Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 12/2/20
From Press Release
The University of Pittsburgh women’s lacrosse team signed 15 class of 2021 prospects during the fall signing period, head coach Emily Boissonneault announced Wednesday evening.
“We have been eagerly awaiting November 11 to announce our impressive 2021 class,” said Boissonneault. “This is an especially exciting time as the 15 athletes in this class will complete our inaugural team. We are proud to announce and welcome this class to the Panther family. This elite group of young women come from all over North America and represent some of the most elite travel programs in girl’s lacrosse. They are committed to building a strong tradition here at Pitt and are hungry to make their mark in the ACC.”
The 15-player class will join Pitt’s current roster featuring four transfers (Madisyn Kittell, Therese Pitman, Gabby Turano, Brittney Villhauer), three juniors (Caroline Lederman, Kierin Ratliff-Kailbourne, Payton Reed ) who played on Pitt’s 2019 club National Championship team and the Panthers’ current group of six first-year freshmen (Emily Coughlin, Kate Elam, Madigan Lublin, Maureen McNierney, Riley Patrick, Abby Thorne).
Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced the addition of women’s lacrosse as a varsity sport at Pitt Nov. 1, 2018 with Boissonneault named head coach of the Pitt Lacrosse program June 28, 2019. The program will play its inaugural season against NCAA Division I competition in the 2021-22 academic year.
2021 Recruiting Class
Rachel Familetti – MID – Broomall, Pa. (Cardinal O’Hara)
Familetti is a two-time Philadelphia All-Catholic League and All-Delaware County team selection. As a sophomore, she scored 100 goals and was named conference Offensive MVP. Familetti was Catholic League Rookie of the Year and an Under Armour 150 All-Star as a freshman. She has competed on the summer circuit with Philly Blast Lacrosse for the past seven years.
Boissonneault on Familetti: Rachel comes from a family of lacrosse players. Although she is small, her speed and toughness will propel her in the ACC. We expect her to be a true two-way middie who will contribute all over the field. Throughout camp, she showed tremendous toughness and grit, proving to us that she will never give up. Rachel has the potential to really make a mark in the ACC.
Maria Donahue – MID – Bethlehem, Pa. (Saucon Valley)
Donahue enters her senior season with 101 goals and 33 assists in her career, while leading Saucon Valley to PIAA XI AA championships in 2018 and 2019. She is also a four-year starter in soccer and placed in the top 5 at the PIAA District XI Swimming Championships four times. Donahue has played on the club circuit for seven years with T3 Elite West and NXT Lacrosse and was named to the Maverick National Lacrosse Classic Pennsylvania Team in 2019.
Boissonneault on Donahue: Maria is a highly competitive three-sport athlete who is excited to be a part of a university with a rich athletics history. She is a scrappy two-way midfielder who caught our attention at multiple camps throughout the recruiting process. Maria stands apart by always outworking her opponent and not being afraid of a challenge. This attitude will be paramount as we enter our first season of competition.
Christina DeNaples – MID – Moscow, Pa. (Scranton Prep)
DeNaples, a starter at Scranton Preparatory School since her freshman season, scored 36 goals and added 10 assists to earn all-region team honors in 2019, while leading Prep to the state playoffs for the first time in program history. She played on the club circuit with Philadelphia Big4HHH each of the past two summers.
Boissonneault on DeNaples: Christina is a speedy midfielder from Scranton Pa. who travels to Philadelphia to train. She is committed to her development and making an impact in the ACC. Her speed will be a huge asset between the 30s. Christina’s commitment to the process is admirable and exactly the standard we want to instill in this team as we build the Pitt Lacrosse legacy.
Mackenzie Beil – DEF/MID – Manhasset, Long Island (Manhasset Secondary School)
Beil helped national-power Manhasset Secondary School to 15-3 record including 10-1 mark in conference play and the Section 8 Class B championship in 2019. She played on the club circuit for Liberty Lacrosse, coached by Danielle Gallagher, winning team titles at the 2016 and 2017 Project 120 Championship, 2016 Next Generation Tournament and 2018 The Surge Championship.
Boissonneault on Beil: Mackenzie is a ball of fire – she is strong, quick and shines on the defensive end. Her tenacity between the 30s is exactly what we are looking for as we build this program. Mackenzie was all in the minute she walked on campus. She was ready to be a Panther. She is going to be an incredible addition and representative of our program.
Elise Bialecki – DEF – Littleton, Colorado (JK Mullin)
Bialecki earned all-conference and Les Schwab Academic Team Championship honors in each of her first two seasons at JK Mullin. She also participated in the 3d Lacrosse National Team Camp in 2017 and was a member of Team Colorado in 2018.
Boissonneault on Bialecki: We are excited to welcome Elise to the team. As a strong student, she was focused on finding a home that was going to push her academically and athletically. During the recruiting process, Elise caught our attention with her defensive fundamentals and strong lax IQ. We are eager for her to hunt down interceptions and step in as a shut down 1v1 defender.
