Caitlin Grant

NORTON, MA- Recent Wheaton College graduate Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) became just the fourth ESPN The Magazine Academic College Division All-America selection in school history, earning a spot on the at-large second team following a standout lacrosse career. Grant is the first Lyon to place higher than the third team and was the initial Wheaton student-athlete since 2004 to draw an Academic All-America accolade. Qualifiers are selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Grant joins Lisa Yenush '90, Dina Terceira '99 and Erin Duffy '05 as the four student-athletes in Wheaton history to draw Academic All-America honors. She was among 46 players selected to the three teams, and one of 15 on the second squad. Grant was also one of seven from a New England school, and one of four hailing from a Division III institution in the region. She was among a trio representing New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) schools.

One of the NEWMAC's top scorers, Grant almost matched her career totals from her first three seasons by recording 50 goals and 57 points this spring while appearing in all 16 games. She netted 11 hat tricks, recording at least four goals on six occasions, and at least tied for the team lead in scoring in 10 games. Grant finished ninth in program history in goals (110) and 10th in points (126).

In addition to being selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic College Division All-District I first team, which made her eligible for the national ballot, Grant earned NEWMAC All-Conference honors each of her final two years while landing on the conference's academic all-league team three times. In 2008, she earned a place on the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Honor Roll. A Dean's List qualifier during her career, Grant graduated with a degree in economics and a 3.81 cumulative grade-point average.

The College Division consists of NCAA Divisions II and III, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and two-year institutions. To be nominated for the Academic All-America program, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore in academic standing, possess at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA and be a starter or significant reserve.

Caitlin Grant

Grant was one of 10 athletes chosen for the first team and among 30 on a trio of squads, as she became the first player in her program's history to draw an all-district honor. She is the first Wheaton athlete since Barrett Roberts '07 in 2007 to secure a spot on a first team, which automatically places her on the Academic All-America ballot and leaves her eligible to become the school's first national honoree since the 2004-05 school year. Perkins, who joined Grant among eight New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) athletes to earn an accolade, became the second athlete from her program to receive honors. Abby Pratt '08 did so last school year.

A standout scorer, Grant nearly matched career totals entering the season by tallying 50 goals and 57 points while appearing in all 16 games this spring. She netted 11 hat tricks, recording at least four goals on six occasions, and at least tied for the team lead in scoring in 10 games. Grant graduated ninth in program history in goals (110) and 10th in points (126).

Grant earned NEWMAC All-Conference honors each of her final two years while landing on the conference's academic all-league team three times. In 2008, she earned a place on the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Honor Roll. A Dean's List qualifier and Wheaton Scholar-Athlete during her career, Grant had a 3.80 cumulative grade-point average through the fall semester while pursuing a degree in economics.

Stephany Perkins

Perkins, who competes for the outdoor track & field team during the spring season, was a member of Wheaton's 200-yard freestyle relay squad that earned an All-America honorable mention this past winter, the first such honor in program history. In helping the Lyons earn their first team placement, she competed in four events at the NCAA Championship. Perkins played a role in three school records and a league mark at the NEWMAC meet, notching two all-conference finishes. While pushing the team to a 9-6-1 mark and third place at the conference meet, she notched 17 event wins during the season.

During this past school year, Perkins earned NEWMAC Academic All-Conference laurels for both swimming & diving and outdoor track & field. A Dean's List qualifier, Perkins had a 3.88 cumulative GPA through the fall semester while working toward a degree in biology.

The District I College Division consists of all non-NCAA Division I colleges and universities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. To be nominated for the Academic All-America program, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore in academic standing, possess at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA and be a starter or significant reserve.

A second-team honoree as a junior, Grant earned first-team accolades this spring, while Thornton was named to the second squad in picking up her first career conference award.

Caitlin Grant

Grant nearly matched her career offensive totals from her first three years, tallying 50 goals and 57 points at attack while starting in all 16 games. She ranks fifth in the NEWMAC in goals per game and ninth in points per contest. Netting 11 hat tricks, Grant recorded at least four goals on six occasions while at least tying for the team lead in scoring in 10 games.

Against conference teams, Grant notched five hat tricks, including posting a career-high eight goals in a win versus Smith College. In league play, she finished sixth in the NEWMAC in goals per game and tied for 10th in points per contest. Grant completed her career ninth in program history with 110 goals and 10th with 126 points.

