HADLEY, Mass. – The NESCAC announced its year-end awards for women’s lacrosse today. Middlebury’s Hope Shue was selected as the Offensive Player of the Year while Colby’s Kat Munter was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Amherst newcomer Lily Samoska was voted the Rookie of the Year while the Middlebury staff was selected as the Coaching Staff of the Year by its peers.
Shue becomes the fifth NESCAC Women’s Lacrosse player to earn Offensive Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons. She is the fourth Panther in a row to earn the accolade. The attack also picked up her fourth All-NESCAC accolade with a spot on the First Team for the third consecutive season. Shue leads the NESCAC in goals (63) and points (88) as she helped Middlebury post an unbeaten mark in the NESCAC (10-0), earn the top seed in the NESCAC Tournament, and advance to the semifinals. Shue is Middlebury’s all-time leader in goals (283) and points (360). The Panthers’ season continues as they earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Munter is the second Colby Mule to be named NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year (Emilie Klein, 2017). The senior, who also earned a spot on the All-NESCAC First Team, anchored the Colby defense that has allowed the fourth-lowest goals in the conference (135) and just 7.95 goals per game this season. Munter ranks fifth in the NESCAC in ground balls (37) and has totaled 25 caused turnovers. In the NESCAC Semifinal game versus Tufts, Munter recorded five ground balls, three caused turnovers, and six draw controls. The Mules’ season continues with an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Samoska is the second straight Mammoth to be voted NESCAC Rookie of the Year and is the third Amherst player since 2018 to garner the honors (Mia Raven, 2024 / Maia Noyes, 2018). The newcomer started all 16 games in net this season and ranks among the top 10 NESCAC goalies with a 10.22 goals against average. Samoska averaged 6.25 saves per game and posted a .389 save percentage. The Mammoths qualified for the NESCAC Tournament for the 23rd time in program history and the fourth year in a row. Amherst received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Middlebury staff was honored as the NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year. The 2025 season marks the 11th time the Panther coaches were recognized with the award. Led by head coach Kate Livesay and assistants Amy Patton and Olivia Seymour, the Panthers posted an unbeaten NESCAC season (10-0) for the fourth straight season and advanced to the NESCAC Semifinals. Middlebury stands at 16-1 and earned a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament.
2025 NESCAC Women’s Lacrosse Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Hope Shue, Middlebury
Defensive Player of the Year: Kat Munter, Colby
Rookie of the Year: Lily Samoska, Amherst
Coaching Staff of the Year: Middlebury (Kate Livesay, Olivia Seymour, Amy Patton)
| All-NESCAC First Team |
|
|
|
|
| Pos-Name |
School |
Yr |
Hometown |
Previous Honors |
| A - Margie Carden |
Tufts |
Sr. |
Newtown Square, Pa. |
2024 1st Team, 2023 1st Team, 2022 2nd Team |
| A - Maggie Coughlin |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Hanover, Mass. |
|
| A - Julia Jardina |
Colby |
Sr. |
Louisville, Ky. |
2024 1st Team, 2023 2nd Team |
| A - Emily Petersen |
Amherst |
Jr. |
Mountain Lakes, N.J. |
|
| A - Hope Shue |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Dover, Mass. |
2024 OPOY, 2024 1st Team, 2023 1st Team, 2022 2nd Team |
| A - Allie Zorn |
Tufts |
Jr. |
Bedford, Mass. |
2024 2nd Team |
| M - Madeline Delaney |
Tufts |
Gr. |
Boxford, Mass. |
2024 1st Team, 2023 2nd Team |
| M - Mia Raven |
Amherst |
So. |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
2024 ROY, 2024 2nd Team |
| M - Kiara Tangney |
Wesleyan |
Sr. |
Reading, Mass. |
2024 1st Team, 2023 2nd Team |
| D - Genna Gibbons |
Tufts |
Sr. |
Menlo Park, Calif. |
2024 2nd Team |
| D - Brynn Korpi |
Amherst |
Sr. |
Rye Brook, N.Y. |
|
| D - Kat Munter |
Colby |
Sr. |
Elkridge, Md. |
2024 1st Team |
| D - Madison Paylor |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Ellicott City, Md. |
|
| D - Kylie Wilson |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Scituate, Mass. |
2024 1st Team, 2023 2nd Team |
| G - Caroline Pratt |
Williams |
Sr. |
Fairfield, Conn. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| All-NESCAC Second Team |
|
|
|
|
| Pos-Name |
School |
Yr |
Hometown |
Previous Honors |
| A - Caroline Adams |
Middlebury |
Jr. |
Norwich, Vt. |
2024 1st Team |
| A - Kate Coughlin |
Conn. College |
Jr. |
Reading, Mass. |
|
| A - Sam DeLeo |
Wesleyan |
Sr. |
Brewster, N.Y. |
|
| A - Bridget Finley |
Amherst |
Jr. |
Bronxville, N.Y. |
|
| A - Ella Lesperance |
Tufts |
Sr. |
Wayland, Mass. |
2024 1st Team |
| M - Ainsley Dion |
Colby |
Sr. |
North Andover, Mass. |
|
| M - Aine Downey |
Conn. College |
Sr. |
Brookline, Mass. |
2024 2nd Team |
| M - Emma Joyce |
Tufts |
Gr. |
Towson, Md. |
2024 2nd Team |
| M - Claudia Russell |
Williams |
Sr. |
Danville, Calif. |
2024 2nd Team, 2023 1st Team |
| D - Grace Collier |
Williams |
Sr. |
Old Greenwich, Conn. |
|
| D - Samantha Hark |
Trinity |
Jr. |
King of Prussia, Pa. |
2024 2nd Team |
| D - Maeve Olson |
Wesleyan |
Sr. |
Ridgewood, N.J. |
2024 2nd Team |
| D - Anna Paulmann |
Bowdoin |
Sr. |
Fairfield, Conn. |
|
| D - Sydney Weber |
Conn. College |
Sr. |
Hanover, Mass. |
|
| G - Izzy Weintraub |
Wesleyan |
Jr. |
Oceanside, N.Y. |
2024 1st Team |
