Lacrosse Announces Award Winners
EUGENE -- Anna Poponyak and Jen May were named Co-Most Valuable Player by their fellow teammates as the Oregon lacrosse team announced its annual award winners Wednesday.
Poponyak, the redshirt sophomore goalkeeper, fought through a knee injury which sidelined her for much of the year and led the Ducks between the pipes, saving 77 shots and while allowing only 91 goals and compiling a 7-5 record.
May, in her junior season, was named MVP for the third consecutive year after serving as team captain and putting together a year of 22 goals and 17 assists. The Davidsonville, Md. native ended the season as the Ducks career leader in points with 134 points.
Alicia Burkhart was named for the Grinder award, which recognizes the teams' hardest worker. Burkhart was a staunch defender for the Ducks in 2007, as she led the team in ground balls collected (48) and was second in caused turnovers (23). The Eldersburg, Md. native also was key in helping the Ducks control possession as she collected 38 draw controls on the year, also second on the team. Only a sophomore, Burkhart also played the most minutes of any Duck, remaining on the field for 970 minutes, about 85 percent of the team's total minutes.
The program's spirit award went to Casey Rector, who had nine goals and six assists on the year as well as collecting 19 ground balls and 23 draw controls.
Sarah MacDonald was named the program's Most Improved Player, as she capitalized on more playing time to score five goals and helped the Ducks sustain possessions, picking up 19 ground balls and collecting 14 draws.
Senior transfer Brooke Dieringer was named Rookie of the Year, as she meshed with Oregon's system spectacularly in her first year with the program. The North Carolina transfer was second on the team in goal (32) and points (42), and led the team in shots on goal converted (81.9 percent).
Eleven Ducks were also awarded for their excellence in the classroom after finishing the year with a 3.0 GPA or better including Poponyak, May, Burkhart and Dieringer as well as Carrie Bateman, Jenny Browne, Kate Fleming, Erin Gaebe, Lindsay Killian, Liora Lobel, and Cara Mead.
Oregon Lacrosse Awards List:
Co-MVPs - Jen May, Anna Poponyak
Grinder Award - Alicia Burkhart
Pillar Award - Casey Rector
Most Improved - Sarah MacDonald
Rookie of the Year - Brooke Dieringer
2007-2008 Captains - Alicia Burkhart, Jen May, Cara Mead
2007-2008 Student Athlete Advisory Committee Representatives - Erin Gaebe, Anna Poponyak, Ilsa van den Berg, Kaitlyn Pasko
UO Academic Awards (3.0 GPA or better) - Carrie Bateman, Jenny Browne, Alicia Burkhart, Brooke Dieringer, Kate Fleming, Erin Gaebe, Lindsay Killian, Liora Lobel, Jen May, Cara Mead, Anna Poponyak.
