IWLCA Names 2022 Division III Players of the Year

Four student-athletes honored

The IWLCA has named four All-Americans from Division III as positional Players of the Year. The Division’s selection committee has also chosen one of the positional honorees as the Player of the Year.

Jane Earley earns the honor of Division III Player of the Year after closing out a stellar championship performance this season, guiding the Panthers to a 2022 NCAA Division III National Title and earning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. Earley tied a career-high with six goals and added an assist to lead all players with seven points in the title game. She finished the season with a school-record 80 goals and set Middlebury’s new single-season scoring record with 99 points. She also finished with the second-highest point total for a tournament with 26. Prior to hitting the National stage, the junior was listed as an All-American for a second time in her career, while also garnering NESCAC Player of the Year honors. She is a NESCAC first team All-Conference and All-Region honoree and leads the league in goals and points. Earley’s offensive performance this season has also earned her IWLCA Attacker of the Year.

Anna Clarke earns the IWLCA Midfielder of the Year honor after registering a team-high 112 draw controls and posting 42 goals and nine assist for 51 points. Clarke went 17 for 30 (.567) at the free position and recorded 15 caused turnovers and 18 ground balls on the season. Clarke’s strength in the midfield played a major role in Tufts reaching its second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship game, its third consecutive “Final Four.” Clarke is now a two-time IWLCA All-American First team honoree and NESCAC First Team All-Conference selection.

Mary Pat McKenna was a defensive powerhouse this season for the Diplomats, causing 29 turnovers and collecting 39 ground balls. Against nationally-ranked Haverford during the Centennial Conference semifinals, McKenna recorded her season-best in caused turnovers (four) and ground balls (four). The junior is now a two-time IWLCA All-American as well as a two-time first-team All-CC and All-Metro Region honoree.

Molly Laliberty was outstanding as Tufts last line of defense in goal. She has tallied 198 saves for a .545 save percentage for the season. In the post-season, including three NESCAC Tournament games and five NCAA Tournament games, she has stopped 80 of 144 shots for a .555 save percentage. Prior to her NCAA National Championship Semifinal and Title game appearances, Laliberty ranked seventh in the nation with a .545 save percentage and her 7.92 goals-against average was 14th in Division III. Laliberty is now a two-time NESCAC All-Conference and IWLCA All-American honoree. This is also her second career IWLCA Goalie of the Year award.