George Washington University Athletics
GW Lacrosse Announces 2016-17 Captains and Leadership Council
1/26/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
WASHINGTON -- The George Washington lacrosse program has named team captains and Leadership Council members for the 2016-17 season, head coach Tracy Coyne announced ahead of her third season.
Graduate student Becca Taub and senior Shea Cassidy will co-captain the team, while senior Bailey Forcier, senior Natalie Maher, junior Jocelyn Donohue and junior Brooke Sands will contribute to the team's guidance as members of the Leadership Council.
A veteran member of GW's lacrosse team, Taub led the Colonials in her senior season with her positive outlook and hard-working attitude. The Cherry Hill, N.J. native has demonstrated success on the field and in the classroom, being one of five Colonials to start all 17 games last season, and appearing on the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division I Academic Honor Squad her junior and senior seasons, and on the A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll and GW Athletics Academic Dean's List all four years at GW.
After a strong freshman year, Cassidy continued to be a force for GW as a sophomore, appearing in all 16 games and making 11 starts. Last season, the biomedical engineering major ranked second on the team with 22 draw controls, third on the team in assists, and was named the team's Iron Woman as the weight room "MVP" -- someone who embraces the culture in the weight room, pushes others to be better, leads by example and continually puts forth the necessary effort off the field to be better on the field.
"Becca and Shea are proven competitors and have the leadership skills necessary to take the program to new heights this season," said Coyne. "They both have the respect of their teammates, an excellent relationship with the coaching staff and are 100 percent committed to supporting a culture that results in winning. I am very confident Becca & Shea will work well together and work for their teammates to make this season one to remember."
The 2016-17 Leadership Council was selected based on a vote by the team. The players chosen embrace the team values and will work to create a lacrosse program that has strong relationships off the field and an attitude to out-compete the opponent on the field.
Forcier has helped to excel the program to new heights and was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team last season. The Victoria, Minnesota, native ranked fourth in the A-10 with 1.59 assists per game, led GW with 34 points, and topped the team with 27 assists last season, a mark that is tied for the fifth highest single-season total in program history.
After an impressive freshman season, Maher has proved her leadership both on and off the field. The journalism and mass communication major served as the team representative to GW's Student-Athlete Advisory Council last year and currently serves as a Veteran Leader in GW's Leadership Council.
Donahue joins the Leadership Council after a breakout sophomore campaign where she tied for the team lead with 22 goals and ranked fourth with 25 points last season. The junior midfielder earned a spot on the A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll last year, and was named to the GW's Athletics Academic Dean's List both her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Sands proved her playing prowess her freshman year as a member of the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team. The Brookfield, Connecticut, native appeared in all 16 games as a rookie and led all GW freshman with eight goals, 10 ground balls, seven draw controls, and five caused turnovers. As a sophomore, Sands appeared in all 17 games and earned a spot on the A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll and GW Athletics Academic Dean's List for both semesters.
"Natalie, Bailey, Jocelyn and Brooke all have distinct leadership styles that will directly benefit the program," said Coyne. " They are all committed to our process: one that will create a lacrosse program that has strong relationships off the field and an attitude to out-compete our opponent on the field. They embrace our team values and uphold them daily. I trust them to do the right thing and know they will always put the team first. The coaching staff values their ideas & input and know they are always focused on what is the best way to go about things. It truly is a special group."
