Evanston, Ill. - University at Albany's John Battaglino has been named WomensLax.com Division I Coach of the Year, as announced on Thursday, May 26 by the national website. UAlbany's Taylor Frink was chosen to the 25-player WomensLax.com Division I All-America squad.
Battaglino, the America East Conference Coach of the Year, is receiving national honors in his first season at the helm. He previously was UAlbany's associate head coach for one season after a productive stint as a Syracuse University assistant. Battaglino led the Great Danes to the America East regular-season and tournament championships, plus a school record for single-season victories. UAlbany (18-1) made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since the program became a varsity sport in 1992. The Great Danes defeated Dartmouth in the first round, before losing to second-ranked Northwestern in the NCAA quarterfinals.
UAlbany was the lone Division I program to go undefeated through the regular season and earned a national top-10 ranking in both the IWLCA and deBeer/Inside Lacrosse polls. The Great Danes were the third America East Conference team to win an NCAA Tournament game, as Boston U. advanced to the quarterfinals in 2005 and 2008. Under Battaglino's direction, UAlbany ranks second nationally in scoring defense at 7.32 goals per game, second in scoring margin (5.74 gpg) and 18th in scoring offense (13.05 gpg).
Frink, a senior attacker from Baldwinsville, N.Y., was one of 24 nominees for the Tewaaraton Award as the nation's top player. She ranks first in assists (2.58 pg) and tenth in scoring (4.37 points/game) among the nation's leaders. Frink established the program's single-season records for assists (49) and points (83). She broke a season coring mark that had stood since 1998.
A first-team All-America East selection, Frink is the first Great Dane to be nominated for the Tewaaraton Award. She finished first in assists (82), fifth in scoring with 171 points, and tied for tenth in goals (89) on the school's career lists. Frink also made the conference's all-championship team after setting a tournament record with eight assists.
**********
2011 WomensLax.com Division I All-America Team
Ashley Bruns, Attack (Florida), Kitty Cullen, Attack (Florida), Lindsey deButts, Defender (Princeton), Jasmine DePompeo, Attack (Navy), Brittany Dipper, Goalie (Maryland), Corey Donohoe, Attack (North Carolina), Lauren Dykstra, Midfield (Lehigh), Leslie Foard, Attack (Stanford), Taylor Frink, Attack (Albany), Katie Gallagher, Defense (Maryland), Grace Gavin, Attack (Loyola), Kristen Giovanniello, Goalie (Dartmouth), Grace Golden, Midfield (William & Mary), Emma Hamm, Attack (Duke), Mia Hurrin, Defense (North Carolina), Kristin Igoe, Midfield (Boston College), Jackie Lyons, Attack (Massachusetts), Colleen Magarity, Defense (Northwestern), Alayna Markwordt, Midfield (Ohio State), Sarah Mollison, Attack (Maryland), Katie Schwarzmann, Midfield (Maryland), Shannon Smith, Attack (Northwestern), Kat Thomas, Midfield (Duke), Taylor Thornton, Midfield (Northwestern), Laura Zimmerman, Midfield (North Carolina).
Player of the Year: Shannon Smith
Co-Attackers of the Year: Sarah Mollison and Grace Gavin
Midfielder of the Year: Katie Schwarzmann
Defender of the Year: Taylor Thornton
Goalie of the Year: Brittany Dipper
Rookie of the Year: Abbey Friend
Coach of the Year: John Battaglino
