ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cornell women’s lacrosse program will add seven players to the roster for the upcoming season. Head coach Jenny Graap ‘86 will add three midfielders, three defenders and an attacker for the upcoming 2011 campaign.
"Our Big Red program prides itself on hard work, and these seven women are all fighters," Graap said. "My assistants and I look for speed and toughness in our recruits and the Class of 2014 is a strong group of competitive athletes. We look forward to welcoming each of them into our Cornell Lacrosse family."
Amanda D'Amico M/A, 5-4, Oswego, N.Y. (Oswego HS)
D'Amico was a three-time all-league player at Oswego HS, earning IWLCA All-America and first-team All-Central New York honors as a senior. A two-time team most valuable player who was a senior captain, D'Amico was named Oswego High School's Senior Athlete of the Year. She was invited to compete in the Exceptional Senior All-Star Game after registering a team-high 41 goals, 23 assists, 32 draw controls and 18 caused turnovers during her senior campaign and was named The Palladium-Times Female Athlete of the Year in 2010. D’Amico closed out her Oswego varsity lacrosse career with 150 goals and 64 assists, and was the first Lady Buc to be named a U.S. Lacrosse All-American. A two-sport star, she was a three-time all-league pick and a first-team all-section honoree as team captain in soccer.
Nicole Drake D, 5-3, Forest Hill, Md. (St. Paul's School for Girls)
A three-year letter winner in lacrosse at St. Paul's School for Girls, she served as team captain in her senior season. In her junior year she represented the Baltimore region at the Women’s Lacrosse National Tournament and has been a member of the ROME club lacrosse team. Drake also played four years on the varsity outdoor and indoor soccer teams.
Meg Helmer D, 5-7, Manlius, N.Y. (Fayetteville-Manlius HS)
Helmer was a two-time first-team All-Central New York selection at Fayetteville-Manlius HS. A four-year letter winner and three-year starter, Helmer was a two-year captain and three-time all-league selection. She was part of two sectional runner-up squads and earned the team's Defensive MVP honor. As a junior, Helmer participated in the Under Armour All-America Underclassmen Games and played for the New York squad in both the 2008 and 2009 national tournaments. Helmer was given the David Volles Memorial Award as the most valuable lacrosse player at Fayetteville-Manlius HS in 2010. Her father, Stephen (baseball, LeMoyne), brother, John (football, Union) and sisters, Maura (rowing, Syracuse) and Caroline (lacrosse, Cornell) all competed in college athletics. Her grandfather, Frank Lasch, is a 1957 graduate of Cornell Law School.
Rachel Moody A, 5-6, Burke, Va. (James W. Robinson Secondary)
A two-time all-district and first-team all-region pick at James W. Robinson Secondary School, Moody helped her team to a pair of district titles, one regional championship and a state runner-up finish. She participated in both the Commonwealth Games in 2008, helping her North team to first place, and the 2009 women's lacrosse national tournament for the DC Metro region. Moody also played for the field hockey squad.
Chelsea Rowe M, 5-6, Edgewater, Md. (St. Mary's HS)
Rowe was a member of the Under Armour Underclassman All-America team during her three-year lacrosse career at St. Mary's HS. A two-time U.S. Lacrosse Scholastic All-American, she scored 30 goals and added 20 assists as a senior en route to honorable mention All-Met accolades. Rowe was named to the U.S. Lacrosse national tournament first team in 2009 and was a second-team All-Galaxy pick. She was a three-year member of the varsity field hockey team as well, serving as team captain during her senior campaign.
Jessie Smith M/A, 5-5, Mendham, N.J. (West Morris Mendham HS)
A four-year letter winner at West Morris Mendham HS, Smith helped her team to a pair of state championship contests during her career. A team captain during her senior year, she earned U.S. Lacrosse Scholastic All-America honors. A three-sport star, she also competed in field hockey and track and field. Smith’s older sister, Maggie, plays on the Ohio State lacrosse team.
Cat Thomas D/M, 5-6, Darien, Conn. (Darien HS)
A three-year starter who won three state titles at Darien HS, Thomas was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. A three-sport star, she also lettered four times each in soccer and track and field. A three-year starter in soccer, Thomas was team captain as a senior and helped the team to a league crown as a junior. In track, Thomas was part of two state title-winning teams and a pair of state runner-ups. An all-league honoree, Thomas finished sixth in the state in the 1,600 and finished in the top 20 in New England. She earned the school's Senior Excellence in Athletics Award as a senior.