Hartwick Women's Lacrosse: Awards fall on women’s lacrosse players as 2010 wraps up

A trio of Hartwick College women's lacrosse players were recognized as the Empire 8 announced its 2010 All-Conference teams. Sophomore midfielder Brittany LaVaute and sophomore defender Emily Piedigrossi each garnered E8 Honorable Mention. Junior Hannah Kennedy was selected to the Sportswoman of the Year Team.

Brittany LaVaute led the Hawks in several offensive categories this season including goals scored, 29, free-position goals, 11, assists, 9, and points, 38. She was the only player on the team to score in every game this year, including a career-best six goals versus Elmira College. LaVaute also contributed 30 draw controls 23 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers. LaVaute also earned team MVP for the 2010 season.

Emily Piedigrossi played as a defender and midfielder throughout the season for Hartwick starting all 13 games. She contributed to the 'Wick offense with four goals and two assists. Piedigrossi recorded 12 caused turnovers which ranked 3rd on the team and added 16 ground balls and 14 draws.

Hannah Kennedy was Hartwick's representative on the E8 Sportswoman of the Year Team for consistently maintaining a high level of sportsmanship and fair play throughout the 2010 campaign. Kennedy scored 15 goals and dished out six assists this season to bring her two-year total to 29 goals and 10 assists. Kennedy also was the 2010 recipient of the selective Carrie Fridmann Memorial Award.

Three Hartwick women's lacrosse players, Bianca Gianfrate, Jen Kaye and Emily Walsh each earned IWLCA Academic Merit Roll distinction. The group was among 281 student-athletes in DIII women’s lacrosse to earn this high honor.

Gianfrate, a three-year starter and junior captain this past season for Hartwick, is one of the Hawks' top defenders and has played every minute of every game since arriving here as a freshman. She led Hartwick in caused turnovers this season and was third in ground balls. She is double majoring in Political Science and Psychology at 'Wick.

Kaye, also a captain last season, has been the Hawks' starting goalkeeper for two of her three seasons. The junior from Altamont, NY has registered 303 saves in over 1500 minutes in cage and has picked up 121 ground balls and 46 caused turnovers. She has also tallied 14 times and added three assists over her career and was named ECAC and Empire 8 Goalie of the Week in 2009. Kaye, a Business major, is also entering her final season as a Hartwick field hockey player this fall.

Walsh, an Art History major, has been one of the Hawks' top scorers in her first two seasons with the program. She led 'Wick in scoring in her first year with the team, tallying 24 goals and five assists, and added 17 goals and five assists this past spring.

Along with being recognized through the IWLCA, this group along with sophomore Hannah Kennedy collected the Philip S. Wilder Jr. Award for Academic Distinction through Hartwick College. This award is named for a former Hartwick College president and is given to any student-athlete carrying a cumulative GPA over a 3.5.

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