IWLCA Players of the Week – April 16, 2024

The IWLCA has chosen 11 student-athletes for the IWLCA Player of the Week awards for the week ending April 14, 2024. This weekly award recognizes the best offensive and defensive performances by players in Division I, II, III, and the NAIA each week during the regular season.

Co-Offensive Player of the Week

Erin Coykendall – Northwestern University

In a 19-10 victory over Ohio State, Coykendall showcased her playmaking ability by registering two goals and assisting on six others, tying her season-high for assists which she previously achieved against Central Michigan. She currently leads the team with 40 assists on the season and is third in total points (67).

Co-Offensive Player of the Week

Chase Boyle – Loyola University Maryland

In Loyola’s 21-11 victory against No. 17 Princeton, Boyle showcased her scoring prowess by netting a career-high eight goals. She continued her offensive contributions with three goals in another win against Boston University. In addition to her scoring ability, Boyle also demonstrated her proficiency in controlling possession by adding a total of 20 draw controls to her stat line throughout the week.

Co-Defensive Player of the Week

Mel Josephson – University of Virginia

In a thrilling 13-12 victory over No. 3 Boston College, Josephson recorded 10 saves while maintaining an impressive save percentage of .454 throughout the game. Josephson's impact was particularly significant in the first half, where she made six crucial stops, helping to build a five-goal lead for the Cavaliers. Her stellar play between the posts played a pivotal role in keeping Virginia competitive, especially when Boston College mounted a six-goal comeback. Josephson's efforts were instrumental in limiting BC’s high-scoring offense to just 12 goals, more than five goals below their season average of 17.64. This exceptional defensive performance contributed significantly to Virginia's first victory over Boston College since 2016 and their first win over a top-three opponent since 2015.

Co-Defensive Player of the Week

Fallon Vaughn – Yale University

In a pivotal matchup against No. 22 Harvard, Vaughn recroded a game-best five caused turnovers, tying for the most in a game by a Bulldog this season. Her disruptive presence on the field played a crucial role in Yale's impressive 16-8 victory, marking just the second time this season that Harvard has been held to fewer than 13 goals in a game. Harvard entered the game ranked fourth nationally in scoring offense, averaging 16.80 goals per game. Vaughn's exceptional defensive efforts were instrumental in limiting their scoring opportunities and contributing to the team's defensive success. In addition, Vaughn also made significant contributions in controlling possession by tallying four draw controls, tied for the team lead, and securing three ground balls.

Offensive Player of the Week

Maeve Johnson – Bentley University

Johnson had another big offensive week to help the Falcons to two more wins. She had six goals and four assists in a win over Southern New Hampshire for her second-straight game with double-digit points. She then had four goals and two assists in Saturday's 15-6 win at No. 22 Saint Anselm. For the week, Johnson totaled 16 points - 10 goals and six assists. 

Defensive Player of the Week

Alex Walling – University of Tampa

Walling played a pivotal role between the pipes in Tampa's victories over No. 13 Lynn University and No. 17 Rollins College. Against Lynn, Walling recorded 11 saves on 20 shots faced, allowing just nine goals to secure the away victory. Against Rollins, Walling made a season-high 15 saves on 26 shots faced, while allowing only 11 goals. In total, Walling accumulated an impressive 26 saves on 46 shots faced throughout the week.

Offensive Player of the Week

Olivia Lai – Wesleyan University

Lai (Basking Ridge, N.J.) was at her best in a 3-0 week for the No. 7 Cardinals, recording 15 goals and one assist for 16 points (5.3 points per game) in the three games to go along with six ground balls. Lai, who is third all-time at Wesleyan in career goals, started the week with four goals and one assist to go along with a season-high four ground balls in a 16-12 win over No. 22 Trinity College. Lai then went for five goals on five shots in a 14-7 win over Hamilton on Saturday. The graduate student closed out the week with one of the best performances of her career, matching her career-high with six goals in a 13-10 win over No. 2 William Smith College at home to give the Cardinals their third win over a Top 5 ranked team this season. 

Co-Defensive Player of the Week

Molly Green – Rowan University

Also named New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Defensive Player of the Week, Green showcased her versatility and defensive strength in a 1-1 week for the Profs. In the 19-9 win over Kean, Green tied her career-high with five goals, contributing significantly to Rowan's win as they snapped a five-game losing streak and won their NJAC opener. Additionally, she amassed 11 ground balls, seven caused turnovers, and 11 draw controls in this game, showcasing her impact on both ends of the field. Earlier in the week, despite falling to No. 3 Franklin & Marshall, Green continued her stellar play, recording a team-high four goals and added one assist, along with six ground balls, four caused turnovers, and seven draw controls.

Co-Defensive Player of the Week

Caroline Wise – Ithaca College

Wise once again dominated the draw circle in Ithaca's two wins last week as she won a total of 28, including a career-high 17 in IC's upset of No. 2 William Smith, 16-3. Wise then won 11 draws in a 20-5 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Wise reached 500 career draws win this week as well. She would also score three goals with two assists, to go along with five ground balls.

Offensive Player of the Week

Madison Andrews – Keiser University

Leading the Seahawks to two crucial wins, Andrews’ 12 points and seven assists led the team in both categories. After missing the first four games of the season and slowly making her way back to the starting lineup, Andrews is up to second on the team in points and is tied for the lead with 22 assists.

Defensive Player of the Week

Jocelyn Vander Zwaag – Lawrence Technological University

Zwaag accounted for eight total goals in a 3-0 week for the Blue Devils. In an all-around performance, Zwaag recorded four draw controls, caused 12 turnovers and collected 13 ground balls. She added eight goals to her stat line as well. Leading the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, the Blue Devils finished the regular season 12-1 on the season, 8-0 in conference play and look towards the WHAC Tournament set to begin on Thursday, April 18 inside Blue Devils Stadium.