IWLCA Honors Four Ivies With All-American Status

IWLCA All-American Teams | Synapse Sports Postseason Awards

Portions of this story courtesy of Cornell, Penn and Princeton Athletic Communications and Dartmouth Athletics Communications

PRINCETON, N.J. -- The Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) announced its All-American teams on Monday, and four Ivy League women’s lacrosse players were among the 48 student-athletes selected. The IWLCA will honor the National All-Americans at its All-American banquet on June 16, 2012 at the Radisson Hotel Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pa.

Dartmouth senior midfielder Sarah Plumb, the 2012 Ivy League Player of the Year, was named first-team All-American, while Cornell senior defender Cacki Helmer received second team accolades. Princeton senior defender Lindsey deButts and Penn junior midfielder Maddie Poplawski each earned third team status.

Plumb's most recent national recognition came after she led her team with 49 points on 37 goals and 12 assists in 2012. She set new career (155) and single-season (82) records for both Dartmouth and the Ivy League on draw controls this year and was a key contributor to the Big Green as it earned its second straight NCAA Tournament berth.

Helmer is Cornell's first All-America athlete at any level since Tissy O'Connor was on the second team in 2009. The Big Red's last first-team All-American was Sarah Averson in 2003. Helmer caused a team-high 33 turnovers during the season and added 48 groundballs. She averaged 3.06 groundballs and 2.06 caused turnovers per game, both tops in the Ivy League and seventh and eighth in the country, respectively.

After a stellar four years with the Tigers, deButts ranks ninth in the program in caused turnovers with 92 and 10th in draw controls with 99. She also totaled 132 ground balls for her career. She helped to guide Princeton to two NCAA quarterfinal appearances and the 2011 Ivy League Tournament Championship. deButts earned three first-team all-region and All-Ivy League honors in her career.

Poplawski led the Ivy League in draw controls as the Quakers won a sixth consecutive Ivy League championship. She exploded during her junior campaign for 29 goals and 31 points. A consummate midfielder, Poplawski led the Quakers with 61 draw controls (second in the Ivy League) and was second with 27 groundballs. She had four goals and an assist during the Ivy League Tournament to earn All-Tournament honors.

The awards just kept on coming, as Synapse Sports also announced its postseason women’s lacrosse awards. Plumb was named to the first team there as well, while Penn senior attack Erin Brennan and Cornell senior attack Jessi Steinberg joined deButts and Poplawski on the third team. Quakers freshman Taylor Foussadier was named to the All-Rookie squad.