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Pac-12 announces 2021 women's lacrosse postseason awards

May 5, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO - The Pac-12 Conference announced on Wednesday the 2021 Pac-12 Women’s Lacrosse postseason honors, including yearly award recipients and All-Conference teams, as voted on by the league's coaches. STANFORD's Ali Baiocco led a competitive group as Pac-12 Attacker of the Year, while USC’s Kelsey Huff was named Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year and COLORADO goalkeeper Julia Lisella earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year accolades. The Trojans also saw midfielder Madison Waters secure Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors, while ARIZONA STATE head coach Tim McCormack earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year.

ATTACKER OF THE YEAR: Ali Baiocco, Sr., A, STANFORD (Harding, N.J.)

One of the most dominant attackers in program history, Stanford senior Ali Baiocco earned her third career All-Pac-12 honor in 2021, pacing the Cardinal to an undefeated regular season (9-0 overall, 7-0 Conference play). Through nine regular-season games, Baiocco leads the league with 4.33 goals and 6.78 points per contest, as Stanford held the top mark for goals per game in Pac-12 play with 15.71. The Pac-12 Freshman of the Year on Stanford's 2018 Pac-12 Tournament title team, Baiocco earned Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors twice in 2021 (March 2, April 19) to give her five in her career. She currently holds the school-record for goals in a game with eight, a mark she achieved on February 28 against UC Davis and again on April 18 against USC, with her final goal against the Trojans clinching the Cardinal's first Pac-12 regular-season title. Baiocco helped lead Stanford to a No. 12 IWLCA ranking at the end of the regular season, and the No. 1 overall seed in the 2021 Pac-12 Women’s Lacrosse Tournament. 

MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR: Kelsey Huff, Sr., M, USC (Eastport, N.Y.)

With a stellar senior season, USC midfielder Kelsey Huff continued a tradition of Trojans earning Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year honors, as former USC star Kerrigan Miller won the award in both 2018 and 2019. Now a two-time All-Pac-12 First Team selection (2019, 2021), Huff has started in all of the Trojans’ 15 games in 2021, recording multiple goals on 11 occasions and delivering the game-winner against California on April 16. She ranks fifth in the Pac-12 with 87 shots, finding the back of the net 35 times, bringing her career total to 117. She also contributed six assists, 15 ground balls, six caused turnovers and 18 draw controls as USC finished 9-6 overall and 6-3 in Conference play. 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Julia Lisella, Sr., GK, COLORADO (Littleton, Colo.)

A staple in net for the Buffaloes over the last several seasons, Colorado senior Julia Lisella secured her third All-Pac-12 honors, earning First-Team All-Conference for the second time. A four-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, Lisella has started all 13 games this season, posting a save percentage of 49.1 while allowing just 10.64 goals per game. She leads the Conference with 134 saves, giving her 510 for her career. With Lisella leading the defense, Colorado ranked second only to undefeated Stanford in goals surrendered per contest. Lisella has earned Pac-12 All-Tournament team accolades in the previous two Conference tournaments, and will begin this year’s tournament with a semifinal matchup against No. 2 USC. 

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Madison Waters, M, USC (Bayport, N.Y.)

In her first year with the Trojans, freshman midfielder Madison Waters saw action in all 15 games and started seven. She finished the regular season with 21 goals, including six multi-goal games and three hat-tricks, scoring a career-high four goals in a one-goal win over California on April 16. As a key contributor in USC’s midfield, Waters added 20 ground balls, 12 caused turnovers and three draw controls. 

COACH OF THE YEAR: Tim McCormack, ARIZONA STATE 

After his first season with the program was cut short in 2020, Arizona State head coach Tim McCormack elevated the Sun Devils to a 9-5 overall record and 5-4 mark in Pac-12 play in 2021 - record win totals in both categories for the fourth-year program. The team’s offense led the entire Conference in goals per game (16.79), converting a league-best 48.9 percent of shots into goals. Arizona State claimed Pac-12 Player of the Week honors a Conference-leading 10 times in 2021, including three-time winner Berkeley Bonneau. In the two years prior to McCormack’s arrival in Tempe, Arizona State had just two Player of the Week awards total. Under McCormack, the team earned three 2021 All-Pac-12 First Team selections (Carley Adams, Bella Gaspar, Emily Glagolev) and three 2021 All-Pac-12 Second Teamers (Berkeley Bonneau, Maura Cissel, Kerri Clayton). The No. 4 Sun Devils will open the 2021 Pac-12 Tournament with a quarterfinal matchup against No. 5 California, seeking their first ever tournament win. 

2021 PAC-12 WOMEN'S LACROSSE ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
 

FIRST TEAM

Name Pos. Year School
Carley Adams A Sr. Arizona State
Ali Baiocco A Sr. Stanford 
Lizabanks Campagna D Sr. California
Bella Gaspar D Fr. Arizona State
Emily Glagolev A Sr. Arizona State
Sadie Grozier A Sr. Colorado
Kelsey Huff M Sr. USC
Julia Lisella GK Sr. Colorado
Maddie McDaniel M Sr. USC 
Kyra Pelton D Sr. Stanford
Mikaela Watson M Sr. Stanford
Kate White D Gr. Colorado

SECOND TEAM

Name Pos. Year School
Berkeley Bonneau GK Sr. Arizona State
Maura Cissel D Sr. Arizona State
Kerri Clayton A Gr. Arizona State
Ella Heaney A So. USC
Hanna Hilcoff A So. Oregon
Jacie Lemos M Sr. Stanford
Galen Lew A Sr. Stanford
Genesis Lucero M Sr. Stanford
Izzy McMahon A Sr. USC
Charlie Rudy A Jr. Colorado
Madison Waters M Fr. USC
Nikki Zaccaro A Sr. California