DENVER - The University of Denver women’s lacrosse team rewrote the record book during the 2013 season. The Pioneers won a team-record 18 games, including a DU-record 15-game winning streak. Denver finished the year with an 18-3 overall mark and went a perfect 8-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation regular season. This was the fourth time in head coach Liza Kelly’s seven seasons that the Pioneers went unbeaten in conference play.
“I think it was a fulfilling season, but we were still disappointed to lose the MPSF Championship game to Stanford,” Kelly said. “It was nice to see the girls hardwork rewarded by getting the at-large bid and being able to continue our season in the NCAA Tournament.”
Redshirt senior Kara Secora (Denver, Colo.) ended the season with 58 goals and 28 assists, and closed out her career as Denver’s all-time leading scorer, totaling 272 points, to break Karen Morton’s previous record of 255. Sophomore Jill Remenapp (Woodbine, Md.) broke All-American Kristie Leggio’s single-season points record, finishing with 113 on the season. Remenapp’s 74 assists led the nation and were the second-most in NCAA history, and she also led the country in assists per game (3.52). Senior Kate Henrich (Lansdale, Pa.) paced the NCAA for a second consecutive year in caused turnovers (70) and caused turnover average (3.33). Henrich’s 70 caused turnovers this season tied the third most in NCAA single-season history, and she graduates with 170 career caused turnovers, the seventh-most in NCAA history. The senior defender also finished first in the nation in ground balls (65) and seventh in ground balls per game (3.10). Redshirt sophomore Hannah Hook set a school-record with her 18 victories and led the nation with 190 saves. Hook led the MPSF in both goals against average (8.89) and save percentage (.514). Sophomore Kiki Boone (Cherry Hills Village, Colo.) broke Denver’s single-season record with 81 draw controls in 2013. The previous mark was 64, set by Kate Broderick in 2005.
Kelly was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the first time. Henrich was voted to the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association All-America Second Team. The DU tri-captain Henrich is just the third student-athlete in DU history to be named an IWLCA All-American, joining Kristie Leggio (Second Team in 2007), and Kelly O’Connell (Third Team in 2008). The women’s lacrosse team had four All-MPSF First Team selections: Secora, Henrich, Remenapp and Hook. Mikayla Clark (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Jessica Gring (Baltimore, Md.) made the All-MPSF Second Team. Henrich and Remenapp were both named to the IWLCA All-Region First Team in the West/Midwest, while Secora and Hook were named to the IWLCA All-Region Second Team in the West/Midwest. Remenapp was also named to the watch list for the Tewaaraton Award, which is given to the nation’s top men’s and women’s lacrosse players. Henrich and Remenapp were named to the Synapse Sports All-America Second and Third Team respectively.
“This was a fun team because we had standouts on both ends of the field,” Kelly said. “We had a lot of strength and leadership on the defensive end with Gring, Henrich and Hook.
“Offensively we were a hard team to stop with Jill and Kara up front being a one-two punch, Kelly said. “We were strong at every position, and the competitiveness of this team was something that stood out and pushed us as a team.”
The Pioneers opened the season with a three-game trip out east. After winning games at Vanderbilt and George Washington, Denver suffered its first defeat (7-6) at Kelly’s alma mater, Delaware. After the setback the Pioneers started its school-record 15-game winning streak that included wins over No. 20 Louisville, Boston University and No. 10 Stanford. The Crimson and Gold headed to the MPSF Tournament in Eugene, Ore., as the No. 1 seed and defeated USC in the semifinals before having its winning streak broken in the championship game to Stanford by the score of 7-6.
Denver would then return home and await its fate in the NCAA Tournament, and its 17-2 regular season record would be good enough to receive an at-large bid for the school’s first-ever NCAA postseason berth. The Pioneers faced off against Jacksonville in Gainesville, Fla. DU defeated the Dolphins 14-7 before No.4 Florida knocked the Pioneers out in the Sweet 16.
“I think we were able to prove that we belong on the national stage by going out and getting the win against Jacksonville, Kelly said. As an at-large team you want to make sure that you come out and show why you are in the tournament,” Kelly said.
-EXPERIENCE DENVER ATHLETICS-
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