Gracie DeRose Named IWLCA National Defensive Player of the Week
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DENVER – Graduate student defender Gracie DeRose of the University of Denver women’s lacrosse team has been named the IWLCA National Defensive Player of the Week, the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association announced on Tuesday.
DeRose helped the No. 5-seeded Pioneers defeat the No. 4 North Carolina Tar Heels 5-4 last Thursday in the NCAA Quarterfinals, securing DU’s first trip to Championship Weekend. The Gaithersburg, Maryland, native helped Denver’s defense hold UNC to its lowest goal output of the season and kept the Tar Heels’ offense off the scoreboard in the second half.
Recording a career-high five ground balls in the game, DeRose also added a one draw control and two caused turnover, including a key interception in the arc during a North Carolina possession in the fourth quarter.
DeRose has recorded 24 ground balls and 24 caused turnovers on the season, the latter of which ranks fourth on the squad. Starting in all 22 games this season, she has appeared in 61 contests in her five seasons at DU and ranks ninth all-time in career caused turnovers (84) while adding 87 ground balls and five draw controls.
This is the fourth straight week that the Pioneers have garnered national defensive accolades, as Sam Thacker was recognized on May 2, Emelia Bohi on May 9 and Trinity McPherson on May 16. Overall, this is the sixth such weekly honor as Julia Gilbert was also named Co-Offensive Player of the Week on March 7 and Bryn McCaughey was named Defensive Player of the Week on March 21.
DeRose had been chosen as the Big East Defensive Player of the Week two times previously in her career, earning that award on March 9, 2020 and April 11, 2022.
Izzy Scane of Northwestern was selected as the IWLCA National Offensive Player of the Week after scoring seven goals and adding three assists in the Wildcats’ win over No. 9 Loyola in the quarterfinals.
UP NEXT: No. 5 Denver faces No. 1 Northwestern in the national semifinals to begin NCAA Championship Weekend on Friday at 1 p.m. MT at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. The game will be nationally televised on ESPNU and available online on ESPN apps.
DENVER ALL-TIME NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
D Gracie DeRose – Defensive, May 23, 2023
D Trinity McPherson – Co-Defensive, May 16, 2023
GK Emelia Bohi – Defensive, May 9, 2023
D Sam Thacker – Co-Defensive, May 2, 2023
D Bryn McCaughey – Defensive, March 21, 2023
A Julia Gilbert – Co-Offensive, March 7, 2023
D Sam Thacker – Defensive, March 15, 2022
D Sam Thacker – Defensive, March 8, 2022
D Kailee Lammers – Defensive, March 1, 2022
GK Carson Gregg – Defensive, Feb. 11, 2020
A Elizabeth Behrins – Offensive, April 5, 2017
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