Bridget Thornton

From her midfield position, Thornton, who also served as a co-captain for the Lyons, tied for the third-most single-season assists in program history with 20. Thornton ranks fourth in the NEWMAC in overall assists per game and during league play tied for fifth in game-winning goals and was seventh in assists per contests.

Thornton tallied at least one point in all but three games and recorded at least three ground balls six times and at least three draw controls on six occasions. She turned in a pair of five-point performances and a combined 13 draws during two league wins. Thornton will leave Wheaton fifth in career assists (43), seventh in draw controls (103) and tied for eighth in games played (65).

Wheaton went 6-10 this season with a 2-4 league mark. The Lyons placed fifth in the conference standings and fell to Wellesley College in the first round of the league tournament.

The Wheaton College women's lacrosse team saw its season come to an end last week, as the fifth-seeded Lyons dropped a 16-5 decision at number-four Wellesley College in the first round of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament. In Wheaton's initial opening-round road game since 1999, senior Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) finished with her 11th hat trick of the season, netting three goals to end with 50 for the spring after totaling 60 in her first three years. Freshman Brittany Whynot (Fountain Hills, AZ/Fountain Hills) added two goals, and senior Bridget Thornton (Southington, CT/Cheshire Academy) notched two assists. Sophomore Marianna Marcellino (Milton, MA/Thayer Academy) made 16 saves while facing 40 shots.

Thornton finished fifth in program history in career assists (43), seventh in draw controls (103) and tied for eighth in games played (65) with senior Madeline Williams (Annapolis, MD/Key School), while Thornton's 20 helpers this year tied for third in a season at Wheaton. Grant ended up ninth in career goals (110) and 10th in points (126), while senior Abbie Sherwin (Rye, NH/Portsmouth) is 10th in draw controls (89). Sophomore Tess Meyer (Concord, NH/Concord) tied for eighth at Wheaton in single-season draw controls (46).

With the loss, Wheaton completes its season with a 6-10 mark. Wellesley will take a 9-7 record into the semifinal round of the tournament.

Senior Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) finished with her 11th hat trick of the season, netting three goals to end with 50 for the spring after totaling 60 in her first three years. She will graduate ninth in program history in career goals (110) and 10th in points (126).

Senior Bridget Thornton (Southington, CT/Cheshire Academy) saw her career come to a close by notching two assists, as she ended up fifth at Wheaton in assists (43). Freshman Brittany Whynot (Fountain Hills, AZ/Fountain Hills) added two goals, and sophomore Marianna Marcellino (Milton, MA/Thayer Academy) made 16 saves while facing 40 shots.

The Blue got on the board after just 54 seconds, but Grant tallied at the 27:03 mark of the first half, and the squads remained deadlocked until the hosts went on a 6-0 run during a 12:16 stretch. Grant converted freshman Sydney Ferguson's (Jamestown, RI/North Kingstown) pass to make it 7-2 at 6:03, but Wellesley scored the next four goals, with two coming in each half.

Whynot tallied twice and Grant once during a 3-1 Wheaton run during the first 10-plus minutes of the second half, making the score 12-5, but the hosts netted the final four markers.

Junior Molly Morrow (Bow, NH/Bow) led Wellesley with six goals, while sophomore Jenny Holland (Bethesda, MD/Sidwell Friends School) turned in five. Classmate Mary Mattia (Atlanta, GA/Lovett School) made six saves.

Josh Fisher

Chapman Beekman

Trent Faltin

Kyle Hudgins

The men's tennis and men's outdoor track & field teams were each represented by a school-best four athletes, as each set a program record for academic all-league nods.

Men's tennis junior Chapman Beekman (South Kingstown, RI/South Kingstown) drew his second career laurel, while classmate Kyle Hudgins (Uxbridge, MA/Uxbridge) and sophomores Trent Faltin (Durham, NH/Oyster River) and Josh Fisher (Ridgefield, CT/Wooster School) each earned his initial nod. Hudgins, who was also named all-conference for doubles this spring, totaled nine doubles victories and eight singles wins during the school year, helping the Lyons go 11-7. Beekman won his only singles match for a team that finished up 3-2 in the league and advanced to the tournament semifinals.

James MacCarthy

Scott Hafferkamp

Nick Kacher

Miles Souza

Senior Scott Hafferkamp (Merrimack, NH/Merrimack) earned his first track & field academic honor after qualifying for three as a member of the cross country team, while juniors James MacCarthy (Oakton, VA/James Madison) and Miles Souza (Norton, MA/Saint Sebastian's School) both drew their second award. Souza has also drawn a pair of cross country honors, while sophomore Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) nabbed his initial track & field accolade after qualifying for academic all-conference during the cross country season.

