Kutztown places record five players on IWLCA All-Atlantic Region teams

Kutztown University women's lacrosse had record representation on the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-Atlantic Region teams with five players honored, the organization announced Wednesday afternoon.

A trio of Golden Bears were selected to the First Team: defender Cyrose Conteh (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown), midfielder Sam Graf (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) and attack Emma Meakim (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland). Attackers Lailah ElBouazzaoui (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) and Shannon Lake (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) claimed Second Team honors. It is the first career all-region honor for all five Kutztown student-athletes and the program's most selections ever in a season. The all-region selections are KU's first since 1984. The program held varsity status from 1976-90 and returned as a varsity program in 2008.

Conteh, a 2023 All-PSAC East First Team pick, leads Kutztown with 25 caused turnovers, while rankings second with 58 draw controls and 40 ground balls. The senior from Elizabethtown, Pa., has totaled 131 draw controls (fourth in program history), 89 ground balls and 49 caused turnovers in 52 career games. She also registered 26 goals and 30 points over her first two seasons, when she served as an attack and midfielder. Conteh has 33 career points on 29 goals and four assists.

Graf is also coming off an All-PSAC East First Team selection. The standout midfielder continues to build on a program single-season record with 109 draw controls, third most in the PSAC. Graf, of Wayne, N.J., also ranks fourth in the conference with 139 shots, fifth in goals with 49 and seventh in points with 65. The sophomore has established career-highs in goals, points, shots, draw controls, ground balls (team-high 45) and caused turnovers (21).

Meakim is the third Golden Bear to collect both All-PSAC East and All-Atlantic Region First Team nods this season. The junior and native of Hatboro, Pa., enters the NCAA Tournament having already jumped to the top of Kutztown's single-season record book in assists (58) and points (81), while contributing 23 goals, 32 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers. Meakim continues to pace the PSAC in assists and ranks second in assists per game (3.22). She ranks within the top five in NCAA Division II in both categories.

ElBouazzaoui also captured All-PSAC East First Team honors earlier this month and finds herself on the All-Atlantic Region Second Team. The sophomore leads the Golden Bears and ranks fourth in the PSAC with a career-high 52 goals, including 10 hat tricks. ElBouazzaoui has taken 134 shots, second most on the team, and her 24 draw controls rank third. A Bridgewater, N.J., native, ElBouazzaoui is sitting on 95 career goals.

Lake recently received All-PSAC East Second Team accolades. The junior from Medford, N.Y., is stepping up at the most important time of the season for the Maroon and Gold. Lake is up to 42 goals, 13 assists and 55 points, while adding 15 ground balls and seven caused turnovers. She's totaled 14 multi-goal games, including five in a row heading into the national tournament. Lake is coming off a hat trick in Kutztown's PSAC semifinal loss to Seton Hill last Friday.

Kutztown, ranked 21st in the latest IWLCA Division II Poll and 14th in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division II Poll, will face No. 17/15 East Stroudsburg in the opening round of the NCAA Championship, Friday, May 12, at 3 p.m., on West Chester University's Vonnie Gros Field. It will be the fourth meeting between the teams this season.