May 22, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Three Yale women's lacrosse players were named All-Northeast Region by the IWLCA Wednesday afternoon. Senior midfielder Lauren Taylor (Manhasset, N.Y.) was named to the first team, while senior defender Jess Champion (Moorestown, N.J.) and junior midfielder Jenn Warden (Edgemont, Pa.) earned second team honors. Taylor, along with the other first-team All-Region picks, is now on the ballot for IWLCA All-America selection. That would be her third IWLCA All-America honor.

The Bulldogs were one of only six teams in the Northeast with more than two All-Region selections.

Taylor, who was on the watch list for the Tewaaraton Trophy, has now earned three first team All-Region selections and one second team selection. She was a first team All-Ivy selection for the fourth straight year, becoming the fourth player in league history to accomplish that feat. She won the Barbara Bowditch Award as Yale's team MVP for the second straight time.

Taylor led the Bulldogs with 41 goals and 59 points, the fourth straight season she has led Yale in both of those categories. She finished her career with 198 goals and 246 points, placing second to Tracy Ball '81 on Yale's all-time lists in both categories.

Taylor is a history of science/history of medicine major in Silliman College. She is part of a unique five-year academic program at Yale. After getting her B.A. this year she will receive a Masters degree in public health next year. Prior to Yale she attended Manhasset High School.

Champion was the top player on Yale's defense, which is ranked fourth in the country (7.45 goals allowed per game). Regularly assigned to cover the opposing team's best player, she combined solid and consistent 1v1 defensive ability with a knack for changing the game with a timely caused turnover or draw control. She was also adept at chasing down ground balls, including 20 on the season -- 17 in the final seven games, including five in Yale's 12-4 win over Brown. Champion was second on the team in draw controls (22) and third in caused turnovers (18) while committing only nine turnovers herself and serving as a key part of Yale's clears.

Champion was first team All-Region in 2007. A graduate of Moorestown High School, she is a political science major in Silliman College.

One of the best two-way players in the region, Warden led Yale in draw controls (37), ground balls (36) and caused turnovers (29 in 16 games -- tied for 12th in the country). She was also third on the team in goals with 26 and fourth in points with 32.

Warden, who was second team All-Region last season, tied her career high with six points in the 14-6 win over Harvard, scoring four goals and adding two assists. A history major in Saybrook College, she is a graduate of Lawrenceville School.

Yale went 11-5 in 2008 and was ranked No. 18 in the latest IWLCA poll. That was the 10th time in the last 14 seasons the Bulldogs finished with 11 or more wins. Yale is tied with Georgetown for the second-longest current streak of winning seasons (15), trailing only Maryland (27).

If Taylor earns first team IWLCA All-America honors again, she will be the first Yale player to have earned two first-team selections in the 11 years of available IWLCA All-America records. The IWLCA will announce the All-Americans on May 29 and honor them at an awards banquet on June 14 in Downingtown, Pa.

report by Sam Rubin '95 (sam.rubin@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity