 51, sixth overall in points with 70 and tied for eighth in assists with 12. Tuleja scored at least two goals in all 16 games played and has now scored multiple goals in 40 consecutive games dating back to her rookie season. She led the Saints with 51 draw controls and ranked second on the team with 49 groundballs while ranking 10^th in both categories in GNAC play, respectively. This marks the third consecutive year Tuleja has been honored by the conference, earning Second Team honors as a rookie and now back-to-back selections on the GNAC First Team.

Lundwall earns First Team honors for the first time in her career following a quality season as the Saints top defender. The sophomore anchored the EC defensive unit that combined to post a 7.50 goals against average, ranking second in the GNAC. Often tasked with defending opponents leading scorers, Lundwall shutdown the conference's best including the GNAC's leading scorer Amanda Bowen (Mount Ida) to just four goals over two games compared to her season average of 4.2 goals per game. Lundwall posted 46 groundballs to rank 15^th overall in the GNAC while causing 32 turnovers to rank fifth. She also scored six goals to go along with one assist for seven points on the year.

Wootten earns Second Team honors for the second consecutive season following a strong close to her collegiate career. The senior posted 60 points on 22 goals and 38 assists, ranking second overall in the GNAC in assists and 23^rd in the nation among NCAA Division III student-athletes. Wootten set the new EC single-season assist record and graduates Emmanuel's career-leader in assists with 82 helpers and also holds the single-game assist record at five, accomplishing the feat in back-to-back games this year.

Higgins earns All-Conference honors for the second straight year as well, earning Second Team honors after a First Team recognition in 2014. Higgins missed the first few weeks of the 2015 season due to some overlap of season with her participation in Emmanuel's women's basketball team but hit the ground running in late March. The junior appeared in 12 games, scoring in every contest and finishing the year with 38 points on 26 goals and 12 assists. Higgins finished the year ranked 25^th in the GNAC in points an even with missing two weeks of action, ranked third in the conference caused 36 turnovers while her 3.0 caused turnovers per game average led the GNAC and ranked 10^th in the nation among NCAA Division III student-athletes. She also grabbed 54 groundballs to lead Emmanuel and rank ninth in the GNAC.

White also earns her second consecutive appearance on the GNAC Second Team after playing every minute of the 2015 season in goal for the Saints. The junior led the GNAC in minutes played with 960 and posted a 7.50 goals against average to rank first among GNAC goaltenders with at least 700 minutes played. The 7.50 goals against average is also a new single-season record at Emmanuel. White registered 106 saves on the year and led the GNAC with 12 wins in goal.

The Saints wrapped up the 2015 season with a 12-4 overall record. Emmanuel finished the regular season with a 6-3 GNAC mark to earn the No. 4 seed in the tournament. After downing Mount Ida College 22-6 in the GNAC Quarterfinals, the Saints fell to the eventual GNAC Champions in Saint Joseph's College (ME), 15-8 in the GNAC Semifinals.