Six Terps Selected as Preseason All-Americans
1/10/2023 2:00:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
COLLEGE PARK, MD – Six Terps, Shaylan Ahearn, Abby Bosco, Marge Donovan, Hannah Leubecker, Libby May and Emily Sterling have been named Preseason All-Americans by USA Lacrosse Magazine, it was announced Tuesday.
Both reigning Big Ten Players of the Year, Bosco and Sterling were named to the First Team, while Ahearn and Donovan were selected to the Second Team and Leubecker and May were chosen for the Third Team.
The Terps are tied with Boston College for the most players from any school on the three All-American teams.
A sixth-year defender, Bosco returns to Maryland to lead a defense that allowed only 7.81 goals per game, the second lowest mark in the country. Bosco's 63 groundballs were the most in the history of Big Ten lacrosse and the most by a Terp since 2004. The Big Ten Defender of the Year defended the opponent's best player, helping hold 17 of 21 opponents to under 10 goals. Bosco also led the team with 26 caused turnovers and stood second with 89 draw controls. The consensus First Team All-American was also a Tewaaraton nominee, named First Team All-Big Ten and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on March 8.
A senior goalie, Sterling was named the IWLCA National Goalkeeper of the Year in 2022 after finishing the year second in the nation in both save percentage (.531) and goals against average (7.87) and recording save percentage ever in Big Ten play at .626. The junior finished the year with 169 saves to only 149 goals allowed, had over a 50-percent save percentage in 12-of-21 games, had double digit saves in seven games and had a stretch of seven games from March 30 - April 30 where she had over a 50-percent save percentage in every game. Sterling was also a Honda Award Finalist, the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, an IWLCA First Team All-American, a Tewaaraton nominee, First Team All-Big Ten selection, a four-time National Player of the Week and five-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
A senior midfielder and draw specialist, Ahearn led the Terps with 115 draw controls in 2022, the eighth most in program history. Ahearn was a Third Team Inside Lacrosse All-American, a Second Team All-Big Ten selection and two-time Big Ten Midfielder of the Week. The Woodbine, MD native also totaled 11 goals, eight assists, 19 points, 10 groundballs and seven caused turnovers. She had at least nine draw controls in six different games and won 57-percent of all draw controls during the season, the 10th best mark in the country.
A graduate transfer defender, Donovan joins Maryland for the 2022 season after an illustrious career at Princeton, where she was named the Ivy League Defender of the Year, a Third Team IWLCA All-American, a First-Team All-Ivy selection and the Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2022 as she graduated as the Tigers all-time leader in career draw controls (214) and draws in a season (112 in 2022). Donovan is a three-time All-Ivy selection, 2022 Tewaaraton Watch List selection, 2019 Honorable Mention All-American and 2018 Inside Lacrosse All-Rookie Team honoree. She has played in 63 games with 61 starts and has totaled 214 draw controls, 122 groundballs and 83 caused turnovers with two goals and three assists throughout her career.
A senior attacker, Leubecker returns as a two-time IWLCA Third Team All-American. Last season, she was a key piece to a potent Maryland offense, standing third on the team in both points (71) and goals (62), while recording 19 groundballs, 10 draw controls and eight caused turnovers. Leubecker had at least one point in every game this season and at least a hat-trick in 13 of 10 games. Her second straight season with 50-plus points, Leubecker was a First Team All-Big Ten selection, a 2021 All-American and was selected as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week in March.
A senior attacker, May was second on the team in 2022 in both goals (64) and points (78), while shooting 56.6-percent. She also tallied 21 draw controls, 15 groundballs and caused nine turnovers. May was spectacular during the home stretch of the season last year, totaling 37 points (29 goals, eight assists) over the final seven games of the season. The Sparks, MD native was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection and both the Inside Lacrosse National Player of the Week and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on April 26.
Maryland, who is ranked No. 2 in USA Lacrosse Magazine's preseason poll, will open up the 2023 season vs. Saint Joseph's at SECU Stadium on February 10.
Both reigning Big Ten Players of the Year, Bosco and Sterling were named to the First Team, while Ahearn and Donovan were selected to the Second Team and Leubecker and May were chosen for the Third Team.
The Terps are tied with Boston College for the most players from any school on the three All-American teams.
A sixth-year defender, Bosco returns to Maryland to lead a defense that allowed only 7.81 goals per game, the second lowest mark in the country. Bosco's 63 groundballs were the most in the history of Big Ten lacrosse and the most by a Terp since 2004. The Big Ten Defender of the Year defended the opponent's best player, helping hold 17 of 21 opponents to under 10 goals. Bosco also led the team with 26 caused turnovers and stood second with 89 draw controls. The consensus First Team All-American was also a Tewaaraton nominee, named First Team All-Big Ten and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on March 8.
A senior goalie, Sterling was named the IWLCA National Goalkeeper of the Year in 2022 after finishing the year second in the nation in both save percentage (.531) and goals against average (7.87) and recording save percentage ever in Big Ten play at .626. The junior finished the year with 169 saves to only 149 goals allowed, had over a 50-percent save percentage in 12-of-21 games, had double digit saves in seven games and had a stretch of seven games from March 30 - April 30 where she had over a 50-percent save percentage in every game. Sterling was also a Honda Award Finalist, the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, an IWLCA First Team All-American, a Tewaaraton nominee, First Team All-Big Ten selection, a four-time National Player of the Week and five-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
A senior midfielder and draw specialist, Ahearn led the Terps with 115 draw controls in 2022, the eighth most in program history. Ahearn was a Third Team Inside Lacrosse All-American, a Second Team All-Big Ten selection and two-time Big Ten Midfielder of the Week. The Woodbine, MD native also totaled 11 goals, eight assists, 19 points, 10 groundballs and seven caused turnovers. She had at least nine draw controls in six different games and won 57-percent of all draw controls during the season, the 10th best mark in the country.
A graduate transfer defender, Donovan joins Maryland for the 2022 season after an illustrious career at Princeton, where she was named the Ivy League Defender of the Year, a Third Team IWLCA All-American, a First-Team All-Ivy selection and the Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2022 as she graduated as the Tigers all-time leader in career draw controls (214) and draws in a season (112 in 2022). Donovan is a three-time All-Ivy selection, 2022 Tewaaraton Watch List selection, 2019 Honorable Mention All-American and 2018 Inside Lacrosse All-Rookie Team honoree. She has played in 63 games with 61 starts and has totaled 214 draw controls, 122 groundballs and 83 caused turnovers with two goals and three assists throughout her career.
A senior attacker, Leubecker returns as a two-time IWLCA Third Team All-American. Last season, she was a key piece to a potent Maryland offense, standing third on the team in both points (71) and goals (62), while recording 19 groundballs, 10 draw controls and eight caused turnovers. Leubecker had at least one point in every game this season and at least a hat-trick in 13 of 10 games. Her second straight season with 50-plus points, Leubecker was a First Team All-Big Ten selection, a 2021 All-American and was selected as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week in March.
A senior attacker, May was second on the team in 2022 in both goals (64) and points (78), while shooting 56.6-percent. She also tallied 21 draw controls, 15 groundballs and caused nine turnovers. May was spectacular during the home stretch of the season last year, totaling 37 points (29 goals, eight assists) over the final seven games of the season. The Sparks, MD native was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection and both the Inside Lacrosse National Player of the Week and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on April 26.
Maryland, who is ranked No. 2 in USA Lacrosse Magazine's preseason poll, will open up the 2023 season vs. Saint Joseph's at SECU Stadium on February 10.
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