May 8, 2009

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Maryland junior Caitlyn McFadden headlines the 2009 ACC Women's Lacrosse individual postseason honors, as announced by the league office on Friday. The Tewaaraton Trophy finalist and 2008 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-American is recognized alongside teammate Karri Ellen Johnson and Terrapin head coach Cathy Reese.

McFadden, a finalist for the 2009 Tewaaraton Trophy, an award annually given out to the nation's top women's lacrosse player, has racked up a team-best 77 points this season for the undefeated 19-0 Terps. The Phoenix, Md., native ranks in the top three in goals (48), assists (29), points (77), ground balls (23), draw controls (36), and caused turnovers (17) for second-ranked Maryland, while also ranking 11th in points, 37th in goals and 23rd in assists nationally. A tri-captain for Maryland, McFadden has led a youth-laden squad that did not regularly start a senior to an unblemished regular season, an ACC championship and the program's 20th consecutive bid to the NCAA tournament.

McFadden was also tabbed ACC Women's Lacrosse Tournament Most Valuable Player in addition to landing on the All-ACC team for the second-straight season. This year's Player of the Year honor marks the fourth time in ACC women's lacrosse history that it has been given to the same person who won the league's championship MVP.

Reese, who is only in her third season at the helm of the Maryland program, led the Terrapins to an unblemished 19-0 2009 record, including a convincing 5-0 ACC mark. The honor marks the Ellicott City, Md., native's second ACC Coach of the Year title as Reese returned to her alma mater in 2007 and guided the Terps to a 16-4 record, including a first-place finish in the ACC en route to collecting her first Coach of the Year award. This season, Reese's Terps have paced the ACC in goals, assists, points, shots and shot percentage, while tallying the team's highest win total since 2001.

Johnson, a rookie attacker, helped pace the second-ranked Terrapins with a team- and conference-high 65 goals this season. That marks the highest single-season total for a freshman in Maryland program history and is tied for seventh among all players. The newcomer from Annapolis, Md., earned Player of the Week honors twice this season, in addition to being named to both the All-ACC team and the league All-Tournament team. Johnson also led the conference in goals and ranks second in points.

The Atlantic Coast Conference received four bids to the upcoming NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship for the fifth consecutive year as ACC champion Maryland earned the league's highest seed at No. 2 and will play host to Colgate. North Carolina claimed the No. 3 seed and will face Towson. No. 5 seed Duke plays host to the league's fourth pick and an at-large selectee Virginia. First-round (Sunday, May 10) and quarterfinal games (Saturday, May 16) will be played on the campuses of competing institutions. The winners of the four quarterfinal games will advance to the semifinals and final hosted by Towson University May 22 and 24 at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Maryland. The semifinal games will be broadcast live on CBS College Sports Network at 6 and 8:30 p.m. ET, Friday, May 22. The championship game will be broadcast live at 5:30 p.m., Sunday, May 24. Tickets for the semifinals and final can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.

2009 ACC Individual Honors

Player of the Year: Caitlyn McFadden, Maryland

Coach of the Year: Cathy Reese, Maryland

Rookie of the Year: Karri Ellen Johnson, Maryland