HADLEY, Mass. - Middlebury senior midfielder Elizabeth Renehan (St. Davids, Pa.) has been named the 2006 NESCAC Player of the Year, as determined by the conference coaches. It is the second year in a row that Renehan has been bestowed the honor, helping her Panthers post a 9-0 conference record along with capturing the 2006 NESCAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship, the sixth-straight NESCAC crown for Middlebury.

Renehan, the 2003 NESCAC Rookie of the Year, also earned All-Conference First Team honors for the third-consecutive year. Seeing action in all 15 games for Middlebury so far this season, Renehan is second among her teammates in goals (39) and points (49) to date. Renehan is one of four Middlebury players featured on the First Team. She is joined by fellow midfielders senior Alison Perencevich (Concord, N.H.), who received First Team recognition in 2004, and junior Kim Walker (Ridgewood, N.J.), an All-Conference First Team member last season. Senior defender Emily Erickson, a Second Team selection a year ago, completes the group from Middlebury.

Returning to the NESCAC All-Conference First Team this season from last year is Williams senior attacker Rachel Barr (Hanover, N.H.). Barr currently leads the NESCAC in goals with 61, averaging just over four goals per game through her 15 appearances. She has accumu-lated a total of 66 points this season, second among her Eph counterparts and third in the league. Barr is joined up front by juniors Alyssa Briody (Hopewell, N.J.) of Amherst and Allie Libby (Needham, Mass.) of Colby. Both players are currently leading their teams in scoring this season, as Libby has totaled a NESCAC-leading 78 points on 31 goals and 47 assists, while Briody, a member of the 2005 All-Conference Second Team, is fifth among conference players in points with 62 on 42 goals and 20 assists.

A total of five midfielders were honored on the NESCAC All-Conference First Team this spring. Joining the three representatives from Middlebury are Williams junior Kaylan Tildsley (Andover, Mass.) and Bowdoin sophomore Bobbi Dennison (Freeport, Maine). The 2004 Rookie of the Year, Tildsley earns First Team accolades for the second year in a row, netting 41 goals and adding in 22 assists for 43 points, good enough for fourth in the NESCAC. Dennison started every game this season for the Polar Bears, finishing third among her teammates in scoring with 26 goals and 19 assists for 45 points while scooping up a team-high 38 ground balls.

Bowdoin featured three players on the 12-member squad this season. Dennison is joined by sophomore defender Grace Moore (Groton, Mass.) and senior defender Betsy Rose (Needham, Mass.). Both players were regular starters in the Polar Bear lineup, as the pair appeared in the backfield in the beginning of every contest this season. Moore has not only collected 33 ground balls so far this season but also owns an offensive element in her game, scoring 11 goals and adding in three assists for 14 points, eighth on the Bowdoin stats sheet. Rose scooped 35 ground balls while creating fits for her opponents, creating a team-high 29 turnovers.

Colby junior goalkeeper Catharine O’Brien (Reading, Vt.) rounds out the 2006 NESCAC All-Conference First Team. Through 15 starts in net this season for the Mules, O’Brien is 12-3 with a goals against of 10.18 that ranks fourth in the league. O’Brien currently averages just under 12 saves per game, while her save percentage is a NESCAC-best of .533.

Rookie of the Year honors went to Colby attacker Kate Sheridan (Hingham, Mass.). Sheridan, who also received All-Conference Second Team accolades, leads the Mules with 41 goals this season, first among NESCAC first year players and tied for fourth overall.

Colby head coach Heidi Godomsky was the choice among the coaches, earning Coach of the Year honors. In her 13th season with the Mules, Godomsky has guided Colby to a 7-2 NESCAC record, a 13-3 overall record, and the program’s first ever NCAA Tournament berth.

2006 NESCAC WOMEN’S LACROSSE ALL-CONFERENCE

First Team

A Rachel Barr * Williams Sr. Hanover, N.H.

A Alyssa Briody ^ Amherst Jr. Hopewell, N.J.

A Allie Libby Colby Jr. Needham, Mass.

M Bobbi Dennison Bowdoin So. Freeport, Maine

M Alison Perencevich Middlebury Sr. Concord, N.H.

M Elizabeth Renehan * Middlebury Sr. St. Davids, Pa.

M Kaylan Tildsley * Williams Jr. Andover, Mass.

M Kim Walker * Middlebury Jr. Ridgewood, N.J.

D Emily Erickson ^ Middlebury Sr. Yarmouth, Maine

D Grace Moore Bowdoin So. Groton, Mass.

D Betsy Rose Bowdoin Sr. Needham, Mass.

GK Catharine O’Brien Colby Jr. Reading, Vt.

Player of the Year: Elizabeth Renehan, Middlebury

Rookie of the Year: Kate Sheridan, Colby

Second Team

A Michele Bergofsky Middlebury Sr. Exeter, N.H.

A Kate Donoghue Bowdoin Jr. Plandome, N.Y.

A Dena Miller Tufts Sr. Denver, Colo.

M Lauren Murphy ^ Tufts Jr. Hingham, Mass.

M Mary Noonan Amherst Fy. West Roxbury, Mass.

M Molly Wagner ^ Bates So. Longmeadow, Mass.

M Taylor White Bowdoin Jr. Wellesley, Mass.

M Kate Sheridan Colby Fy. Hingham, Mass.

D Laura Brown ^ Amherst Sr. Bethesda, Md.

D Liz Morbeck Colby Jr. Seattle, Wash.

D Jackie Thomas Tufts Jr. Needham, Mass.

GK Michelle Smith Trinity So. Wayland, Mass.

Coach of the Year: Heidi Godomsky, Colby

* - 2005 All-Conference First Team ^ - 2005 All-Conference Second Team