Devon Cavanaugh – ATTACK – Wilmington, N.C. (Cape Fear Academy)
Cavanaugh has registered 136 points (107 goals, 29 assists) and 75 ground balls in her high school career. She had 13 goals, three assists, seven ground balls and 16 draw controls in the first two games of her junior year before the season was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. As a sophomore, Cavanaugh had 53 goals and 15 assists, while earning StarNews First Team All-Area, Coastal Prep First Team All-Coastal and First Team All-MidEastern Conference recognition. She tallied 41 goals and 11 assists as a freshman en route to receiving StarNews First Team All-Area, StarNews Second Team All-Conference, Coastal Preps First Team All-Coastal and Second Team MidEastern Conference honors. Cavanaugh played on the club circuit with Carolina Fever and TEAM Lacrosse Academy. She was named Maryland Lacrosse Showcase Summer All-Star in 2019 and helped lead Team Lacrosse Academy to the championship at the Music City Lax Fest in 2018.
Boissonneault on Cavanaugh: Devon is a true lax junky. Committed to her craft, she is always watching film or playing around with her stick. Her strength is her lax IQ and stickwork. Devon’s vision of the field allows her to feed and dodge to put up big points. We are excited to build an offensive unit with her around the crease.
Kiara Feibusch – MID – Kings Park, N.Y. (Kings Park)
Feibusch, a two-year starter at Kings Park for head coach Sally Ayres, earned Suffolk County All-Division honors in 2018 and was a Suffolk County All-County Honorable Mention selection in 2019. She is also a two-time NYSPHSSA Scholar-Athlete honoree. She played on the club circuit with the Long Island Yellow Jackets 2021 Blue Team for coaches Carol Rose and Kenny Costa.
Boissonneault on Feibusch: Kiara is an outstanding athlete who has the ability to play anywhere on the field. Although her skill is what caught our attention, her calming attitude and composure on the field is what will drive her success as a young competitor. Kiara has played with some of the best athletes in the country and knows what it takes to compete at the highest level.
Jill Fenech – MID – Adjala, Ontario, Canada (Everest Academy)
Fenech is a three-year team captain with Team Ontario, helping the team to two provincial ‘B’ bronze medals (2018 and 2019) and the 2018 U17 Brogden Cup championship. She also competed against the U.S. Developmental Team with Team Ontario in 2019. Fenech led Everest Academy to a 4-0 record at the President’s Cup as a sophomore. She has played with the Newmarket Redbirds since 2011 and was named club lacrosse athlete of the year in 2018.
Boissonneault on Fenech: Jill was a camp surprise! Her love for the city of Pittsburgh led her to attend the very first camp we held in the city. Her sister competed for the Duquesne soccer program, so she is very familiar with the area. Her pure athleticism and strength are impressive for someone her age and it is clear that she has what it takes to compete in the ACC. We are excited for the opportunity to develop her into an elite Division 1 midfielder.
Jenna Hendrickson – MID – Lynbrook, N.Y. (Lynbrook)
Hendrickson enters her senior season with 113 goals and 20 assists as a two-year starter at Lynbrook. She earned all-conference honors with 40 goals as a freshman and was named all-county after registering 73 goals and 15 assists as a sophomore. Hendrickson has played club lacrosse with ICON since 2014.
Boissonneault on Hendrickson: Jenna is a skilled midfielder who has had tremendous success in her high school career. Having proved herself in one of the toughest high school lacrosse regions in the country, Jenna is now ready to make her mark in the ACC. Her skill matched with speed and playmaking ability will allow her to excel in the college game.
Maeve Murray – MID – Chevy Chase, Md. (Georgetown Visitation Prep)
Murray helped Georgetown Visitation Prep to the ISL Championships and a top 15 national ranking as a sophomore. She was a team captain and the leading scorer on the indoor lacrosse team before the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Murray also excels in track and field where she was Indoor Track and Field MVP as a sophomore and set school records in the 55m and 300m as a junior. On the club level, she has played with Capital Blue 2021 for the past three summers, leading the team in scoring in 2018 and 2019.
Boissonneault on Murray: I was fortunate to have coached Maeve in a four-day camp before the 2021 recruiting process began. Maeve left an imprint on my memory and I knew I needed to keep an eye on her as she developed going into her junior year. She is an incredible leader and mature beyond her years. As a young athlete in a new program, her on and off field attributes will be crucial to our team’s success. Her impressive speed and athleticism will allow us to use her on either end of the field.
Sydney Naylor – ATTACK – Damascus, Md. (Glenelg Country School)
Naylor helped lead to a 20-5 record and two division semifinal appearances in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland “A” conference in 2018 and 2019. She helped Glenelg Country School to a national ranking as a freshman and was one of the top scorers in Howard County as a sophomore. Naylor competed on the club circuit with HEROS Lacrosse, winning four championships. She was nominated to the Nike 120 as well as the Under Armour 150 and was named MVP of the EMPIRE Camp in Baltimore in 2020.
