Northwestern Reloads with Freshman Class
from press release
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern lacrosse has
added 11 talented student-athletes to its roster for the upcoming
season. The class of 2014 is comprised of four players who were
named Under Armour All-Americans in 2010 as each of the incoming
Wildcats bring with them impressive prep resumes.
"I am very excited about the 2010 incoming class," said head coach
Kelly Amonte Hiller. "With a young team last season, this class of
11 freshman will give us the depth and talent to take our program
to the next level. These bright student athletes are all extremely
accomplished on and off the field. They will bring added speed and
athleticism to the team. Top to bottom this is one of the most
versatile and athletic classes that we have brought to
Northwestern. We are looking forward to developing and mentoring
these student-athletes to be their best in all areas."
Four different states are represented by the 2011 Wildcats,
including five from the Boston suburbs - Misha Beatty (Westwood,
Mass.), Ellie Clayman (Beverly, Mass.), Kerri Harrington (Westwood,
Mass.), Kate Macdonald (Norwell, Mass.) and Kelly Rich (Westwood,
Mass.). Four New Yorkers were also added to the roster - Kat
DeRonda (Carthage, N.Y.), Caroline Gersuk (Loudonville, N.Y.),
Alyssa Leonard (Bay Shore, N.Y.) and Kara Mupo (Miller Place, N.Y.)
- with Jessica Roy (Perkasie, Pa.) hailing from outside
Philadelphia. Christy Turner (Orlando, Fla.) marks the first player
in program history from the state of Florida as well.
With the additions of Gersuk and Harrington, Northwestern will have
three players who have had an older sister compete for the
Wildcats, as each of them will keep the jersey numbers in the
family. Gersuk will wear the same number 10 her older sister Ashley
wore, while Harrington will don the same number 33 jersey her older
sister Sara wore for the Wildcats. Junior Alex Frank is the younger
sister of former All-American Meredith Frank and sports the number
11.
Northwestern is coming off its sixth-straight American Lacrosse
Conference championship in 2010 en route to notching its
sixth-straight 20-win season. The Wildcats were the national
runner-up, posting a 20-2 record, while having five players named
IWLCA All-Americans.
Misha Beatty
5-7 • Midfielder
Westwood, Mass./Westwood
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Westwood High School ...
Three-year starter, helping lead Westwood to state championship in
2008 and 2009 and a semifinal appearance in 2010 ... Helped the
Wolverines to the Tri-Valley League championship and South Division
finals all four seasons ... First-team All-American ... Tri-Valley
League All-Star ... Named team captain and co-MVP as a senior ...
Finished her career with 173 goals and 60 assists ... Notched six
goals against Framingham in the 2009 state tournament, and followed
that up with six goals against Wellesley, including the game-winner
in overtime in the South Division finals ... Coached by Leslie
Frank ... Member of Mass Elite club team for six years ... Named a
Galaxy second-team All-Star ... Also lettered four times in track
and three times in soccer at Westwood ... Two-time Tri-Valley
League All-Star in track ... High honor roll and National Honor
Society member ... Member of Tri-Valley League All-Scholastic
team.
Personal: Born Michelle Amanda Beatty ... Daughter of Steven and
Patricia Beatty ... Another member of the Northwestern-Westwood
connection, which includes former Wildcats Kristen Kjellman,
Meredith Frank, Ali Jacobs and Sara Harrington and current Wildcats
Alex Frank, Kerri Harrington and Kelly Rich ... Also competed with
fellow freshmen Kate Macdonald and Ellie Clayman on Mass Elite ...
Plans to major in communications.
Ellie Clayman
5-7 • Midfielder
Beverly, Mass./Governor's Academy
High School: Four-year letterwinner at the Governor's Academy ...
Named US Lacrosse All-American in 2010 ... Boston Globe lacrosse
prep all-star in 2010 ... All-Independent School League in 2010 ...
NEPSLA all-star in 2008 and 2010 ... Earned Anne Marie Murphy Award
for the top female athlete as a senior ... Recorded 69 goals and 28
assists as a senior ... Coached by Molly Prinn and Bert McLain ...
Member of Mass Elite club team for five years ... Also lettered
four times in field hockey, three times in basketball and once in
volleyball at Governor's Academy ... Field hockey won the 2009 New
England Class B championship ... Named All-ISL in field hockey in
2008 and 2009 ... High honor roll member ... Earned Carl A.
Pescosolido Athletic/Academic prize in 2009.
Personal: Born Eleanor McCreery Clayman ... Daughter of John and
Lolie Clayman ... Father ran track at Dartmouth and her sister
Annie is a junior on the Northeastern field hockey team ...
Competed with fellow freshmen Misha Beatty, Kerri Harrington, Kate
Macdonald and Kelli Rich on Mass Elite.
