Drexel, Stony Brook, Delaware Collect Major Awards for 2023 CAA Women’s Lacrosse Season
Miles McQuiggan
RICHMOND, Va. (May 3, 2023) – Drexel hauled in three major awards for the 2023 CAA Women’s Lacrosse season, while Stony Brook earned two, and Delaware collected one as part of end-of-year accolades voted on by the league's eight head coaches and announced Wednesday.
The big winner in the regular season hardware was Drexel goalkeeper
Jenika Cuocco, who notched Goalkeeper of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors. Cuocco is the first of 29 Rookies of the Year in league history to add a second major award in her rookie campaign.
Cuocco was joined by Drexel teammate
Corinne Bednarik (Attacker of the Year) among the major award winners, while CAA regular season champion Stony Brook earned two honors with
Ellie Masera named Midfielder of the Year and
Joe Spallina as Coach of the Year. Delaware’s
Madison Hranicka was selected as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Cuocco’s first season between the pipes for the defending CAA Champions has been a stellar one. The Long Islander is third in the nation in save percentage (.533) and 12
th in goals-against average (9.08) for a Drexel team that enters the conference tournament at 12-4 and 5-2 CAA with sights set on a third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Cuocco was CAA Rookie of the Week seven times this season – two more than the previous conference record.
Hranicka’s impact on Delaware’s defense has helped lead the Blue Hens to their second consecutive CAA Championship appearance this weekend. The senior from New Jersey is third nationally in caused turnovers per game (3.07) with her 46 total caused turnovers are a program single-season record and eighth in CAA history. Hranicka was CAA Defensive Player of the Week three times this season for a Delaware squad that stands at 9-8 and 4-3 in the CAA.
Masera was a unanimous selection for the league’s inaugural Midfielder of the Year honor after a stellar regular season for regular season champion Stony Brook. The Long Islander ranks sixth nationally in goals per game (3.87), 11
th in points per game (4.87), and 20
th in draws per game (6.27) for a Stony Brook team that has been ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation this spring and stands at 12-3 on the year with a 7-0 mark in the CAA. Masera is a Tewaaraton nominee, was IWLCA National Player of the Week on Tuesday, and collected CAA Player of the Week honors four times in 2023.
Bednarik has been the CAA’s top scoring attacker in 2023 while also adding contributions to the draw unit. The senior from Pennsylvania has notched 2.81 goals and 4.12 points per game – both second in the league behind Masera and the top mark among attackers – while ranking sixth in the conference with 4.12 draws per game. Bednarik also collected USA Lacrosse Magazine National Player of the Week honors in March and a CAA Player of the Week accolade in February.
Spallina and the newcomer Seawolves made a statement in their inaugural CAA season, as Stony Brook went 7-0 in league play to bring the nation’s longest winning streak against conference competition – 67 games since 2014 – from the America East into the CAA. Stony Brook’s defense allowed 6.0 goals per game in CAA games, besting the 6.7 allowed by the 2018 James Madison team that went on to win a national title as the lowest in the shot clock era. The Seawolves’ 123 goals in league play are 12 more than the previous record of 111 set by William & Mary in 2009.
The four teams in the CAA Championship combined for 11 of the 12 first-team All-CAA selections with Stony Brook, Towson, and Drexel each earning three and Delaware two. Stony Brook’s seven picks between the first and second teams led all programs; all eight teams earned at least one of the 26 selections.
2023 All-CAA Women’s Lacrosse Honors
First Team
Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown
Corinne Bednarik Drexel A Sr. Glenmoore, Pa.
Kailyn Hart Stony Brook A Sr. North Babylon, N.Y.
Lindsey Marshall Towson A Jr. Columbia, Md.
Delaney McDaniel Delaware A So. Severna Park, Md.
Milana Zizakovic Towson A So. Alberta, Canada
Ellie Masera Stony Brook M Jr. Eastport, N.Y.
Cassidy Orban Monmouth M Gr. Long Valley, N.J.
Blair Pearre Towson M Sr. Pikesville, Md.
Madison Hranicka Delaware D Sr. Mendham, N.J.
Clare Levy Stony Brook D Jr. Rocky Point, N.Y.
Belle McHugh Drexel D Sr. Berwyn, Pa.
Jenika Cuocco Drexel GK So. Sound Beach, N.Y.
Second Team
Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown
Caroline Brennan Monmouth A So. Downingtown, Pa.
Sarah Cipolla William & Mary A Sr. Glenwood, Md.
Taylor Mennella Hofstra A Sr. Smithtown, N.Y.
Morgan Mitchell Stony Brook A Sr. Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.
Jaden Hampel Stony Brook M Jr. West Islip, N.Y.
Hayleigh Simpson Drexel M R-Sr. Ellicott City, Md.
Charlotte Verhulst Stony Brook M Sr. St. James, N.Y.
Lizzie Yurchak Delaware M Jr. Lancaster, Pa.
Maura Cissel Drexel D Gr. Annapolis, Md.
Julia Dalmass Elon D Sr. Moorestown, N.J.
Haley Dillon Stony Brook D Gr. Mount Sinai, N.Y.
Brianna Falco Monmouth D Sr. Sparta, N.J.
Olivia Malamphy Towson D Sr. Crofton, Md.
Jo Torres Towson GK Jr. Prince Frederick, Md.
2023 CAA Attacker of the Year: Corinne Bednarik, Drexel
2023 CAA Midfielder of the Year: Ellie Masera, Stony Brook
2023 CAA Defensive Player of the Year: Madison Hranicka, Delaware
2023 CAA Goalkeeper of the Year: Jenika Cuocco, Drexel
2023 CAA Rookie of the Year: Jenika Cuocco, Drexel
2023 CAA Coach of the Year: Joe Spallina, Stony Brook
2023 CAA Women’s Lacrosse All-Rookie Team
Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown
Shea Berigan Monmouth A Fr. Hingham, Mass.
Luchianna Cardello Hofstra GK Fr. Massapequa, N.Y.
Jenika Cuocco Drexel GK So. Sound Beach, N.Y.
McKenzie Didio Delaware A Fr. Westport, Conn.
Kate Draddy William & Mary M Fr. Charlotte, N.C.
Morgan Gore Delaware M Fr. Crofton, Md.
Anna Hackett Elon M Fr. Sykesville, Md.
Ocea Leavy Towson M Fr. Perth, Australia
Maresa Moyer William & Mary M Fr. Crofton, Md.
Jessie Penner Elon D Fr. Summit, N.J.
The 2023 CAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship begins Thursday afternoon at Tiger Field on the campus of Towson University. Stony Brook and Delaware will start the day at 12 p.m. with Towson and Drexel to follow at 2:30 p.m. Both games, along with Saturday’s final (12:30 p.m.), can be seen on LacrosseTV.
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