Caitlin Grant

Kate Kimball

Women's lacrosse senior Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) and junior Kate Kimball (Lexington, MA/Lexington) both earned laurels, with Grant placing on the team for the third time and Kimball drawing her first award. An all-conference pick as a junior, Grant paces the Lyons with 47 goals and 54 points prior to voting for next week's all-league teams. Kimball has started 14 games on defense for Wheaton, which is 6-9 overall heading into Wednesday's first round of the NEWMAC Tournament.

Stephany Perkins

Morgan Jamiel

A pair of women's track & field athletes round out Wheaton's academic all-conference contingent, as senior Morgan Jamiel (Warwick, RI/Toll Gate) qualified for her third honor and sophomore Stephany Perkins (Monmouth, ME/Monmouth Academy) drew her first for track & field after earning an accolade this past winter as a member of the swimming & diving squad. Jamiel narrowly missed out on an all-league finish at last weekend's NEWMAC Championship, taking third place in the 100-meter hurdles. The team came within 20 points of second place.

The NEWMAC sponsors seven spring sports: baseball, women's lacrosse, women's rowing, softball, men's tennis, and men's and women's track & field.

The Wheaton College women's lacrosse team lost both of its games last week, each a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) road affair, to complete its regular season slate. The Lyons suffered a 22-13 setback at Wellesley College on Tuesday before falling by an 18-4 count at nationally-ranked Babson College on Saturday. Wheaton enters this week's NEWMAC Tournament as the fifth seed and will travel to number-four Wellesley on Wednesday for a first-round contest at 4:30 p.m. The semifinals and final will occur this weekend at Babson.

At Wellesley, the Lyons trailed just 5-4 after nearly 12 minutes before coming up short. Senior Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) turned in a hat trick and an assist, while sophomore Tess Meyer (Concord, NH/Concord) recorded three goals. Senior Madeline Williams (Annapolis, MD/Key School) had two goals and two assists, while classmates Abbie Sherwin (Rye, NH/Portsmouth) and Bridget Thornton (Southington, CT/Cheshire Academy) each tallied twice. Junior Chrissy Norberg (Winchester, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) assisted a pair, and sophomore Marianna Marcellino (Milton, MA/Thayer Academy) made 13 saves.

Against Babson, which was ranked 13th in last week's national poll, Wheaton yielded the first six goals and never recovered. Williams scored twice, while Grant and Norberg each tallied once. Marcellino made eight stops between the pipes.

Meyer is 10th at Wheaton in single-season draw controls (44). Thornton is tied for fifth in program history in career assists (41) and is seventh in draw controls (102), while her 18 helpers this year are fifth in a season at Wheaton and are the most by a Lyon since 2004. Grant is ninth in career goals (107) and is two points shy of the top 10, while Sherwin is 10th in draw controls (87).

Wheaton, which fell to 6-9 overall and 2-4 in league play, secured the fifth seed in next week's NEWMAC Tournament, which begins on Wednesday. The Lyons will travel to fourth-seeded Wellesley College for a 4:30 p.m. start. The Beavers, who earned the top seed and a first-round bye, will host next weekend's semifinal and final rounds. Babson is 12-2 and 6-0.

Taking on a team carrying a nine-game winning streak and ranked 13th nationally according to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), Wheaton trailed the hosts 6-0 by the 20:21 mark of the opening half. Junior Chrissy Norberg (Winchester, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) made the score 6-1 before the Beavers went on their second 6-0 run to grab a commanding 12-1 advantage at 4:39.

Senior Madeline Williams (Annapolis, MD/Key School) scored as the clock horn sounded, which cut the Lyon deficit to 10 heading into the intermission, but Babson began the second half with its third 6-0 stretch for an 18-2 lead 16:55 into the stanza. Neither team scored for over 12 minutes the rest of the way, as Wheaton tacked on a pair of goals in the final 54 seconds, including another buzzer beater by Williams.

Williams paced the Lyons with two goals, senior Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) scored Wheaton's other tally, while sophomore goalie Marianna Marcellino (Milton, MA/Thayer Academy) finished with eight stops.

