In a recent announcement made by the conference office, four members of the Navy women’s lacrosse team were named to the 2023 All-Patriot League Team. The four all-league selections from Navy, Athena Corroon, Leelee Denton, Emily Messinese, and Ava Yovino, were all named to the first team.
36 student-athletes were selected to the two All-Patriot League teams, with 19 earning a spot on the first team and 17 on the second. All 10 Patriot League teams were represented on the all-conference list, with Loyola leading the way with nine All-League selections. Army and Lehigh added six apiece, Navy boasted four, while Boston University had three honorees. American, Bucknell, and Holy Cross each placed two on the All-League teams, while Colgate and Lafayette rounded out the teams with one apiece.
While 14 of the 36 All-Patriot League selections were multi-year honorees, all four of Navy’s selections earned the honor for the first time in their Midshipmen career. The two All-Patriot League teams were made up of 16 seniors, nine juniors, seven sophomores, and two freshmen, along with a pair of graduate students.
The selection process involved Patriot League women’s lacrosse head coaches, who voted on the All-League teams and major awards. However, they were prohibited from voting for their student-athletes or themselves.
Overall, the Navy women’s lacrosse team can be proud of their representation on the All-Patriot League Team, with four deserving players earning the honor. Their hard work and dedication have clearly paid off, and they can look forward to a bright future both as individual players and as a team.
First Team All-Patriot League
Athena Corroon – Defender | Sr. | 5-8 | Greenwich, Conn. | Sacred Heart Greenwich
The Navy defensive captain closed out the regular season with a team-best 41 ground balls to go with a team-high 26 caused turnovers. In addition, Corroon netted two goals and added a pair of assists for four total points, while also winning a pair of draw controls. The senior won four Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors in her final season, while ranking in the top five in the Patriot League in ground balls per game (3rd) and caused turnovers per game (4th). Corroon anchored the defense that limited eight opponents (four Patriot League) to single-digit goals, while helping stop opponents’ top attackers and providing pivotal assistance in the transition game.
Leelee Denton – Attacker | Jr. | 5-9 | Nashville, Tenn. | Harpeth Hall
Denton was third on the team with 41 total points and 36 goals scored to end the regular season – the most among Navy attackers. In addition, she was third on the team with eight multi-goal games in 17 games played with seven hat tricks, including four hat tricks against conference opponents. Denton, who was the US Lacrosse Division I Player of the Week on March 21, ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA in shot percentage (16th), while ranking in the Top 15 in the Patriot League in shot percentage (3rd), free-position goals per game (10th), goals (13th), and goals per game (14th).
Emily Messinese – Midfielder | So. | 5-4 | Manchester, Md. | Gerstell Academy
Messinese led the team with 42 goals, while adding 10 assists for 52 total points in the regular season. Additionally, the won 53 draw controls, picking up 22 draw controls and causing 10 turnovers. The sophomore ranked in the top 15 in the Patriot League in shots (3rd), shots on goal (3rd), goals (6th), goals per game (7th), points (14th), and points per game (14th). Messinese scored at least one goal in every game this season with 12 multi-goal performances and seven hat tricks, including three hat tricks against ranked opponents.
Ava Yovino – Midfielder | Fr. | 5-8 | Parkland, Fla. | St. Thomas Aquinas
Yovino led the team with 85 points on 39 goals and a team-best 46 assists during the regular season. Throughout the year, she was named to the Tewaaraton Watch List (first freshman in Navy history to be named to the list), Inside Lacrosse Midseason All-American (Third Team), Inside Lacrosse Power 100 Freshman Preseason Watchlist, and Patriot League Midfielder of the Week, while earning four Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors. Yovino finished the regular season of her rookie campaign ranked in the top 5 in the NCAA in points (3rd), points per game (4th); assists (4th); and assists Per Game (4th) – leading the Patriot League in all four categories; while ranking in the top 15 in conference in goals (8th), goals per game (11th), shot percentage (11th), shots per game (10th), and shots on goal per game (12th).
2023 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Major Awards
- Attacker of the Year: Georgia Latch, Loyola (So.)
- Midfielder of the Year: Jillian Wilson, Loyola (Gr.)
- Defensive Player of the Year: Katie Detwiler, Loyola (Gr.)
- Goalkeeper of the Year: Lauren Spence, Loyola (So.)
- Rookie of the Year: Brigid Duffy, Army (Fr.)
- Coach of the Year: Michelle Tumolo, Army
2023 Women’s Lacrosse First-Team All-Patriot League *
Attackers (8):
- Julia Franzoni, Army (Sr.)
- Kathleen Sullivan, Army (Sr.)
- Jennifer Barry, Boston University (Sr.)
- Olivia Memeger, Lehigh (Jr.)
- Gabby Schneider, Lehigh (Sr.)
- Georgia Latch, Loyola (So.)
- Sydni Black, Loyola (Jr.)
- Leelee Denton, Navy (Jr.)
Midfielders (6):
- Brigid Duffy, Army (Fr.)
- Jolie Riedell, Army (Sr.)
- Chase Boyle, Loyola (So.)
- Jillian Wilson, Loyola (Gr.)
- Emily Messinese, Navy (So.)
- Ava Yovino, Navy (Fr.)
Defenders (3):
- Ella Payer, Bucknell (Sr.)
- Katie Detwiler, Loyola (Gr.)
- Athena Corroon, Navy (Sr.)
Goalkeepers (2):
- Hayley Hunt, Lehigh (Jr.)
- Lauren Spence, Loyola (So.
2023 Women’s Lacrosse Second-Team All-Patriot League *
Attackers (6):
- Julia Gorajek, Army (Sr.)
- Allie Boyce, Bucknell (So.)
- Kyra Lucey, Colgate (Jr.)
- Lauren Drillock, Holy Cross (Jr.)
- Emma Eberhardt, Lehigh (Sr.)
- Emily Wills, Loyola (Sr.)
Midfielders (3):
- Hannah Spease, American (Jr.)
- Claire Gola, Boston University (Sr.)
- Cassie Marte, Lehigh (Sr.)
Defenders (6):
- Jordan Mitchell, American (Jr.)
- Cathleen Parker, Army (Sr.)
- Charlotte Wittstock, Holy Cross (Sr.)
- Julia DiConza, Lehigh (So.)
- Logan Olmstead, Loyola (Sr.)
- Lily Osborne, Loyola (So.)
Goalkeeper (2):
- Reilly Agres, Boston University (Sr.)
- Lexie Coldiron, Lafayette (Jr.)
* – Additional members of the first and second teams due to ties in the voting