By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's lacrosse team has been named an Academic Honor Squad by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) for the 2021 season. In addition, six members of the Willamette women's lacrosse team have qualified for the 2021 NCAA Division III Academic Honor Roll as announced by the IWLCA. The six Bearcats are Emma Canchola (Jr., DEF, Oregon City OR/Oregon City HS), Victoria Glidden (Jr., DEF, Dover, NH/Phillips Exeter Academy), Nina Hernandez (Sr., DEF, Valencia, CA/Williams S. Hart HS), Ali Mackie (Jr., DEF, Santa Cruz, CA/Georgiana Bruce Kirby Prep), Alayna Newland (Sr., ATT, Everett, WA/Archbishop Murphy HS), and Anabel Ohsman (Sr., ATT, Snohomish, WA/Glacier Peak HS).
A total of 319 teams in all three NCAA Divisions and the NAIA were selected as IWLCA Academic Honor Squads. The teams had to achieve a 3.2 or higher team GPA on a 4.0 scale during the academic year in order to receive the award.
The IWLCA honored 766 student-athletes from 282 colleges and universities for their academic success. Each student-athlete qualified for Academic Honor Roll status by being a junior, senior, or graduate student with a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
"Our players worked extremely hard this year on the field and in the classroom, especially with all of the disruptions and obstacles of an untraditional school year," Willamette Head Women's Lacrosse Coach Sarah Lautenbach said. "It's impressive that collectively as a team we were so academically successful, but specifically for those six individuals who were recognized for being able to excel to that degree is outstanding."
The Bearcats finished the 2021 season with an 8-3 overall record, including a tie for second place in the Northwest Conference standings with a 7-3 mark. Willamette averaged 14.27 goals per game this season with a total of 157 goals. WU's scoring chart featured seven players with 10 or more goals. On defense, the Bearcats held their opponents to 110 total goals and just 10.0 goals per game.
IWLCA NCAA Division III Academic Honor Roll
Emma Canchola (Jr., DEF) is majoring in Archaeology with a minor in Classical Studies. This year, she was named First Team All-Northwest Conference for the second time after being chosen for the first time in 2019. She led the 2021 team with 39 ground balls. She also forced 13 turnovers. She competing in and started 10 of 11 games for the Bearcats.
In Canchola's career, she has contributed a school record 109 ground balls, including the Bearcats' single season record of 66 ground balls in 2019. Her career statistics also include 54 draw controls and 49 caused turnovers. She has played in 29 games and has been a starter in each of those games. In addition to her solid defensive efforts, she has scored one goal and one assist.
Victoria Glidden (Jr., DEF) is working toward a major in English while completing minors in Religion and Philosophy. In 2021, she was a starter in all 11 games, as she provided Willamette with 15 ground balls. She forced opponents into committing five turnovers. This year, she registered four ground balls against Corban in the season opener and against George Fox University on March 27.
During three seasons at WU, Glidden has seen action in 29 of 30 games -- all starts. In her first year in 2019, she scored seven goals and two assists. Her career totals include 41 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers.
Nina Hernandez (Sr., DEF) graduated from Willamette this year with a major in Mathematics. She started all 11 games this spring and supplied the Bearcats with 16 ground balls. She caused eight turnovers by opponents.
Hernandez has competed in -- and started -- all 30 games for the Bearcats since the women's lacrosse program began in 2019. During the first year, she scored two goals and two assists. Since then she has focused on helping lead the team's efforts on defense. In 2021, she recorded three ground balls against Corban on Feb. 27 and also earned three ground balls against Linfield University on April 3.
Ali Mackie (Jr., DEF) is completing a double major in History and Studio Art. She played in all 11 games in 2021, including two starts. She provided quality defense and was credited with two ground balls.
Mackie's career statistics include 14 games played -- every game since she arrived prior to the COVID-shortened 2020 season. She has registered five ground balls and forced three turnovers for the Bearcats. As the program has grown, she has given the team important minutes as a substitute. Her efforts made a big contribution to this year's success.
Alayna Newland (Sr., ATT) graduated this year with a major in History and is participating in Willamette's 3+2 MBA program through the Atkinson Graduate School of Management. During the 2021 season, she played in 10 games and made three starts. She scored four goals for the Bearcats and also provided one assist. She added four ground balls.
In three seasons, Newland has seen action in 27 games with 20 starts. She has scored 21 goals and nine assists in her career, including personal highs of 14 goals and eight assists in 2019. She has taken 55 total shots while placing 40 shots on target.
Anabel Ohsman (Sr., ATT) recently graduated with a major in Civic Communication and Media. This season, she started all 11 games and ranked third on the team with 20 goals and tied for the team lead with 16 assists. She took 33 shots, including 30 shots on goal. She was chosen Second Team All-NWC for the second time (2019, 2021).
Ohsman is Willamette's career scoring leader with 67 goals and 25 assists for 92 total points. She has started all 30 games over the past three seasons and has recorded 40 ground balls. In 2019, she led WU and set school records with 46 goals and 52 total points.
NOTE: The class year listed with each student-athlete is for the 2020-21 academic year.
