COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Washington and Lee senior goalkeeper
Julia McDonald (Guilford, Conn./Guilford) has been selected as the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III Defensive Player of the Week, the organization announced Wednesday.
McDonald earns the honor for the first time in her career and becomes the latest General to receive a national weekly award from the coaches' association. She collected 19 saves across two games last week, including a career-high 18 stops in a narrow 1-0 setback to then-No. 6 Christopher Newport. Earlier in the week, she added one save in a 3-1 victory over Randolph-Macon.
The national award comes on the heels of McDonald being named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Defensive Player of the Week on September 8. Her 18 saves match the fourth-best single-game performance in program history, equaling marks set by Kirsten Kyne against Johns Hopkins in 2012 and Caroline Habliston at Christopher Newport in 2009.
McDonald joins Middlebury junior midfielder Megan Fuqua, who was tabbed the NFHCA Division III Offensive Player of the Week. SUNY Oneonta sophomore Nina Contrera and Nazareth senior Lauren Bachner also earned honorable mention recognition.
Up Next: Washington and Lee returns home to host Rhodes College on Saturday, Sept. 13. Start time is set for noon at the W&L Turf Field; live stats and streaming will be available on Generalssports.com/coverage.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
