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Princeton University Athletics
Simone, Becker Named to Division I Women's Lacrosse 25th Anniversary Team
April 14, 2006 | Women's Lacrosse
April 14, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS - Former Princeton women's lacrosse standouts Lauren Simone and Rachael Becker have been honored as two of 12 players named to the NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse 25th Anniversary Team announced today.
Simone, a 2002 graduate, and Becker, a 2003 graduate, were honored for their outstanding achievements while competing in NCAA championship events. The NCAA is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its women's championships during the 2005-06 academic year.
Simone, an attacker, was the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player and a first-team All-America pick in 2002, when she led the Tigers to the first of two straight NCAA championships with a win over Georgetown. Also a member of the NCAA's All-Tournament Team in 2000, when she helped Princeton reach the national championship game, Simone was a second-team All-America in both 2000 and 2001.
Becker, a defender, was the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player the following year when the Tigers defeated Virginia in overtime in the championship game in Syracuse. The winner of the Tewaaraton Trophy in 2003 honoring the national player of the year, she was also a three-time first-team All-America and a two-time IWLCA Defender of the Year. Becker also made the NCAA All-Tournament Team in 2002, when the Tigers won the national title, and in 2001, when Princeton reached the semifinals.
Princeton joins Virginia and Maryland as the only schools to place more than one person on the 12-member 25th anniversary team.
Princeton has won the NCAA Division I or National Collegiate Women's Lacrosse championship three times since its inception in 1982 (1994, 2002, 2003). The Tigers are one of just two teams, joining Maryland, to have won consecutive NCAA titles in Division I.
Simone and Becker are joined on the team by Maryland's Jen Adams, Kelly Amonte, Sarah Forbes, Alex Kahoe and Tracy Stumpf, Virginia's Amy Appelt and Cherie Greer, Temple's Mandee Moore, Penn State's Tami Worley and Delaware's Karen Emas. The 25th Anniversary Team coach is Maryland's Cindy Timchal. An expert sports panel picked the NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse 25th Anniversary Team. The panel consisted of current and former coaches; athletics administrators and sports information directors. Boston University will host the semifinals and finals of the 2006 NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championships, May 26-28, in Boston.
In 1981, the NCAA began sponsoring women's championships, which opened the door to increased athletic and academic opportunities for female athletes. Today, the NCAA sponsors 44 women's championships in 20 sports, providing more than 150,000 women with an opportunity to compete for national titles each year.