Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/8/12
From Press Release
James Madison lacrosse coach Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe has announced the Dukes’ 2012-2013 freshman class.
The incoming class includes the following: Jenna Mertz (Villa Maria Academy, Pa.); Emily Pillion (Conestoga H.S., Pa.), Betsy Angel (Roland Park Country School, Md.); Jaci Gordon (Lawrence Academy, Mass.); Taylor Gress (Manchester Valley H.S., Md.); ; Alex Revel (Oakton High School, Va.); and Carter Reifsneider (Collegiate School, Va.).
“JMU is very honored to announce our recruiting class for the 2016 JMU graduating class,” Klaes-Bawcombe said. “This group of young women is not only successful on the field but in the classroom. This class combines athleticism, speed, tenacity, skill, and a championship experience that we will be relying on heavily as we work to obtain our program goals of winning CAA championships and returning to the NCAA final four.”
The seven incoming players will join a JMU program that is coming off back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association championships and NCAA Tournament appearances (2010, 2011) and is a preseason favorite to win a third straight CAA title in 2012.
A closer look at JMU lacrosse’s recruiting class:
Jenna Mertz (Midfield, Villa Maria Academy, PA Express Club, West Chester, Pa.)
Mertz is a two-sport athlete, competing in field hockey and lacrosse. She was also her team’s midfield MVP and leading scorer in her junior campaign. Jenna has received Academic All America honors and is a National Honor Society member.
Coach Klaes-Bawcombe on Mertz: “Jenna will be a workhorse for JMU, constantly moving without the ball. She has great vision and game sense and uses these attributes to impact the game in many ways. She is a consistent player with solid skills and will contribute those hustle stats every championship team needs.”
Emily Pillion (Defender, Conestoga H.S., Phantastix Club, Chesterbrook, Pa.)
Pillion is a two-sport athlete in field hockey and lacrosse. She was recently honored by ESPN as a Top 25 senior defender at #4 and among the Top 100 seniors overall at #23. As a junior Pillion was awarded All Central League First Team and All-Main Line Second Team recognition and was her team’s defensive MVP. Her field hockey team won the Central League championship in 2011.
Coach Klaes-Bawcombe on Pillion: “Emily is a solid defender with great positioning and presence. She has a nice balance between quickness and strength, and we are excited to see her compete very quickly for time on our roster.”
Betsy Angel (Attack, Roland Park Country School, TLC club, Baltimore, Md.)
Angel is a four-sport athlete who also competes in soccer, basketball and tennis. She has been recognized by ESPN as one of the top 25 attackers in the country at #24. In 2010-11 Angel was a member of Roland Park’s lacrosse and soccer teams that were Interscholastic Athletics Association of Maryland runners-up.
Taylor Gress (Attack, Manchester Valley H.S., Checkers Club, Westminster, Md.)
Gress is a three-sport athlete, competing in soccer, basketball and lacrosse. She is a multi-year All-Carroll County honoree for lacrosse and soccer and was a member of the under-15 US lacrosse national champion team in 2009.
Jaci Gordon (Midfield, Lawrence Academy, REV Club, Boston, Mass.)
Gordon is a three-sport athlete, competing in field hockey, soccer and lacrosse. She has been her lacrosse team’s MVP and earned Independent School League Honorable Mention in her sophomore and junior years.
Alex Revel (Defensive Midfield, Oakton H.S., Capital Club, Fairfax, Va.)
Revel is a two-sport athlete, competing in field hockey and lacrosse, and she is a two-time team captain in field hockey. Her Oakton lacrosse team was a state runner-up and has won Concorde District and Northern Region championships.
Carter Reifsneider (Defender, Collegiate School, Future Elite, Richmond, Va.)
Reifsneider is a three-sport athlete competing in field hockey, swimming and lacrosse. She has been honored by ESPN as the #18 best defensive midfielder in the country. Reifsneider played on Collegiate’s field hockey and lacrosse teams that won League of Independent Schools championships in 2011, and her teams were state runners-up in 2010 and 2011 in lacrosse and state semifinalists in 2010 in field hockey.
