By Bridget Algeo
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/29/08
The Atlantic 10 Conference was dealt a winning hand this year when four senior standouts at North Penn signed on for scholarships to three of its Division I women’s lacrosse 
programs in Philadelphia.
Lauren Caminiti heads to Temple University in August, while fellow defenders Ali Herman and Sara Ciaverelli will become part of the La Salle University campus. Meanwhile, midfielder Julie Mineweaser will be joining a budding Saint Joseph’s program.
North Penn coach Jami Wilus, herself an alumnus of LaSalle and the 2002 Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year, is pleased to see two of her players sign on with her alma mater. She anticipates that each player will bring her own strengths to the LaSalle program.
“Ali is the catalyst on our defensive end,” Wilus said. “She is a fiery leader and the team responds to her enthusiasm and intensity. She is always right around the ball and continues to fight 
and make plays.”
Wilus is equally complimentary of Ciaverelli.
“Sara has excellent footwork and is one of the best marking defenders I have ever coached,” Wilus said. “She has the ability to mark the opposing team’s best player and is willing to do whatever it takes for our team to be successful.”
From 2009 through 2012, both Herman and Ciaverelli will find themselves competing against Caminiti at Temple and Mineweaser at Saint Joseph’s. Both players are expected to offer their unique abilities to their respective programs.
“Lauren is a vocal defender and is always in the right place at the right time,” Wilus said.
“She has improved every year and continues to be a dominant one-on-one defender.
“Julie is an excellent athlete with a true feel for the game of lacrosse,” Wilus added, noting Mineweaser had 38 goals and 20 assists last year.
“She can play both ends of the field equally well and is the key to our transition from defense to offense.
While competition against each other is in the cards, right now the four seniors are feeling lucky to be right where they are – working together for Wilus’ program.
With a blend of upper and lowerclassmen, a strong work ethic, and a talented mix of players with speed and skill, each of the future Atlantic 10 Conference players have their sights on this year’s district championship after a strong 13-6-1 campaign in 2007.
“I’m looking forward to this season,” Mineweaser says. “Our team has a lot of potential.”
“I believe our team this year has a very good mix of upperclassmen and lower classmen,”
Herman added. “We have a great group of players who work and play very hard, and I feel under Coach Wilus we can go far. We are extremely excited for the upcoming season, and we are looking forward to being competitive.”
Caminiti believes the team’s senior leadership and camaraderie bodes well for the Maidens.
“I feel that this season, our team has the ability to do very well,” she said. “Although we have a good mix of upperclassmen and lowerclassmen, we mesh well and communicate easily. Our coach has built our program to make us skillful and smart on the field.”
Ciavarelli also is confident. “I’m very excited for this season because I know we have a lot of talent and will be able to go far,” she said. “Our speed all over the field will be a major advantage.”
Leave a Reply