WINTHROP, Mass. - Senior Dani Lydecker capped off her career the way it began four years ago - with a Great Northeast Athletic Conference major award. The Valley Cottage, N.Y. native claimed GNAC Attacker of the Year announced by the conference office on Tuesday morning.
Lydecker, who garnered Rookie of the Year honors in 2018, closed the book on her storied career with a 49 goal effort this season. The First Team All-GNAC selection had a 44% shooting percentage and 72% shots on goal percentage this season, which were career highs, while she scored the second most free-position shots of her career. Her goals-per-game (4.45 gpg) and points-per-game (5.82 ppg) were both career highs while she leaves JWU with 185 goals and 266 career points.
Joining Lydecker on the All-GNAC First Team were classmate Marley Medina, junior Hadley Borkowski and sophomore Kayla Datys. Medina was second on the team in points with 51 while leading JWU with 22 assists on the year. The product of South Hadley, Mass. was fifth in the GNAC in points and third in assists on the season. The midfielder was tops in the conference in caused turnovers with 25 while ranking second in ground balls with 32. Borkowski grabbed 16 points on the season from the defensive end with 14 goals for JWU. Hailing from Allentown, N.J., Borkowski was in the top 10 in ground balls and draw controls for the Wildcats. Datys, despite missing a few games due to injury, earned the first team nod courtesy of 21 goals and four assists on the year. She went 6-for-14 in free position shots in her first full season with JWU.
Defender Katie Sloan (Ellicott City, Maryland) earned All-GNAC Second Team while first year goalie Emma Crowley of Leicester, Mass. picked up a spot on the third team. Senior Paiton Luis was named to the All-Sportsmanship team for the Wildcats under first year head coach Jenn Thomas. Sloan grabbed seven goals in 11 starts on the year while Crowley had a sub-12 GAA while a 39% save percentage for the Wildcats. South Hadley native Luis went 2-0 in cage for JWU while getting a majority of her starts on the defensive end for the Wildcats.
Coach Thomas loses her top two scorers in Lydecker and Medina but sees great promise in the team following their fourth straight conference championship.
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