School-Record Eight from Women's Lacrosse Named to 2024 IWLCA Division III Academic Honor Roll - Wheaton College (MA) (2024)

NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's lacrosse team placed a school-record eight student-athletes on the 2024 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Division III Academic Honor Roll. In addition, the Lyons were selected as an Honor Squad for the 2023-24 academic year, it was announced by the IWLCA.

Seniors Ailise Cannon (Kensington, N.H.), Avonlea LeBeau (North Branford, Conn.) and Abigail Mountain (Niantic, Conn.) were all tabbed to the Honor Roll for the second straight year, while juniors Talia Banglmaier (Kennebunk, Maine), Megan Cuddy (Natick, Mass.), Sophie Gromala (Killingworth, Conn.), Kilee Sherry (Gorham, Maine) and Gabs Smart (Oakland, Maine) were all selected in their first respective years of eligibility.

Student-athletes from institutions from the NCAA Division I, II and III level as well as NAIA are eligible for the award. To be eligible for this honor, student-athletes must be a junior, senior, or graduate student and have earned a cumulative academic grade point average of 3.50 or greater.

To qualify for the prestigious Honor Squad accolade, a women's lacrosse team must have posted a 3.2 or higher team grade point average for the academic year.

Wheaton posted a 3.48 team GPA for the academic year and has been named following each of the last 13 consecutive seasons that the honor has been bestowed, except for 2020 when no award was presented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The total of eight Lyons honored by the IWLCA surpasses last year's total of seven. Wheaton's total also puts it among the top 18% for the highest number of recipients in the nation by a Division III institution.

Cannon was one of three players on the team to start all 18 contests for the Lyons. The Biology and Psychology double major ranked ninth in the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference with 2.22 ground balls per game with 40 in 18 matches. The Exeter High School product registered 24 caused turnovers to rank just outside of the conference top 10 and was named the NEWMAC Defensive Athlete of the Week on April 1.

LeBeau was among the best in the nation on the draw, averaging 7.83 wins per game to place second in the NEWMAC and 18th in the nation. She racked up a school-record total of 141 in 18 contests for Wheaton. The Public Health and Sociology major also ranked sixth in the NEWMAC with 50 goals. Mountain started five of 17 matches that she appeared in, while recording career bests in ground balls (16) and caused turnovers (6). The Psychology, Public Health and Business & Management major also netted nine goals to go with five assists. The midfielder scored twice and added an assist in a 15-3 win at Simmons University on March 2.

Banglmaier started all 17 matches for the Lyons. The Biology major recorded 14 caused turnovers to stand third on the team, while adding 19 ground balls and an assist. Cuddy saw time in a pair of games for the Lyons. She is a Mathematics and Secondary Education double major. Gromala played in 12 matches, while scoring four goals and adding 10 assists. The Biology major added seven ground balls, a draw control and a career-best three caused turnovers.

Sherry raised her level of play on offense for the Lyons, with a career-high eight goals to go with two assists. The Biology major started 17 of 18 games and picked up 15 ground balls in addition to causing 14 turnovers to place third on the team. Smart also came of age as an offensive threat for Wheaton, racking up 19 points, including 11 goals. The Neuroscience major started all 18 games and connected on 58% of her shots, while registering 51 draw controls, 19 ground balls and seven caused turnovers.

The Lyons posted an 8-10 overall record, including 5-5 in the league. Wheaton bowed to No. 20 Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the opening round of the NEWMAC Tournament to close out their season.