Kat DeRonda
5-3 • Midfielder
Carthage, N.Y./Carthage Central
High School: Five-year letterwinner for Carthage Central, helping
lead the Comets to the NYS Class C state runner-up in 2007 and 2010
and a state semifinal appearance in 2008 and 2009 ... Named an
Under Armour All-American as a senior ... Two-time All-CNY first
team selection ... Four-time first team All-North selection,
including Player of the Year honors as a junior ... Four-time first
team Frontier League All-Star ... Named to the NYS All-Tournament
team in 2009 and 2010 ... Comets captured Frontier League and
Section III championships all five years of her career ... Tallied
256 goals and 271 assists during her prep career, highlighted by 63
goals as a junior and 82 assists as a sophomore ... Named to the
NY1 Women's Division National Tournament team in 2009 ... Coached
by Sue Gallagher ... Member of StarRiders club team for four
seasons, capturing the Nike Cup championship in 2008 and 2009 ...
Also played soccer for five seasons and basketball for two ...
Two-time Academic All-American selection and four-time NYSPHAA
Scholar Athlete recipient ... National Honor Society member.
Personal: Born Katherine Claire DeRonda ... Daughter of Chris and
Charlene DeRonda ... Was born in Panama City, Panama ... Competed
with fellow freshmen Caroline Gersuk, Kara Mupo and Kelly Rich in
the 2010 Under Armour All-American game ... Plans on majoring in
communications.
Caroline Gersuk
5-4 • Midfielder
Loudonville, N.Y./Albany Academy
High School: Five-year letterwinner for Albany Academy for Girls
... Named an Under Armour All-American ... Helped lead Albany
Academy to back-to-back regional final appearances in 2009 and 2010
... Three-time CWDLL first team selection ... Named Troy Record and
Times Union Player of the Year ... NYCS Athlete of the Month ...
Served as team captain as a junior and senior ... Finished her
career with 227 goals and 95 assists ... Led team in scoring as a
sophomore (103 points) and junior (110 points) ... Coached by Greg
Giombetti ... Member of Metro Magic Lacrosse club team for three
years ... Two-time first team All-Galaxy (2008, 2009) ... Also
lettered five times in soccer at Albany Academy, serving as the
team's starting goalkeeper ... Honor roll student ... Member of the
National Society of High School Scholars ... Selected to attend
Congressional Student Leadership Conference in 2008 and 2009.
Personal: Born Caroline Louise Gersuk ... Daughter of Joe and Julie
Gersuk ... Sister Ashley was a four-year starting goalkeeper for
the Wildcats and played on the 2005 national championship team.
Kerri Harrington
5-10 • Midfielder/Defender
Westwood, Mass./Westwood
High School: Three-year letterwinner at Westwood ... Helped lead
the Wolverines to a combined 71-2 record over that span, which
included Massachusetts state championships in 2008 and 2009 and a
semifinal appearance in 2010 ... Two-time Tri-Valley League
All-Star ... Daily Transcript All-Star ... Earned the George Bader
Award for the most athletic female ... Recipient of the Westwood
Sports Hall of Fame award ... Coached by Leslie Frank ... Played
club lacrosse for Mass Elite ... Also lettered three times in field
hockey and twice in basketball ... Two-time Tri-Valley League
All-Star for field hockey and was named the team's MVP ... National
Honor Society member ... Honor roll student all four years.
Personal: Born Kerri Anne Harrington ... Daughter of Brian and
Lynne Harrington ... Sister Sara played for the Wildcats from
2007-2010 ... Father played soccer at Bentley University ...
Another member of the Northwestern-Westwood connection, which
includes former Wildcats Kristen Kjellman, Meredith Frank, Ali
Jacobs and her sister, Sara, and current Wildcats Alex Frank, Misha
Beatty and Kelly Rich.
Alyssa Leonard
5-8 • Midfielder
Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore
High School: Two-year letterwinner at Bay Shore ... Helped lead the
Marauders to the Long Island Championship in 2010 ... Named an
All-American as a senior ... Also earned All-Long Island and
All-County honors ... Named team captain and team MVP as a senior
... Tallied 91 goals and 29 assists in just two years of varsity
lacrosse ... All-County honorable mention as a junior ... Named to
the All-County tournament team in both 2009 and 2010 ... Coached by
Allison Pfeffer ... Also lettered five times in volleyball, four
times in softball and three times in basketball, giving her 14
varsity letters for her prep career ... Was a two-time League
Player of the Year in volleyball and was named all-state as a
senior ... Holds the Bay Shore school record for both digs and
kills ... Named an All-American twice in softball (freshman and
sophomore seasons) ... Earned the Dellacave Award as the top female
athlete in Suffolk County ... Also received the Bay Shore Coaches
Award ... Honor roll student all four years.
Personal: Born Alyssa T. Leonard ... Daughter of Brian and Michele
Leonard ... Sister Breana is a junior on the Manhattan College
lacrosse team ... Interested in majoring in education.
Kate Macdonald
5-6 • Midfielder
Norwell, Mass./Norwell
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Norwell ... Won two state
Massachusetts Division II state championships with the Clippers
(2009, 2010) with a runner-up finish in 2008 ... Second team
All-American ... Finished her career with 332 goals and 141 assists
... Named to the All-Scholastic teams by the Boston Globe, the
Boston Herald and the Patriot Ledger ... Named a South Shore League
All-Star ... Posted a career-best 10 goals against Lincoln-Sudbury,
marking the first time in Norwell history to defeat them ...
