Nov. 22, 2006
Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame women’s lacrosse coach Tracy Coyne, who guided the Irish to their first NCAA Final Four last May, has announced the signing of five high school lacrosse players to national letters-of-intent. They will attend the University beginning in the fall of 2007. The group of five will replace the current senior class that will graduate in May of 2007.
Signing letters-of-intent in the early-signing period are: Kailene Abt (Huntington, N.Y.), Shaylyn Blaney (Stony Brook, N.Y.), Jackie Doherty (Ellicott City, Md.), Lauren Fenlon (Dayton, Md.) and Ansley Stewart (Alexandria, Va.).
In making the announcement, Coyne said, “We are very excited to have such an elite group of athletes join our program. This is one of the most talented group of players that we’ve ever had at Notre Dame. All five will fill voids on our roster. They all have the ability and potential to make an immediate impact on the program. Each of them brings something unique to the program. The way each one individually approaches the game fits our overall philosophy. I firmly believe that this group is going to help us win a national championship.
The class of five includes three players from New York, one for Baltimore and one from Virginia. One plays defense, with two at midfield/defense and two at midfield/attack.
Kailene Abt is a three-sport athlete from Huntington High School in Huntington, N.Y. A four-year starter in field hockey, basketball and lacrosse, Abt plays midfield/defense and is team captain of Huntington’s lacrosse team. A first team All-Suffolk County selection from 2004-06, she will serve as team captain this season. A member of the Long Island Yellow Jackets club team, she helped them to the `04 and `05 national club championship and in `05-’06 was selected first team all-Galaxy. She is also a member of the USA Under-19 National Training Team and has twice played in the US Lacrosse national tournament, helping New York 1, along with incoming freshman Shaylyn Blaney, to the national tournament championship in 2006. In three seasons of lacrosse, she has scored 103 goals and 63 assists for 166 points. A versatile player with good speed and an aggressive style, Abt will add size to the Irish roster.
Coyne on Abt: “Kailene is a “whatever it takes” kind of player with a great can-do attitude. She is very versatile and can play a variety of positions, depending on the match up. She’s only scratched the surface of her potential and can become a top Division I lacrosse player early in her career. She’s aggressive and has a size advantage she’s just learning to exploit. Kailene will give us flexibility on how we match up against other teams.”
Shaylyn Blaney is a talented midfield/attack player who is a two-time high school All-American from Ward Melville High School in Stony Brook, N.Y. A member of the USA Under-19 National Training Team this fall, Blaney is one of the top women’s lacrosse recruits in the nation. As a junior last season, she had 57 goals and 14 assists for 71 points and in three seasons at Ward Melville has 208 goals and 51 assists. An all-county selection as a sophomore and a junior, Blaney also plays for the Long Island Express club team. A three-time member of the New York Region team that participated in the US Lacrosse national championship, Blaney, along with Kailene Abt, were members of the 2006 national championship team. She also has been a member of three Empire State teams, winning a gold medal last summer and silver medals in `04 and `05.
Coyne on Blaney: “Shaylyn has the ability to be an impact player for us next season. She is a tough, hard-nosed competitor who never quits. Her athleticism and competitiveness are unparalleled. She runs the midfield and is an impact player all over the field. She’s the type of player who raises the game of her teammates while she continues to improve herself. I can’t wait to have Shaylyn and Jillian Byers on the field at the same time.”
Jackie Doherty comes to Notre Dame from the top high school program in the country, as selected by Lacrosse Magazine and Laxpower.com, Mt. Hebron High School in Ellicott City, Md., where she helped lead that team to the Howard County and Maryland State championship as a junior in 2006. A first-team all-County and all-Metro selection, Doherty led Mt. Hebron in ground balls, blocks/interceptions, caused turnovers and was second in draw controls. She had 16 goals and four assists while playing defense. Following the season, she was selected to the high school all-Tewaartaon team. She is also plays for the M&D Lacrosse Club and was selected first team all-Galaxy. She also participated in the national tournament with the Mid-Atlantic I team.
As a sophomore, she helped lead Mid-Atlantic 1 to the national championship and was a first team selection. An honorable mention All-American in 2005, Doherty was first team all-county and second team all-Metro, as Mt. Hebron was again the nation’s top high school program. Doherty also is a four-year member of the Mt. Hebron basketball team and was first team all-county in 2006 and a second-team selection in “04 and `05.
Coyne on Doherty: “Jackie is an impact midfield/defender who will step in and play right away. She comes from the top high school program in the country and knows what it takes to win. She’s athletic, tough and very competitive and she is one of the players who will help lead us to a national championship. Jackie has great defensive instincts along with speed and quickness. She will be a great midfielder for us in the coming years. She is the total package.”
Lauren Fenlon joins the Irish from Dayton, Md., and plays lacrosse and basketball for Good Counsel High School . She is currently a member of the USA Under-19 Training Team and was a high school All-American as a junior in 2006. The lacrosse team captain, Fenlon has started on defense for four seasons and has helped Good Counsel to three WCAC titles. A teammate of Jackie Dohery on the M&D lacrosse club team, Fenlon is a tough, tenacious defender who continues to improve her all-around game. An outstanding student, she was an Academic All-American in 2006and has been a member of the basketball team for two seasons, winning two city championships while being ranked 10th in the nation.
Coyne on Fenlon: “Lauren is a tough, driven, defender who is excellent in one-on-one situations and will be a top match-up defender. We lose two key defenders to graduation this year and we looked for a player who can step in and play. Lauren is that type of player. She will push others to get better. She’s a fighter who’s tough, scrappy and battles hard all the time. I look for her to continue to improve all aspects of her game.”
Ansley Stewart joins the Irish from Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Va. where she plays midfield/attack. A US Lacrosse All-American as a junior in 2006, Stewart helped lead Episcopal to the Virginia State championship while scoring 63 goals with 71 assists. She was selected all-Virginia by the Washington Examiner and was an all-Independent School League (ISL) and all-State selection. A member of the Capital Lacrosse Club, she has participated in two US Lacrosse national tournaments, playing for Mid-Atlantic 2 in `06 and Mid-Atlantic 4 in `05. This fall, she serves as team captain of the Episcopal field hockey team and was selected all-ISL as a junior and senior.
Coyne on Stewart: “Ansley is a talented and versatile player who plays end-to-end for the full 60 minutes, that’s what sets her apart for others. She never stops working. She has the stick skills and shot selection to score the game-winning goal or set up the game-winning play and does all the little things well. She has a great deal of untapped potential and will only get better. I’m excited to have her join our lineup next fall.”
2007-08 Notre Dame Women's Lacrosse Recruits
Player Pos. Ht. Hometown/SchoolKailene Abt M/D 5-11 Huntington, N.Y./HuntingtonShaylyn Blaney M 5-4 Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward MelvilleJackie Doherty D/M 5-6 Ellicott City, Md./Mt. HebronLauren Fenlon D 5-10 Dayton, Md./Good CouncilAnsley Stewart M/A 5-8 Alexandria, Va./Episcopal