Nov. 21, 2001

Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame women’s lacrosse coach Tracy Coyne has announced the signing of 11 high school lacrosse players to national letters-of-intent to attend the University for the 2002-03 season. Among the signees, Coyne has added four attack players, four midfielders and three defenders. The women’s lacrosse team will graduate seven seniors in May of 2002, including five who have been regulars in the Irish lineup for their entire careers.

Signing letters-of-intent in the early signing period were: Anne Barthleme (Lutherville, Md.), Meghan deMello (Manlius, N.Y.), Crysti Foote (Suffern, N.Y.), Brittany Fox (Annapolis, Md.), Katie Killeen (Manhasset, N.Y.), Mary McGrath (Wayne, Pa.), Molly Miner (Englewood, Colo.), Morgan Molinari (Manhasset, N.Y.), Corey Samperton (Bethesda, Md.), Kerry Van Shura (Bel Air, Md.) and Lena Zentgraf (Charlottesville, Va.).

In making the announcement, Coyne said, “I’m very pleased with the overall talent level of the players that we are bringing in for next season. They will have a positive impact on our program, as many of them will compete for playing time in their freshman year. With the addition of 11 players, we have added to the quality of our depth, something that we’ve lacked in season’s past.”

Barthleme is a defensive standout at Notre Dame Prep in Towson, Md., where she was a key member of last year’s IAAM league championship team. A two-year starter on defense, Bartheleme was also selected to the Mid-Atlantic Region team for the U.S. Lacrosse Association’s national tournament last spring. She is also a two-year member of the Notre Dame women’s soccer team.

deMello will begin her fourth season at midfield for Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, N.Y., and her second as team captain this spring. A three-time all-league selection, deMello took first team honors as a junior and was also selected third team all-Central New York after scoring 48 goals and 20 assists last season. A member of the Central Region team at the Empire State games, deMello was captain of the Christian Brothers’ women’s soccer team this fall leading that squad to a 16-3-1 record.

Foote has been a goal-scoring machine in her first three seasons at Suffern High School in Suffern, N.Y., where she has been named all-league, all-county and all-section for three consecutive years. As a junior, Foote led 18th-ranked Suffern to a 12-3-2 record while scoring 71 goals with 35 assists and was chosen County Player of the Year and a U.S. Lacrosse Association high school All-American. In three seasons, Foote has scored 175 goals and 91 assists. As a sophomore she was named to the all-tournament team at the state finals.

Fox is a midfield defender at St. Mary’s High School in Annapolis, Md., who came into her own as a lacrosse player in just her first season with the varsity team as a junior. She began the year as a top reserve, but quickly became a starter when she began playing a defensive wing position. An Academic all-star selection in her first season at St. Mary’s, Fox has also played fullback on the girls’ soccer team for two seasons and has played in the WAGS league for the Free State Piranhas club team. She is the fifth St. Mary’s player to attend Notre Dame joining current Irish players Jen White, Tina Fedarcyk, Kristen Gaudreau and Jess Mikula.

Killeen is a standout defender for 19th-ranked Manhasset High School, a perennial lacrosse powerhouse, on Long Island. As a junior she was named honorable mention all-county and scholar-athlete while anchoring the Manhasset defense. During the summer, she captained the Long Island team at the Empire State games, winning the gold medal along with fellow recruit Morgan Molinari. In May, she was selected to the New York region team for the U.S. Lacrosse Association’s national tournament. This fall, Killeen was an all-county selection with the Manhasset field hockey team that finished second in its league.

McGrath is in her fourth season playing attack at Radnor High School in Wayne, Pa. She has helped Radnor, ranked fourth in the nation last spring, to back-to-back Central League championships (2000, 2001) and three consecutive Pennsylvania State championships. A first-team all-Main Line selection in 2001, McGrath had 52 goals and 70 assists as a junior and has scored 105 goals with 128 assists in her high school career. In 2000, she was named Most Valuable Player at the Duke Super Elite Camp and the Vail Shootout. She is also the starting goalkeeper for the Radnor girls’ soccer team that won the Central League this fall before losing in the district semifinals.

Miner plays defense at Colorado Academy in Englewood, Colo., where she is a also a standout performer on the field hockey team. A solid, all-around defender, Miner has the potential to be an outstanding Division I defensive player. She represented Colorado at the U.S. Lacrosse Association’s national tournament, the Vail Shootout and the All-Star Express tournament. In field hockey, she was team captain and selected second team all-state while leading Colorado Academy to the state semifinals.

Molinari plays attack at Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, N.Y., where she scored 72 goals with 45 assists last season. Her team’s Most Valuable Player, Molinari was an all-Long Island CCSAA choice and was the league’s Player of the Year. A member of Newsday’s all-Long Island team, she was also a member of the Long Island team along with fellow recruit, Katie Killeen that captured the gold medal at the 2001 Empire State Games. This fall, she was on the swim team at Sacred Heart and helped her team to its fourth consecutive league championship.

Samperton is an attack player who was a first team U.S. Lacrosse Association high school All-American at Georgetown Visitation High School in Washington, D.C., as a junior. A gifted scorer, Samperton had 49 goals and 23 assists last season and has scored 123 goals with 51 assists in her career. She has been selected her team’s Most Valuable Player, first team all-league and honorable mention all-metropolitan in each of the last three seasons. This year, she is enrolled at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes High School, ranked third in the nation last spring, in Alexandria, Va. This fall, she helped that St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes to a first place finish and the Washington Post’s No. 1 ranking in field hockey while being named all-league and all-state.

Van Shura is a midfield defender at the John Carroll School in Bel Air, Md., where she is in her second season as team captain. A two-time all-county selection, Van Shura is also a member of one of Maryland’s top club teams – the SkyWalkers – who were champions of the 2001 Downington Tournament. This fall, she was captain of the school’s soccer team that advanced to the league semifinals after an 18-4 season. She was selected first team all-league and all-state and was a Maryland State finalist for the high school Heisman Award.

Zentgraf is a midfield attack player from Charlottesville High School in Charlottesville, Va., where she was an honorable mention U.S. Lacrosse Association all-American as a junior. An outstanding all-around athlete, Zentgraf was her team’s Most Valuable Player last season and received a scholar achievement award from the U.S. Lacrosse Association. This fall, she has helped lead the Charlottesville basketball team to a 22-0 record heading into the final weeks of the season. Zentgraf has ties to Notre Dame as she is the granddaughter of former Notre Dame athletic director, Gene Corrigan and the niece of current Irish men’s lacrosse coach Kevin Corrigan.

2002-03 Notre Dame Women’s Lacrosse Recruits

Player Pos. Ht. Hometown/School

Anne Barthleme D 5-5 Lutherville, Md./Notre Dame Prep

Meghan deMello M 5-5 Manlius, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy

Crysti Foote A 5-6 Suffern, N.Y./Suffern

Brittany Fox MD 5-7 Annapolis, Md./St. Mary’s

Katie Killeen D 5-4 Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset

Mary McGrath A 5-5 Wayne, Pa./Radnor

Molly Miner D 5-5 Englewood, Colo./Colorado Academy

Morgan Molinari A 5-6 Manhasset, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy

Corey Samperton A 5-5 Bethesda, Md./St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes

Kerry Van Shura MD 5-6 Bel Air, Md./John Carroll School

Lena Zentgraf MA 5-5 Charlottesville, Va./Charlottesville