NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. –
Natalie Held of the fifth-ranked Salisbury University women's lacrosse team was dubbed the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division III Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the organization on Tuesday afternoon.
Held, a junior from Ellicott City, Md., played an essential role in the Salisbury backline in a pair of tournament triumphs over 15th-ranked Babson and seventh-ranked Washington & Lee. Held matched her career-high with seven draw controls while scooping a pair of ground balls against the Beavers before posting pairs of ground balls and forced miscues against the Generals.
Held has demolished her career-highs in each major defensive statistic, tallying 77 draw controls and 50 ground balls while causing 37 turnovers. She totaled eight draw controls, four ground balls, and three caused turnovers in the week.
The national accolade is Held's second of the season after earning her first career honor from the organization
back in March. Held was also one of a Chesapeake region-leading eight Sea Gulls selected to the
IWLCA All-Region teams.
Held and the Sea Gulls have earned a spot among the final four teams in the nation for the 14th time in program history, traveling to Salem, Va. for a regular-season rematch against the ninth-ranked William Smith Herons on Friday, May 24. Opening draw is set for 3 p.m. from Donald J. Kerr Stadium on the campus of Roanoke College.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 199 conference championships, and 45 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