Babson junior Anna Collins (Winchester, MA/Winchester) totaled five goals and two assists, classmate Kaitlyn Pettengill (Hopkinton, MA/Hopkinton) also had five goals, and sophomore Sarah Macary (Woodbury, CT/Gunnery) stopped four shots in nearly 47 minutes.

With the loss, the Lyons slipped to 6-8 overall and 2-3 in league play, as they are now assured of the fifth seed in next week's NEWMAC Tournament. The Blue is 8-6 and 3-2.

Wheaton senior Bridget Thornton (Southington, CT/Cheshire Academy) tallied the initial goal of the contest after just 26 seconds, but Wellesley responded with four straight markers for a 4-1 lead by 24:43. The Lyons slowly edged closer, as sophomore Tess Meyer's (Concord, NH/Concord) goal at 23:10 was followed by a Thornton tally 34 seconds later.

After the Blue went back up by two, Lyon senior Madeline Williams (Annapolis, MD/Key School) made it 5-4 at 18:33. However, Wellesley countered just 17 ticks later, sparking a 3-0 spurt during a 1:32 stretch that turned into an 8-1 run. Senior Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) had the Wheaton goal in that span, and the Blue led 16-7 at the half.

Grant and Meyer scored 41 seconds apart early in the second stanza to bring Wheaton within seven, but the hosts eventually went up by as many as 12. Grant, Williams and freshman Sydney Ferguson (Jamestown, RI/North Kingstown) each tallied during the final eight minutes, as the Lyons ended the game on a 3-0 run.

Grant paced Wheaton with three goals and an assist, while Meyer also turned in a hat trick. Williams ended up with two goals and a pair of helpers, and Thornton and senior Abbie Sherwin (Rye, NH/Portsmouth) totaled two markers apiece. Junior Chrissy Norberg (Winchester, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) provided a pair of assists, while sophomore Marianna Marcellino (Milton, MA/Thayer Academy) made 13 saves.

Freshman Meredith Roy (Merrimack, NH/Phillips Exeter Academy) had six goals for Wellesley, and junior Molly Morrow (Bow, NH/Bow) ended up with five markers and two assists. Sophomore Jenny Holland (Bethesda, MD/Sidwell Friends School) finished with five goals, while classmate Mary Mattia (Atlanta, GA/Lovett School) made eight stops.

Wheaton completes its regular season slate at NEWMAC leader Babson College on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. The Beavers, who are ranked 13th nationally, carry a 5-0 league record.

The Wheaton College women's lacrosse team went 1-2 at home last week, snapping a five-game losing streak by downing Smith College, 21-8 in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest on Saturday. The Lyons slipped against league counterpart Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 7-3 on Tuesday before falling to non-conference foe Western New England College, 17-14 on Thursday. Wheaton is tied for fourth in the NEWMAC standings with two games left, as the top four seeds in the league tournament each host at least one postseason contest. During the week, senior Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) scored her 100th career goal, while classmate Bridget Thornton (Southington, CT/Cheshire Academy) reached the 100-point plateau.

In a defensive struggle, Grant scored each of the Lyons' three goals during a setback against MIT. Sophomore Marianna Marcellino (Milton, MA/Thayer Academy) made 15 stops between the pipes.

Wheaton's offense reappeared against the Golden Bears, but the hosts were unable to completely overcome a seven-goal deficit. Senior Madeline Williams (Annapolis, MD/Key School) and junior Chrissy Norberg (Winchester, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) each tallied four goals, while Grant turned in a hat trick and an assist. Junior Hanna Landis (Cape Elizabeth, ME/Cape Elizabeth) notched a marker and a helper, and Marcellino made nine saves.

In their regular season home finale, the Lyons were never threatened by Smith, gaining a 5-0 lead a little more than seven minutes into the contest. Grant totaled a career-high eight goals, Thornton finished with three goals and two assists, while Norberg had a hat trick and one helper. Sophomore Emma Doyle (Hamden, CT/Hamden) scored twice in her first game of 2009 after missing time with an injury, while freshman Hannah Ferris (Rye, NH/Portsmouth) tallied a pair of goals. Williams turned in three assists, and Marcellino made eight stops.

Thornton is tied for fifth in program history in career assists (41) and is seventh in draw controls (98), while her 18 helpers this year are fifth in a season at Wheaton and are the most by a Lyon since 2004. Grant is ninth in career goals (103), while senior Abbie Sherwin (Rye, NH/Portsmouth) is 10th in draw controls (85). Grant has 118 career points in 56 games, while Thornton has 102 points in 62 games.