MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its major awards and all-conference teams for the 2026 women's lacrosse season.
Aurora University and Lake Forest College split the on-field major student-athlete awards as Aurora seniors
Nicolina Smith and
Alle Pope were named Attacker and Defender of the Year, respectively. Meanwhile, Midfielder and Goalkeeper of the Year honors went to Lake Forest seniors
Shannon Gibbons and
Cecilia Adams.
Edgewood University attack
Milli Shell was named NACC Freshman of the Year, while Lake Forest College was recognized by the league's coaches as the NACC Coaching Staff of the Year.
Attacker of the Year - Nicolina Smith, Sr., Aurora University
Smith has been one of the top offensive threats in the NACC this season, posting league-leading totals with 71 goals and 82 points headed into Saturday's NACC Tournament final against MSOE. Her goal total ranks in the top-11 nationally in NCAA Division III.
Smith also ranks second among NACC players in goals per game (3.94), and shot percentage (.563), third in draw controls per game (3.94) and points per game (4.56), and fourth in shots per game (7.00) and shots on goal per game (5.56).
Smith has recorded at least two points in 16 of 18 games played through April 29, with a season-best 10 points on seven goals and three assists in a win over Marian on April 18. She hit her season-high in goals with eight in an April 11 win at Lawrence. Smith scored 48 goals in NACC play alone, registering at least six goals in six of nine league games. She also recorded at least six shots in each NACC contest, recording double-digits four times.
Smith was also effective in the center circle, recording at least one draw control in 16 of 18 games. She currently has 71 draw controls, including a season-best 10 at Illinois Wesleyan in the season opener.
Smith is the fifth Aurora student-athlete to be named NACC Women's Lacrosse Attacker/Offensive Player of the Year in the last six years.
Midfielder of the Year - Shannon Gibbons, Sr., Lake Forest College
Gibbons participated in 15 of Lake Forest's 16 games this season, starting 14. She tied for third on the team in scoring with 44 points on 22 goals and 22 assists. Defensively, Gibbons tied for the team lead in ground balls with 48 and ranked second in caused turnovers with 30. She also posted a team-high 71 draw controls.
Gibbons finished with multiple points 11 times, including a season-best seven on four goals and three assists against Illinois Tech on April 21. She scored a season-high six goals on nine shots in a regular-season win over MSOE - a contests where she also recorded a season-high 11 draw controls.
Gibbons ranked second among NACC student-athletes in draw controls per game (4.57), ninth in caused turnovers per game (2.07), and 11th in ground balls per game (3.36).
Gibbons is the first Lake Forest student-athlete to be named NACC Women's Lacrosse Midfielder of the Year.
Defender of the Year - Alle Pope, Sr., Aurora University
Pope has played in all 18 of Aurora's games headed into Saturday's NACC Tournament final. She has at least one ground ball and one caused turnover in all 18 contests, posting a season-high seven caused turnovers and a NACC season-best 10 ground balls in a March 25 win over Concordia Wisconsin.
Pope leads all NACC student-athletes and ranks eighth nationally in caused turnovers per game (3.67), while also ranking fourth in the league in ground balls per game (4.17).
Pope is the fifth Aurora student-athlete to be named NACC Women's Lacrosse Defender/Defensive Player of the Year in the last six years.
Goalkeeper of the Year - Cecilia Adams, Sr., Lake Forest College
Adams appeared in 12 of Lake Forest's 16 games this season, compiling a 7-4 record with 115 saves, a .496 save percentage, and a 10.72 goals-against average in over 650 minutes of work. In NACC play alone, she was 7-0 with 55 saves, a .579 save percentage, and a 6.67 goals-against average.
She recorded double figures in saves on six occasions, with her top two season totals coming against MSOE - a season-best 17 in the regular season and 16 in the NACC Tournament semifinals.
Adams ranks in the top-25 in NCAA Division III in save percentage (23rd, .495) while also ranking third amongst NACC goalkeepers in goals-against average (10.19).
Adams is the first Forester to be named NACC Women's Lacrosse Goalkeeper of the Year.
Freshman of the Year - Milli Shell, A, Edgewood University
Shell played in 18 of Edgewood's 19 games this season, totaling 37 points on 27 goals and 10 assists while leading the Eagles to the NACC Tournament semifinals. She also secured 51 draw controls, scooped up 16 ground balls, and caused seven turnovers.
Shell had multiple goals in seven contests, including a five-goal performance in a 16-9 win over MSOE. She also posted a season-high six points on two occasions - April 18 in a 13-7 win over Concordia Wisconsin (4 goals, 2 assists) and April 22 in an 18-1 win over Beloit (3 goals, 3 assists).
Shell is Edgewood's first NACC major award winner in women's lacrosse.
Coaching Staff of the Year - Lake Forest College (Casey Ryan, head coach)
Lake Forest, under the direction of third-year head coach
Casey Ryan and assistant
Maya DeGeorge, posted an 11-5 record overall and completed a second consecutive undefeated run through the NACC (9-0). The Foresters' high-powered offense averaged 17.44 goals per game in league play.
Lake Forest led the NACC in a number of different categories: assists per game (7.69), draw control percentage (.565), draw controls per game (12.81), points per game (21.25), save percentage (.502), scoring defense (8.00), scoring margin (5.56), scoring offense (13.56), shots per game (32.25), and shots on goal per game (23.63). The Foresters also ranked third in shot percentage (.421).
