June 3, 1997

Maryland Women's Lacrosse 1997

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland women's lacrosse team became the first team in NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse history to win three consecutive National Championships. The Terps defeated Loyola (Md.), 8-7, on May 18 to claim the national championship. The Terps previously won the 1996 National Championship as it defeated Virginia, 10-5, on May 19, 1996 and won the 1995 national championship as they defeated Princeton , 13-5, on May 22, 1995.

Maryland's 1997 National Championship marked the record fifth time the Terps had won the championship since the NCAA began sponsoring the championship in 1982. No other team has won more than three NCAA women's lacrosse national championships. The Terps have now won a national record six national championships - the most by any women's lacrosse playing school in the nation. The Terps first national championship was the championship of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women in 1981.

Maryland won 50 consecutive games - a winning streak which ran from May 3, 1995 through April 22, 1997. The winning streak is a national record for Division I (men's and women's) lacrosse. The previous record was 42 consecutive victories by the Cornell men's team from 1976-78.

Maryland won a national and school record 21 games during the 1997 season. It marked the first time that a women's lacrosse team had won 20 games or more in a single season. The Terps record of 21-1 and winning percentage of 97.4 were the best in the nation this season.

An incredible total of five players earned All-American honors. Seniors Sarah Forbes and Dana Gwaltney and junior Sascha Newmarch were First-Team All-America selections while senior Caryl Duckworth and junior Cathy Nelson were Third-Team All-America selections. It marked the record 17th consecutive season that at least one member of the women's lacrosse team had earned All-America honors (every year since 1981).

Senior Sarah Forbes led a parade of seven Terps were named to the All-NCAA Tournament Team. Forbes, along with fellow seniors Caryl Duckworth, Ryan Laubach and Ginette Chelius, juniors Sascha Newmarch and Cathy Nelson and redshirt freshman Alex Kahoe helped the Terps supply a record number of players to the All-NCAA Tournament Team.

Maryland won the championship of the inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference women's lacrosse tournament. The Terps were the number one seed in the tournament after posting a perfect 3-0 record during the regular season and defeated Duke and Virginia to claim the league's first championship.

Senior Sarah Forbes, the favorite to be named the National Player of the Year, was named as the Player of the Year in the ACC. She led the conference in goals (58), assists (36) and total points (94). In addition, she was a First-Team All-ACC selection and an ACC All-Tournament team selection.

Redshirt freshman Alex Kahoe was named as the Co-Rookie of the Year and the Co-First Team Goalie of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Kahoe set a school record for saves in a single season by a Maryland goalie with 233; she broke an 18-year old record.

Junior Sascha Newmarch was named the Most Valuable Player in the ACC Tournament as she scored four goal in both the Terps' semifinal victory versus Duke and their championship game victory versus Virginia. She scored game winning goal in the championship game with 2:45 remaining in regulation. Seniors Sarah Forbes, Caryl Duckworth, Dana Gwaltney, Newmarch and redshirt freshman Alex Kahoe all earned ACC All-Tournament honors.

Head Coach Cindy Timchal became the third winningest coach in Division I women's lacrosse history. Timchal now has a career record of 185-48 (.794). Her winning percentage places her as one of only three coaches in Division I history to win at least 79 percent of her games. Timchal's record in seven years at Maryland is 109-8 (.932).

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