COLLEGE PREVIEW 2013 NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN TOP 20
2012 RECORD: 21-1 (9-1 NESCAC) COACH: KATE LIVESAY (7TH SEASON)
TRINITY BANTAMS 1
At a time when we see high school freshmen committing to colleges, defending NCAA Division III champion Trinity exists as a throwback. Half of the Bantams eight-person senior class committed regular decision.
And they have proven good things come to those who wait. Trinity’s Class of 2013 has hosted the NESCAC tournament as the No. 1 seed in each of its fi rst three seasons, notched the fi rst NCAA championship in school history in 2012 and now give the Bantams a legitimate chance to become the fi rst repeat Division III champion since 2006. Being patient paid off for Trinity. It’s easy to be picky when your institution consistently ranks among US News and World Report’s top 40 liberal arts colleges and your women’s lacrosse team has lost just one game in each of the past two seasons. “Trinity is a school that a lot of people will consider,” coach Kate Livesay said. “It’s just a matter of getting them to be serious about applying.” Four of the Bantams’ eight seniors — Mallory Hinman, Haley Thompson, Olivia Whitney and Hadley Duncan — made their intentions known early. Those decisions worked out. Whitney, a goalie, fi nished ninth in Division III in goals against average in 2012. Duncan led Trinity with 57 goals. The four who waited — Megan Leonhard, Kaitlin Hildebrand, Lauren Slattery and Hillary McNamara — have
Mar 9 Babson Mar 10 Springfi eld Mar 16 Williams Mar 18 at Mary Washington Mar 20 at Catholic Mar 23 at Bates Mar 27 at Connecticut College Mar 30 Tufts Apr 6 at Bowdoin Apr 7 at Colby Apr 13 Middlebury Apr 16 Wesleyan (Conn.) Apr 20 at Hamilton Apr 24 at Amherst
left similar imprints. Hildebrand scored a hat trick, including back-to-back goals to put the Bantams up for good, in Trinity’s 8-7 win over Salisbury in the NCAA fi nal. Leonhard is a two-time All-American.
This senior class makes it tough to bet against the Bantams in 2013, even after the graduation of two key cogs in their zone defense, Liza Beckler and Liz Bruno. The seniors are certainly up to the task — it will fall on Leonhard to step into Bruno’s defensive midfi eld role — but sophomore Caroline Hayes could be a breakout star.
Hayes and Leonhard combined for 48 goals and 69 assists in 2012. Those numbers could drop with an increased focus on defense out of the midfi eld, but the Bantams boast a ton of talent up front. “In terms of our starting attack, I don’t think we have a weak link,” Livesay said.
Hildebrand, Duncan and junior Shea Kusiak have started together on attack for the last two years. Livesay will leave it up to the seniors to decide who gets what touches when. “They’ve certainly made an impact on the program,” Livesay said. “It will be exciting to see what kind of legacy they leave.”
— M.M. A Publication of US Lacrosse
Megan Leonhard
RIVAL COACHES SAY “You have to be ready for their defense... They don’t let you relax... You can’t realize how hard it is to win the NESCAC... Kate Livesay and the coaches always have them prepared.”
TOP RETURNER M Megan Leonhard (Sr.) The two-time All-American has caused a combined 53 turnovers in the past two seasons. Look for that number to increase as the talented scorer (46 goals in 2012) steps into the defensive midfi elder void vacated by the graduated Liz Bruno.
X-FACTOR M Caroline Hayes (So.) Hayes started as a
freshman alongside two All- American midfi elder and still managed to put up solid stats (26 goals, 35 draw controls, 16 caused turnovers.) She will take on an even larger role in year two, benefi tting from the company she keeps.
TELLING NUMBER 7.09
PROJECTED STARTERS
A Hadley Duncan (Sr.)* G: 51 A: 5
A Kaitlin Hildebrand (Sr.) G: 14 A: 9
A Shea Kusiak (Jr.)* G: 21 A: 15
A Molly Cox (So.) G: 1
A:0 (at Boston University)
M Lindsay Mullaney (So.) G 3 GB: 9
M Megan Leonhard (Sr.)* DC: 53 GB: 49
M Caroline Hayes (So.)* G: 23 DC: 35
D Mallory Hinman (Sr.)* GB: 42 CT: 30
D Hillary McNamara (Sr.) * GB: 34 CT: 16
D Midge Daniel (Jr.) GB: 4 CT: 3
D Lyndsey Shepard (Jr.)* GB: 20 CT: 7
G Liv Whitney (Sr.)* GAA: 7.12 SV%: 38.6
* returning starters
in 2012, ninth-best in Division III. That average dropped to 4.8 in the NCAA tournament.
February 2013 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 81
Goals per game allowed by Trinity’s stifling zone defense
©JIM O’CONNOR (ALL)
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