Recorded the 100th goal of her senior season in the state
championship victory over Winchester ... Coached by Jenn Kent and
Kara Connerty ... Competed for Mass Elite club team for two years
... Also lettered four times in soccer and twice in basketball at
Norwell ... Honor roll student ... Member of National Latin Honor
Society.Personal: Born Kathleen R. Macdonald ... Daughter of Walter
and Jane Macdonald ... Father played football at Boston University
and her brother, Mark, plays hockey at Salem State ... Played with
current Wildcats Misha Beatty, Ellie Clayman and Kelly Rich on Mass
Elite ... Plans to major in business.
Kara Mupo
5-4 • Attacker/Midfielder
Miller Place, N.Y./Rocky Point
High School: Five-year letterwinner at Rocky Point ... Named an
Under Armour All-American ... Helped pace the Eagles to
four-straight Suffolk County championships ... Three-time
All-American selection ... Five-time All-Suffolk League selection,
including MVP in 2009 ... Top-ranked recruit by Inside Lacrosse for
class of 2010 ... Two-time North Shore Sun Athlete of the Year ...
Finished her career with a school-record 330 goals, which ranks
fourth all-time in New York state history ... Coached by Joe
Spallina and Dan Spallina ... Competed for the Long Island Yellow
Jackets club team for four years ... Also lettered five times in
soccer and twice in track at Rocky Point ... Two-time all-state
selection in soccer, racking up 45 career goals ... High honor roll
member.
Personal: Born Kara Nicole Mupo ... Daughter of Kim Edwards ...
High school teammate of Wildcat goalkeeper Brianne LoManto ... Also
competed against current Wildcats Alexa Delyra, Erin Fitzgerald,
Alyssa Leonard, Amanda Macaluso, Jessica Russo, Shannon Smith and
Lacey Vigmostad in high school.
Kelly Rich
5-8 • Attacker/Midfielder
Westwood, Mass./Westwood
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Westwood ... Named an Under
Armour All-American ... During her four years, Wolverines posted a
combined 93-4-1 record, including capturing the Massachusetts state
championship in 2008 and 2009 ... Finished her prep career with 359
goals and 173 assists ... Two-time first team All-American
selection in 2009, 2010 while earning second-team honors in 2008...
Two-time Tri-Valley League Most Valuable Player (2009, 2010) ...
Three-time Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic selection
... Named the team's Most Valuable Player as a junior and senior
... Team captain ... Coached by Leslie Frank ... Member of Mass
Elite club team for six seasons ... Also lettered three times in
both basketball and soccer ... National Honor Society member ...
Honor roll student ... Member of National Spanish Honor Society and
National Art Honor Society.
Personal: Born Kelly Alexandra Rich ... Daughter of Bob and Luanne
Rich ... Another member of the Northwestern-Westwood connection,
which includes former Wildcats Kristen Kjellman, Meredith Frank,
Ali Jacobs and Sara Harrington, and current Wildcats Alex Frank,
Misha Beatty and Kerri Harrington.
Jessica Roy
5-8 • Midfielder
Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge
High School: Three-year letterwinner for Pennridge as the Rams
qualified for the district playoffs in 2009 and 2010 ... Two-time
All-Suburban One League selection ... Named the team's Most
Valuable Player as a senior while serving as team captain ...
Finished her career with 116 goals and 21 assists ... Led team in
both points and goals as a junior and senior ... Coached by
Elizabeth Wallace ... Played for Ultimate Goal Lacrosse club for
two years ... Also was a four-time letterwinner in track ...
National Honor Society member ... Named to Distinguished Honor Roll
... Spanish National Honor Society member ... Executive Council
member.
Personal: Born Jessica Anne Roy ... Daughter of Christopher Roy and
Susan Slack ... Father played lacrosse at Loyola (Md.) ...
Interested in majoring in pre-med.
Christy Turner
5-5 • Midfielder
Orlando, Fla./Timber Creek
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Timber Creek, helping pace
the Wolves to the district championship in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and
a runner-up finish in 2010 ... First team All-American in 2009 and
honorable mention in 2010 ... All-State honorable mention in 2008
... Four-time first team All-District selection ... Three-time
first team All-Region selection ... Named to All-Central Florida
first team in 2009 and 2010 ... Served as team captain and named
Most Valuable Player as a senior ... Finished her prep career with
185 goals and 92 assists ... Coached by Randy Polito (2007-09) and
Fern Kidder (2010) ... Played for a number of different club teams
... National Honor Society member ... Honor roll student ... Army
National Scholar-Athlete Award winner (2009) ... National Society
of High School Scholars selection ... Orlando Sentinel Classroom
Star (March 2009).
Personal: Born Christy Lee Turner ... Daughter of Darrell and Tracy
Turner ... Accumulated 240 hours of community service in high
school by junior coaching and assisting with the Special Olympics
... Plans to major in journalism.