Boissonneault on Naylor: I have worked with Sydney for years now through several summer camps. I have always been impressed with her speed and nose for the goal. Although small, she can shoot the ball at top speed. Throughout the recruiting process, she was very decisive and believed in the potential for Pitt to be a force in the ACC. Sydney is a speedy and sneaky attacker that will be a force in our transition offense.
Natalie Voorhees – DEF – Mount Airy, Md. (Urbana)
Voorhees, a two-time Frederick County All-County selection, has guided Urbana to a pair of Regional 4A Championship game appearances. She tallied 32 points (25 goals, 7 assists) as a sophomore en route to earning team MVP and second team all-county honors. Voorhees was selected to the Under Armour 150 after her freshman and sophomore seasons. She has played on the club circuit with Sky Walkers Lacrosse Program, winning championships at the 2017 Lax for the Cure and 2017 Mid-Atlantic Summer Club tournaments.
Boissonneault on Voorhees: Natalie is an incredible young woman and leader amongst her peers. She is outspoken, confident, and driven to be the best version of herself. As we work to build the Pitt Lacrosse Legacy, we expect her to be a strong voice within our athletic department. Athletically, Natalie is a strong defender who takes coaching and applies it in the moment. She comes from a strong lacrosse program that has prepared her well for the ACC. We will rely on Natalie’s defensive fundamentals to help build a strong defensive unit.
Ava Washington – MID/ATTACK – Reisterstown, Md. (Franklin [Md.] /Morristown [N.J.]
Washington is a three-sport standout in lacrosse, field hockey and track and field. She set school records for goals (129) and draw controls (254) in two seasons at Franklin, earning honorable mention all-county honors as a freshman and second team all-county accolades as a sophomore. Washington scored 64 goals and won 111 draw controls as a sophomore while leading her team to the program’s first state quarterfinal appearance. She led the field hockey team in scoring for three seasons and was a state finalist in shotput in 2020. Washington played for TLC, M&D and Nation United Ambassador on the club circuit. She was named to the 2018 Under Armour All-American Command All-Tournament Team, while also earning Nike Elite 120 honors in 2017 and 2018 and Under Armour 150 All-Star Team accolades in 2017.
Boissonneault on Washington: Ava is an incredible young woman who is a joy to watch play lacrosse. She is strong, ambitious, and fearless when she plays the game. Her ability to power through her opponents without hesitation will be an important attribute as we enter the ACC. We have high expectations for Ava and look forward to seeing her make her mark at Pitt.
Dylana Williams – MID – Oshawa, Ontario, Canada (Maxwell Heights Secondary School)
Williams is a four-sport standout in lacrosse, box lacrosse, track & field and basketball. She helped Lady Blue Knights field lacrosse to five consecutive provincial championships (2012-2016) and Whitby Warriors box lacrosse to provincial championships in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Williams led Team Ontario box lacrosse to a national championship in 2017 and a silver medal finish in 2019. She also led Team 51 field lacrosse to championships at the Goblin Games (2017), All Nations Lacrosse Championship (2018) and Star and Stripes Championship (2018 and 2019). Williams led Maxwell Heights Secondary School to provincial and regional titles as a sophomore, while also finishing in the top 10 in track and field in the 100m (5th), 200m (7th) and triple jump (4th) at the provincial championship and claiming MVP honors in basketball. In 2018, she helped the lacrosse team to a silver medal regional finish and bronze medal at the provincial championship.
Boissonneault on Williams: Dylana brings a lot of speed and a special lacrosse background to Pitt. She grew up primarily playing box lacrosse, a form of lacrosse most popular for men and particularly in Canada. Her box background brings us a two-man game style that we are excited to implement here at Pitt. Dylana gets a lot of her influence from her father, a former professional lacrosse player, and brother who is currently competing at Duke.
Talia Zuco – MID – Chapel Hill, N.C. (East Chapel Hill)
Zuco has scored 122 goals in two seasons at East Chapel Hill, while leading the team to a pair of conference titles and two appearances in the state championships. As a sophomore, she scored 73 goals and led the team in draw controls, while earning WRALHighSchoolOT All-East Team and Player of the Year finalist honors. Zuco, a News & Observer All-Metro selection in 2018, tallied 49 goals and led the team in draw controls and ground balls as a freshman. She has played with Carolina Fever for seven seasons and was on the US Lacrosse National Tournament team for North Carolina in 2018 and 2019.
Boissonneault on Zuco: We connected with Talia immediately during the recruiting process. She knew exactly what she wanted and was focused on the holistic experience Pitt could provide her. Talia’s ability to focus in on what she wants is one of the many ways that her true competitive nature is shown. No matter what she is doing, she always gives 100% – on or off the field. Her speed and coachability will be a huge asset as we begin to build the Pitt legacy. Talia will be a true two-way midfielder who we expect to make an impact early in her career at Pitt.