Laura Cook Named NEC Coach of the Year; 3 Pioneers Earn All-NEC Honors
5/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
May 4, 2006
FAIRFIELD, CT (May 4, 2006) - The Sacred Heart women's lacrosse team placed three players on the All-Northeast Conference first or second team and head coach Laura Cook was named the NEC Coach of the Year by the league office Thursday afternoon.
Junior Heather Gureckis (Nashua, NH) earned All-NEC honors for the first time in her career being named to the first team. Gureckis was second on the team in scoring with 33 points coming off 27 goals and six assists. She had one game-winner and four free-position scores on the year. She also led the team in ground ball pick-ups with 37 while turning in 25 draw wins and 17 caused turnovers.
Junior Brianna Bubeck (Bethlehem, NY) and freshman Mary Montesarchio (Cortlandt Manor, NY) both were named to the All-NEC second team. Bubeck scored a team-leading 38 points this season, coming on a team-best 30 goals with eight assists. Ten of her 30 goals came via free-position shots and she netted two game winners. She led the team in draw wins with 32.
Montesarchio had a break-out freshman season scoring 21 goals and leading the team with 12 assists. She was four-of-seven on free-position shots and won 22 draws. Her 31 ground balls was second on the team and she forced 11 turnovers.
Pioneer head coach Laura Cook took home NEC Coach of the Year honors for the first time after leading the Pioneers to their best-ever NEC finish with a 7-1 league mark (7-9 overall) and second place standing to close out the regular season. SHU started the year 0-7 but closed out the final eight games with seven wins, including six-straight to earn their highest seeding in the tournament in their five trips.
