The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its 2024 All-Conference awards for women's lacrosse. Individually, Meredith's Reese Walker was named Offensive Player of the Year while her teammate, Kenzie Todd, earned Rookie of the Year honors. Methodist's Kennedy Martin collected Defensive Player of the Year as her coach, Kirsten McKay, was named Coach of the Year to round out the individual awards. Additionally, the USA South recognized an All-Sportsmanship Team, consisting of one member from each competing school who their coach felt displayed the best sportsmanship this season.
All awards are voted on by the women's lacrosse coach at each institution.
Walker, a sophomore attacker from Fayetteville, North Carolina is the seventh Avenging Angel to be named USA South Offensive Player of the Year. Walker adds a player of the year award to her rookie of the year honor from a year ago to become just the third player in USA South history to be named player of the year and rookie of the year in back-to-back campaigns. Walker concluded the regular season second in the League with 79 points on 41 goals and 38 assists while her 6.08 points per game average led the USA South. She also complied 28 ground balls, 20 caused turnovers, and 12 draw controls this spring. Within Conference contests, Walker was tied for the Conference-lead with 54 points on 28 goals and 26 assists to go along with 14 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers. For her efforts, Walker earned First Team All-Conference accolades for the second consecutive season and was named USA South Player of the Week once this spring.
Martin, a senior midfielder from Wilmington, North Carolina collects USA South Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season becoming the first in League history to accomplish that feat. During the regular season, Martin compiled 58 draw controls, 46 ground balls, and 34 caused turnovers. She also added 47 points on 36 goals and 11 assists. Against Conference foes, Martin totaled 35 draw controls, 26 ground balls, and 21 caused turnovers. For her efforts this spring, Martin earned First Team All-Conference accolades at midfield for the second consecutive season and collected USA South Defensive Player of the Week twice.
Todd, a freshman attacker from Brookfield, Connecticut is the second consecutive and seventh all-time Avenging Angel to be named League Rookie of the Year. She finished the regular season ranked ninth in the Conference with 37 goals scored to go along with 16 assists while also adding 23 ground balls, 14 draw controls, and six caused turnovers. In USA South-only action this spring, Todd was ninth in the Conference with 21 goals to go along with ten assists. For her efforts, Todd earned First Team All-Conference honors this season at attack while also being named USA South Rookie of the Week four times.
In her first season at Methodist, McKay collects her first USA South Coach of the Year honor. This spring, she has led the Monarchs to the program's first undefeated Conference regular season winning a single-season record nine games. This is the second regular season title for the program, the first since the 2004 season. Overall, Methodist posted a 13-2 regular season record, the most wins in a single-season for the program. In the USA South preseason coaches poll, the Monarchs were picked to finish third.
| Offensive Player of the Year |
Defensive Player of the Year |
Rookie of the Year |
Coach of the Year |
Reese Walker
Meredith |
Kennedy Martin
Methodist |
Kenzie Todd
Meredith |
Kirsten McKay
Methodist |
The 2024 USA South Women's Lacrosse All-Conference Team:
| First Team |
Second Team |
Third Team |
Attack
Reese Walker, Meredith
Piper Searle, Southern Virginia
Kenzie Todd, Meredith
Midfielder
Lauryn Turner, Meredith
Kiah Baisden, Southern Virginia
Ava Trankina, Piedmont
Kennedy Martin, Methodist
Defender
Brooke Murrell, Methodist
Ellie Patterson, Southern Virginia
Frannie Rosone, Meredith
Goalie
Ashley Fuentes, Methodist |
Attack
Analise Robinson, Pfeiffer
Mikayla Ramos, Methodist
Maggi Spratlin, Piedmont
Midfielder
Tia Marlinghaus, Methodist
Payton Jones, Methodist
Julia Barbato, Pfeiffer
Arrianna May, Meredith
Defender
Katherine Couch, Meredith
Chloe Johnson, Pfeiffer
Tamar Tompkins, Piedmont
Goalie
Jordan Pendergraft, Pfeiffer |
Attack
Kayla Nee, Methodist
Xan Hill, Brevard
Aly Reece, Piedmont
Midfielder
Rosanna Espinosa-Ponce, Greensboro
Emily Denaga, Brevard
Addison England, Southern Virginia
Defender
Meagan Cox, Methodist
Baylee Bruce, Southern Virginia
Grace Blanton, Brevard
Sophie LeClaire, Meredith
Goalie
Madeline Horrell, Meredith |
| All-Sportsmanship |
Grace Blanton, Brevard
Emily Gearhart, Greensboro
Kylie Clune, Huntingdon
Ava Spradley, Meredith
Jalessa Batchelor, Methodist
Maxima Iglesias, N.C. Wesleyan
Skylar Davis, Pfeiffer
Cierra McFerrin, Piedmont
McKayla Martin, Southern Virginia
Elise Langer, William Peace |