Release courtesy of Franklin & Marshall Athletic Communications
LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall rising senior Mary Pat McKenna continues to rack up the postseason accolades as she was most recently announced as the Intercollege Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) National Defensive Player of the Year. Expectations were certainly high for McKenna coming into the 2022 season as she was previously named the USA Lacrosse Preseason Defender of the Year.
One of the leaders of the F&M defense, she certainly backed up the preseason hype as she was named a first-team All-American on one of the top units in the country. McKenna's All-America honor was her second in as many seasons after earning second-team recognition in 2021. McKenna has additionally earned first-team All-Metro Region and first-team All-Centennial honors during each of her first two seasons in which postseason honors were presented. McKenna was also recognized as the Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a member of the 2021 Centennial Conference Championship team, while teammate and goalie Emily Kitchin took home that conference award this spring.
McKenna caused 29 turnovers and scooped up 39 ground balls this past season. She caused a turnover during 17 of the team's 22 contests, including multiple CT performances on eight occasions. McKenna recorded a season-best four caused turnovers against nationally-ranked Haverford during the Centennial Conference semifinals, adding a season-high four ground balls to her stat line that day. That was one of 11 games in which McKenna secured multiple GBs, originally setting her season high during the matchups with then-No. 16 York (Pa.) and Swarthmore.
Playing one of the toughest schedules in all of Division III, McKenna and the Diplomats posted an 18-4 record and advanced to the Elite 8 for seventh time in the past nine seasons that the NCAA Tournament has been held. Facing the top attacking units across the country, F&M's defense still limited opponents to 8.41 goals per game as the Diplomats had one of the top scoring margins (+6.55) in the nation.
With today's announcement, Franklin & Marshall women's lacrosse has now had 16 players recognized as a national position player of the year. The previous most recent honoree for the Diplomats was Paige Moriarity '18, who was honored as the national attacker of the year by the IWLCA and Inside Lacrosse at various times during each of her final three seasons. McKenna now joins Vanessa Budd '17 as the only two players in program history to be named defensive player of the year. Budd earned those honors from both the IWLCA and Inside Lacrosse during her senior campaign.