TicketsPHILADELPHIA -- The Cincinnati lacrosse team received good news in the City of Brotherly Love ahead of its Thursday AAC semifinal, as Camryn Callaghan was named the league's Freshman of the Year, while Ava Goeller and Dani Mlkvy joined her on the First Team as well.
Cincinnati (11-6, 3-3 AAC) saw a four-game improvement this season and went 7-1 on its home turf, with its only loss coming to current No. 19 Marquette.
Callaghan, an attacker out of Upper Arlington, Ohio, is UC's second to earn those honors in just a four-year span, as Kylie Nause claimed it in the league's first season in 2019 (no 2020 honors). Her 55 goals are third in program history while leading all freshmen nationally. Her eight goals against Marquette on Feb. 19 matched the school record, and the five-time Freshman of the Week has 12 hat tricks on the year. Callaghan, who entered with high expectations as a two-time US Lacrosse All-American, has also added 20 ground balls, 12 draw controls and nine caused turnovers.
Mlkvy repeats as a First-Team selection. The Berlin, N.J., defender has 110 draw controls this season, breaking her sister, Sam's, record from 2019. She had four games of 10 or more this season, including a career-high 14 at Ohio State and 10 on Senior Day against Old Dominion. The two-time team captain also leads UC in ground balls (32) and caused turnovers (21), and the consistent defensive unit led to a 2.91 boost in goals-against-average from a year ago. Mlkvy is 18th nationally with 6.47 draw controls per game, which also leads the AAC.
Goeller (Bel Air, Md.) was a Second-Teamer last season and earned captain duties a second season. The junior midfielder earned a pair of Midfielder of the Week honors and is second on the team with 39 goals while leading with 17 assists. Her nine points (seven goals, two assists) in the 19-6 win over Vanderbilt marked a career-high, and her six goals against Gardner-Webb served as the first of her six hat tricks. Goeller also notched the game-winner in overtime at Louisville, a pivotal win for the program.
The Bearcats will take on the No. 6 and top-seeded Dukes at 4:30 p.m. Thursday on ESPN+.
Cincinnati (11-6, 3-3 AAC) saw a four-game improvement this season and went 7-1 on its home turf, with its only loss coming to current No. 19 Marquette.
Callaghan, an attacker out of Upper Arlington, Ohio, is UC's second to earn those honors in just a four-year span, as Kylie Nause claimed it in the league's first season in 2019 (no 2020 honors). Her 55 goals are third in program history while leading all freshmen nationally. Her eight goals against Marquette on Feb. 19 matched the school record, and the five-time Freshman of the Week has 12 hat tricks on the year. Callaghan, who entered with high expectations as a two-time US Lacrosse All-American, has also added 20 ground balls, 12 draw controls and nine caused turnovers.
Mlkvy repeats as a First-Team selection. The Berlin, N.J., defender has 110 draw controls this season, breaking her sister, Sam's, record from 2019. She had four games of 10 or more this season, including a career-high 14 at Ohio State and 10 on Senior Day against Old Dominion. The two-time team captain also leads UC in ground balls (32) and caused turnovers (21), and the consistent defensive unit led to a 2.91 boost in goals-against-average from a year ago. Mlkvy is 18th nationally with 6.47 draw controls per game, which also leads the AAC.
Goeller (Bel Air, Md.) was a Second-Teamer last season and earned captain duties a second season. The junior midfielder earned a pair of Midfielder of the Week honors and is second on the team with 39 goals while leading with 17 assists. Her nine points (seven goals, two assists) in the 19-6 win over Vanderbilt marked a career-high, and her six goals against Gardner-Webb served as the first of her six hat tricks. Goeller also notched the game-winner in overtime at Louisville, a pivotal win for the program.
The Bearcats will take on the No. 6 and top-seeded Dukes at 4:30 p.m. Thursday on ESPN+.