This is the second consecutive year that Ryan and her staff have been recognized by the league's coaches.
All-Conference Team Announced
League champion Lake Forest College and runner-up Aurora University both landed six student-athletes among the 28 all-conference selections. The Foresters and Spartans had three first-team and three second-team selections apiece. Concordia University Wisconsin, Cornell College, Edgewood University, and Milwaukee School of Engineering each had three all-league picks with CUW, Edgewood, and MSOE all securing two first-team picks, while Cornell had one first-teamer. Illinois Institute of Technology landed one player on both of the two 14-player squads, and Marian University had two second-team selections.
| 2026 All-NACC Women's Lacrosse Team |
| Attacker of the Year - Nicolina Smith, Sr., Aurora University |
| Midfielder of the Year - Shannon Gibbons, Sr., Lake Forest College |
| Defender of the Year - Alle Pope, Sr., Aurora University |
| Goalkeeper of the Year - Cecilia Adams, Sr., Lake Forest College |
| Freshman of the Year - Milli Shell, A, Edgewood University |
| Coaching Staff of the Year - Lake Forest College (Casey Ryan, head coach) |
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| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Cecilia Adams |
Lake Forest |
Sr. |
G |
Cleveland Heights, Ohio |
| Sarah Brown |
Aurora |
So. |
D |
Louisville, Ky. |
| Alle Pope |
Aurora |
Sr. |
D |
Parkville, Mo. |
| Ilsa Jeffery |
Cornell College |
Sr. |
D |
Chaska, Minn. |
| Hollen Thompson |
Edgewood |
Fr. |
D |
Saint Paul Park, Minn. |
| Katelyn Cardinale |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
M |
Mount Laurel, N.J. |
| Emily Robertson |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
M |
Canton, Mich. |
| Christina Eloe |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
M |
Naperville, Ill. |
| Shannon Gibbons |
Lake Forest |
Sr. |
M |
Stoughton, Wis. |
| Ashlyn Bode |
MSOE |
So. |
M |
Oak Creek, Wis. |
| Nicolina Smith |
Aurora |
Sr. |
A |
Aptos, Calif. |
| Antonia Martinez |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
A |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Emma Sharp |
Lake Forest |
Sr. |
A |
Cumberland, Maine |
| Chloe Ninmann |
MSOE |
So. |
A |
Oconomowoc, Wis. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Meghan Ginty |
Aurora |
Sr. |
G |
Wheaton, Ill. |
| Naomi Black |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
D |
Ottawa, Ont., Canada |
| Kailey McFarlin |
Cornell College |
Fr. |
D |
Monticello, Minn. |
| Haylie Ochoa |
Marian |
Fr. |
D |
La Verne, Calif. |
| Claire Aimone |
Lake Forest |
Sr. |
D |
Wilbraham, Mass. |
| Ava Ferencz |
Cornell College |
So. |
M |
Brattleboro, Vt. |
| Daulath Khan |
Lake Forest |
Sr. |
M |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Ella Maher |
Lake Forest |
Jr. |
M |
New London, N.H. |
| Kelly Hitchcock |
Illinois Tech |
Gr. |
M |
Scottsdale, Ariz. |
| Talia Bellotti |
Marian |
Fr. |
M |
Kaukauna, Wis. |
| Amelia Bell |
Aurora |
So. |
A |
Vernon Hills, Ill. |
| Ava Courtney |
Aurora |
So. |
A |
Palos Heights, Ill. |
| Milli Shell |
Edgewood |
Fr. |
A |
Cedarburg, Wis. |
| Vayda Flower |
MSOE |
Jr. |
A |
Oak Creek, Wis. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Bella Ross |
Aurora |
So. |
D |
Decatur, Ill. |
| Julie Sass |
Aurora |
Fr. |
M |
Lockport, Ill. |
| Willow Mashkuri |
Beloit |
So. |
M |
Middlesex, Vt. |
| Kylie Wolff |
Beloit |
So. |
D |
St. Albert, Alta., Canada |
| Carolyn Bourgeault |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
A/M |
Buffalo, N.Y. |
| Delainey McCardle |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
D |
Jackson, Wis. |
| Cassie Clay |
Cornell College |
Fr. |
M |
Carver, Minn. |
| Brynn Miroslavich |
Cornell College |
Sr. |
M |
Woodbury, Minn. |
| Bella Braun |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
G |
Glendale, Wis. |
| Lauryn Brown |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
A/M |
Middleton, Wis. |
| Samantha Gargiulo |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
G |
Downers Grove, Ill. |
| Elise Wierzchon |
Illinois Tech |
Fr. |
M/D |
Wauconda, Ill. |
| Madison DeGeorge |
Lake Forest |
Fr. |
M |
San Luis Obispo, Calif. |
| Audrey Kroeger |
Lake Forest |
Fr. |
A |
Haslett, Mich. |
| Emma Berg |
Lawrence |
Fr. |
G |
Worthington, Ohio |
| Annika Solberg |
Lawrence |
So. |
M |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Elizabeth Van Ryzin |
Marian |
Fr. |
M |
Appleton, Wis. |
| Justice Cole |
Marian |
So. |
A |
Yorkville, Ill. |
| Kelsey Albovias |
MSOE |
Sr. |
D |
Round Lake, Ill. |
| Arial Lapsa |
MSOE |
So. |
A |
Knoxville, Tenn. |