COLONIA, N.J. (May 1, 2025) – Mercy University women's lacrosse senior Lindsey Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) has been named the East Coast Conference (ECC) Women's Lacrosse Defender of the Year for the third straight year, freshman Ashlinn Kelly (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) was tabbed Midfielder and Rookie of the Year and Head Coach Dawn Sachs was named Coach of the Year for the fifth time, headlining eight Mavericks named to the ECC All-Conference Teams. Shimborske, Kelly, senior Leah Hansen (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields), junior Emily Marino (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) and sophomore Riley Wallace (Islip, N.Y./Islip) were named First Team All-ECC and juniors Maeghan Callow (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) and Olivia LaMonica (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Township) and freshman Kayden Meyer (Mastic, N.Y./William Floyd) received Second Team honors.
Shimborske is named All-Conference for the fourth time in her career and has been named First Team All-ECC all four years on campus. With 112 draw controls, 57 ground balls, and 46 caused turnovers in 15 games, Shimborske anchored a Mercy defense that allowed just 9.47 goals per game, which led the ECC and ranked Top 30 nationally. The senior defender topped the ECC with 7.47 draw controls per game (seventh nationally), and sat second with 3.80 ground balls per game (12th nationally) and 2.40 caused turnovers per game (21st nationally). Against ECC competition, the four-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week totaled 44 draw controls across six games and dominated on the defensive end with 3GB, 4CT, and 10DC against Molloy, 4GB, 3CT, and 10DC against St. Thomas Aquinas, 5GB and 7CT against District of Columbia, and 6GB, 3CT, and 6DC against Roberts Wesleyan. Earlier in the season, Shimborske also went off for 17 draw controls against Adelphi.
Kelly was a key piece for the Mavs this spring, ranking second on the squad in points (57), goals (44), AND caused turnovers (24) and third in assists (13). The Mercy freshman midfielder and five-time ECC Rookie of the Week ranked fourth in the conference in caused turnovers per game (1.60) and seventh in the conference in points per game (3.80) and goals per game (2.93), topping ECC rookies in all three categories. Kelly came up big in conference games, starting off ECC play with four points (2G, 2A) against Daemen before putting up six points (4G, 2A) against Molloy. She added back-to-back five-point games (4G, 1A) against St. Thomas Aquinas and D'Youville, also putting up two ground balls, three caused turnovers, and seven draw controls against the Saints. She closed out her rookie regular season with a season-high eight points (5G, 3A) against District of Columbia and three goals with four caused turnovers against Roberts Wesleyan.
In her 13th year at the helm of the Mavericks, Sachs led Mercy to a 9-6 overall record and 5-1 mark in ECC play along with its fifth ECC Regular Season Championship and the No. 1 seed in this week's ECC Women's Lacrosse Championship. The Mavericks were ranked in this season's IWLCA national Top 25 eight times this season and sit in the Top 20 of NCAA Division II in shot percentage (.499, 14th), draw control percentage (.579, 16th), draw controls per game (15.60, 18th), and clearing percentage (.871, 19th).
Hansen is named First Team All-Conference for the second straight year. The one-time ECC Offensive Player of the Week has 50 goals, 19 assists, 69 points and 15 ground balls. She leads the team in goals, assists and points. The senior ranks fourth in the ECC in goals and points. Hansen had a season-high nine points in wins over D'Youville and UDC. The senior recorded her 200th career point during the season.
Marino is tabbed First Team All-Conference after being a Second Team selection last year. The junior has 23 caused turnovers and 30 ground balls, starting all 16 games. She ranks third on the team in caused turnovers and is second in ground balls. Marino had a season-high four ground balls and four caused turnovers in the win over Georgian Court.
Wallace receives All-Conference recognition for the first time. The sophomore has started all 16 games and has 44 goals, 11 assists, 55 points and 52 draw controls. The midfielder ranks third on the team in goals, points and draw controls. She had a season-high nine points on seven goals and two assists at Molloy on April 5th.
Callow takes home All-Conference honors for the first time. The junior has started all 16 games and has 16 goals, eight assists, 24 points, 61 draw controls, 30 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers. She ranks second on the team in draw controls and ground balls. Callow had a season-high four points on three goals and an assist in wins over New Haven and Daemen. The junior recorded her 100th career draw control during the season.
LaMonica is named All-Conference for the first time. The one-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week and IWLCA Division II Defensive Player of the Week is 10-6 in goal with 113 saves, a .459 save percentage and 9.81 goals-against average. The junior leads the ECC in goals against average, is second in save percentage and fourth in saves. She had a career-high 14 saves in the win over Roberts Wesleyan on April 27th.
Meyer is tabbed All-Conference following her first season as a Maverick. The freshman has started all 16 games and has 36 goals, 13 assists, 49 points, and nine ground balls. She is fourth on the team in goals and points. Meyer had a career-high eight points on three goals and five assists in the win at UDC on April 19th.
