Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 11/30/17
From Press Release
Saint Joseph’s senior defenders Kristen Kelbon (Mount Laurel, N.J./Bishop Eustace Prep) and Catie Vivian (Slingerlands, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names) and junior midfielder Rebecca Lane (Victoria, Australia/Maribrynong College) have been named captains of the women’s lacrosse team for the 2018 season, as both voted on by their teammates and selected by the Hawks’ coaching staff, head coach Alex Kahoe announced on Wednesday afternoon.
“Over their time at St. Joe’s, Kristen, Viv, and Bec have all stepped up as leaders on our team, both on and off the field,” said Kahoe. “We are confident that they will continue to lead our team as captains as we approach our 2018 season.”
A returning Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team defender, Kelbon was one of five Hawks to make all 18 starts last spring. Kelbon led the squad in ground balls (36) and tied for the team-lead in caused turnovers (21) in her breakthrough junior campaign. For her career, Kelbon owns 41 ground balls, 27 caused turnovers, and 20 draw controls in 38 appearances with 27 starts. A native of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, Kelbon, who double majors in finance and accounting on Hawk Hill, is also a leader in the classroom, earning 2017 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area honors as well as the 2017 SJU Scholar-Athlete Award and 2016 SJU Academic Award.
Vivian, who missed the entirety of last season due to injury, had a big season as a sophomore in 2016 when she made all 19 starts on the back line. A marketing major out of Slingerlands, New York, Vivian recorded 14 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers that season and will pair with Kelbon to lead the Hawks on the defensive end this spring.
Lane, one of the most decorated offensive players in program history through just two seasons, will round out SJU’s trio of captains. Through just 32 career games on Hawk Hill, the two-year starter owns 124 points on 71 goals and 53 assists; her 53 assists already rank sixth all-time in SJU’s program history, while her 124 points rank 10th.
A psychology major and English minor out of Victoria, Australia, Lane is a returning 2017 A-10 Second Team selection and 2016 A-10 Rookie of the Year honoree and owns a wealth of international experience as a member of the Australian national team, where she helped Team Australia to a fourth-place team finish at the 2017 World Cup with nine goals and eight helpers this past summer.
Saint Joseph’s opens the 2017 season on Saturday, February 10 at Georgetown. The Hawks’ home opener is slated for the following Saturday, February 27 against Central Connecticut State.
