VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Amanda Riesmeyer of Michigan and Sydney Liebl of St. Thomas have been named as the Division I and Division II winners, respectively, of the 2019 Amtahcha Award as the players of the year in the US Lacrosse Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA). Both players were honored during ceremonies on Wednesday evening.
Riesmeyer, a senior defender, is a two-time All-American and was the national defender of the year in 2018 as she helped lead the Wolverines to the national championship. This season, she has helped Michigan to a 14-3 record and the No. 5 seed for this week’s Division I national championship tournament in Virginia Beach.
Liebl, a senior midfielder, led St. Thomas to a 12-0 record this season. She is this year’s Division II national midfielder of the year in addition to the Amtahcha Award winner. St. Thomas begins play Thursday as the number three seed in the Division II national championship tournament.
The Amtahcha Awards were established in 2012 through a gift from Dr. Larry Feldman, founder of LaxPower.com, to the US Lacrosse Foundation.
In addition to the Amtahcha Award winners, the 2019 WCLA All-Americans and major award winners in each division were named.
2019 WCLA Division I National Awards
Player of the Year (Amtahcha Award) - Amanda Riesmeyer – Michigan -Senior
Attacker of the Year -- Karina Yamasaki - UCLA - Senior
Midfielder of the Year -- Emma Shahabi – UCLA - Junior
Defender of the Year -- Sarah Fried – Michigan -Senior
Goalie of the Year -- Anna Downs - Boston College - Jr
Rookie of the Year -- Kelli McKinnon -San Diego St - Fresh
Coach of the Year -- Destiny Moore - Oregon State
For the Love of the Game -- Stephanie Alpizar - Oregon
Jenn Eames Award -- Virginia Tech
2019 WCLA Division II National Awards
Player of the Year (Amtahcha Award) -- Sydney Liebl - St. Thomas – Senior
Attacker of the Year -- Michaela Hoffmann - St. Thomas –Junior
Midfielder of the Year -- Sydney Liebl - St. Thomas - Senior
Defender of the Year -- Kirsten Brown - Grand Valley State – Senior
Goalie of the Year -- Hannah Hinde -Utah Valley – Junior
Rookie of the Year -- McKenna Huber -Utah State –Fresh
Coach of the Year -- Krista Call -Utah State
For the Love of the Game -- Jasmine Rangel -Hardin-Simmons
Jenn Eames Award – Navy
WCLA All-Americans – Division I First Team
Position |
Name |
School |
Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | Karina Yamasaki | UCLA | Senior |
| Attack | Shannyn Westgarth | San Diego State | Senior |
| Attack | Alexandra Schepers | Georgia | Fresh |
| Attack | Meghan Darcy | Cal Poly | Soph |
| Attack | Annie Quinn | Boston College | Junior |
| Midfield | Emma Shahabi | UCLA | Junior |
| Midfield | Kendall Fitzgerald | UCLA | Senior |
| Midfield | Sophie Kamanski | UCLA | Junior |
| Midfield | Kelli McKinnon | San Diego State | Fresh |
| Midfield | Tess Anderson | BYU | Senior |
| Midfield | Allie Level | UC Berkeley | Soph |
| Midfield | Juliann Carroll | Cal Poly | Senior |
| Defense | Sarah Fried | Michigan | Senior |
| Defense | Amanda Riesmeyer | Michigan | Senior |
| Defense | Jules Lynch | Pitt | Junior |
| Defense | Rachel Sevcik | Georgia | Senior |
| Defense | Sally Nason | UCLA | Soph |
| Goalie | Anna Downs | Boston College | Junior |
| Goalie | Maddie Collins | Michigan | Soph |
WCLA All-Americans – Division I Second Team
Position |
Name |
School |
Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | Sarah Conley | Boston College | Soph |
| Attack | Becca Outcalt | Texas | Fresh |
| Attack | Anna Park | Michigan | Fresh |
| Attack | Kierin Ratliff | Pitt | Fresh |
| Attack | Jennifer Sanderson | Georgia | Senior |
| Midfield | Heather Haight | BYU | Senior |
| Midfield | Riley Meehan | Georgia | Soph |
| Midfield | Elizabeth Maisch | Pitt | Junior |
| Midfield | Madeleine Mele | Texas | Senior |
| Midfield | Maria Keener | Virginia Tech | Soph |
| Midfield | Alana George | Cal Poly | Senior |
| Midfield | Allie Scannapieco | Delaware | Soph |
| Defense | Emma Walter | Delaware | Senior |
| Defense | Anna Flach | Virginia Tech | Senior |
| Defense | Emily Nutter | Pitt | Junior |
| Defense | Allison Sigdestad | Cal Poly | Junior |
| Defense | Caroline Grasso | Delaware | Junior |
| Goalie | Emily Carella | Virginia Tech | Senior |
| Goalie | Katie Honebrink | Pitt | Senior |
WCLA All-Americans – Division II First Team
Position |
Name |
School |
Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | Michaela Hoffmann | St. Thomas | Junior |
| Attack | Kelly O'Krepkie | Loyola Maryland | Junior |
| Attack | Jaclyn Mullen | Grand Valley State | Junior |
| Attack | Jasmine McDonald | Oakland Univ. | Soph |
| Attack | Naomi Hunsaker | Utah State | Soph |
| Midfield | Sydney Liebl | St. Thomas | Senior |
| Midfield | Faith Ritchie | Utah State | Junior |
| Midfield | Koty Coats | Oakland Univ. | Senior |
| Midfield | Sophie Smith | Denver | Senior |
| Midfield | Lauren Mann | Grand Valley State | Senior |
| Midfield | Kelly Coyne | St. Thomas | Fresh |
| Midfield | McKenna Huber | Utah State | Fresh |
| Defense | Kirsten Brown | Grand Valley State | Senior |
| Defense | Brooke Sawyer | Oakland Univ. | Junior |
| Defense | Anna DiSaverio | Denver | Soph |
| Defense | Kendall Qualey | St. Thomas | Senior |
| Defense | Hanna Venier | Utah State | Fresh |
| Goalie | Alicia Zeller | Grand Valley State | Senior |
| Goalie | Hannah Hinde | Utah Valley | Junior |
WCLA All Americans – Division II Second Team
Position |
Name |
School |
Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | Abbie Waechter | Grand Valley State | Junior |
| Attack | Melanie Alnaraie | Oakland Univ. | Fresh |
| Attack | Michaela Smith | Loyola Maryland | Senior |
| Attack | Chloe Doctor | Denver | Fresh |
| Attack | Madelyn Blair | Portland State | Soph |
| Midfield | Michaela Juels | UC San Diego | Senior |
| Midfield | Aimee Bowen | Utah State | Fresh |
| Midfield | Ashley Llewellyn | Loyola Maryland | Soph |
| Midfield | Megan Lynch | Denver | Fresh |
| Midfield | Courtney Sweeny | New Hampshire | Senior |
| Midfield | Nola O'Connor | Oakland Univ. | Senior |
| Midfield | Lija Miller | Denver | Fresh |
| Defense | Brianna McCoy | Oakland Univ. | Senior |
| Defense | Kelsy Hoemke | Grand Valley State | Senior |
| Defense | Caroline Painter | Denver | Senior |
| Defense | Emily O'Keefe | New Hampshire | Fresh |
| Defense | Jenna Siegelbaum | Loyola Maryland | Junior |
| Goalie | Molly McCormack | Providence College | Senior |
| Goalie | Maria Davila | Oakland Univ. | Fresh |