May 24, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse standout Barbara Sullivan has now earned first team All-America accolades from three organizations after Womenslax.com bestowed the honor upon the sophomore Friday afternoon.
Earlier in the month Sullivan earned first team honors from both the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) and Synapse Sports. In doing so she became the youngest player in Irish history, and eighth overall, to earn first team accolades. She also became just the fifth Notre Dame sophomore to receive an All-America scroll. Twenty-five Irish standouts have earned All-America accolades since 2002.
Sullivan received first team all-BIG EAST and IWLCA all-West/Midwest region honors at the beginning of May after starting all 17 games and totaling 57 ground balls, 67 draw controls and 34 caused turnovers in 2013. She also chipped in the first two goals and the first two assists of her career. She broke the school record for draw controls in a season and finished tied for fifth in ground balls and tied for seventh in caused turnovers in school history. Sullivan is the only player in Notre Dame history to finish in the top seven in all three categories in one season.
Just two seasons into her Irish career, Sullivan is already eighth in school history with 99 draw controls and tied for eighth with 66 caused turnovers.
During the season, Sullivan had two or more ground balls in 15 games, two or more draw controls in 13 games and two or more caused turnovers in 11 games. She tied the school record with nine draw controls in a 12-11 win at Vanderbilt and had a remarkable six or more draw controls in six games. Sullivan also came within two of tying the school record for most ground balls and most caused turnovers in a game.
The Tewaaraton Trophy nominee earned a spot on the BIG EAST’s Weekly Honor Roll three times this season – once after 12 ground balls, two draw controls and seven caused turnovers in wins over Detroit and Boston, another time after five ground balls and nine draw controls in a win over Vanderbilt and finally after seven ground balls, 10 draw controls and seven caused turnovers in victories over Louisville and Cincinnati.
Heading into Final Four play, Sullivan ranks first in the BIG EAST and third in the country in ground balls per game (3.35), first in the BIG EAST and ninth in the country in caused turnovers per game (2.0) and second in the BIG EAST and 22nd in the country in draw controls per game (3.94).
The Irish finished the 2013 season at 12-5, and qualified for the NCAA Championship for the eighth time in school history.
Follow Notre Dame women’s lacrosse through UND.com, Facebook (Facebook.com/NDWLAX) and on Twitter (@NDwomenslax).
Player of the Year: Katie Schwarzmann, Maryland
Attacker of the Year: Alex Aust, Maryland
Midfielder of the Year: Taylor Thornton, Northwestern
Defender of the Year: Becca Block, Syracuse
Goalie of the Year: Mikey Meagher, Florida
Rookie of the Year: Kayla Treanor, Syracuse
Coach of the Year: Cathy Reese, Maryland
2013 WomensLax.com All-American Team
Alex Aust, Attack – Maryland
Becca Block, Defense – Syracuse
Kara Cannizzaro, Midfield – North Carolina
Demmianne Cook, Midfield – Stony Brook
Kitty Cullen, Attack – Florida
Taylor Cummings, Midfield – Maryland
Brittany Dashiell, Midfield – Florida
Jasmine DePompeo, Attack – Navy
Katie Ferris, Attack – Massachusetts
Erin Fitzgerald, Attack – Northwestern
Gabby Flibotte, Defense – Northwestern
Kate Henrich, Defense – Denver
Alyssa Leonard, Midfield – Northwestern
Maggie McCormick, Attack – Penn State
Mikey Meagher, Goalie – Florida
Alyssa Murray, Attack – Syracuse
Iliana Sanza, Defense – Maryland
Katie Schwarzmann, Midfield – Maryland
Sloane Serpe, Defense – North Carolina
Covie Stanwick, Attack – Boston College
Barbara Sullivan, Defense – Notre Dame
Megan Takacs, Midfield – California
Taylor Thornton, Midfield – Northwestern
Kayla Treanor, Attack – Syracuse
Taylor Virden, Defense – Duke
–ND–