Senior captain Christy Smith was named the 2008 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Scholar Athlete of the Year, it was announced on Wednesday.  This marks the second consecutive year that Smith has earned this award and the third time in the last four years the women’s lacrosse program produced the winner.  Smith started all 17 games for the Mountain Hawks this season, scoring 22 goals and 26 points.  She added 45 ground balls and 27 draw controls.  In the classroom, Smith maintains a 3.89 grade point average as an industrial engineering major.

Lehigh held its annual Convocation Program on Monday, April 28 at Baker Hall inside the Zoellner Arts Center to look back on the accomplishments of the past year for both team and individual performances.  Senior Christy Smith was honored as the Graduating Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the most prestigious award given by the athletics department.  Smith is a two time All-Patriot League honoree on the field, while off the field, the industrial engineering major maintains a 3.89 grade point average.  Teammate Lauren Dykstra was named the John S. Steckbeck Award winner as the top freshman female athlete.  Dykstra was a First-Team All-Patriot League selection in women’s lacrosse as well as the league’s Rookie of the Year after scoring 64 goals.

After jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the opening five minutes of the 2008 Patriot League Tournament semifinals, Lehigh could not hold onto the early advantage and fell to the Colgate Raiders 22-12 on Friday afternoon.  Inneke Carmola and Lauren Dykstra scored three goals each for the Mountain Hawks as their season comes to an end at 10-7.  The Raiders were led on offense by Meghan Lawler, Lindsay Pittard and Brie Moran who scored three goals apiece as they move onto Sunday’s championship game versus top-seeded American.  Colgate now sits at 9-9 on the season.

Freshman Lauren Dykstra was named the 2008 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Rookie of the Year, it was announced on Thursday evening at the pre-tournament banquet.  Dykstra led Lehigh with 61 goals and 76 points during the regular season.  Her 61 goals are the most scored by a freshman in program history.  This marks the third consecutive year that the Mountain Hawks have earned this award after Sara MacIntyre won it in 2006 and Inneke Carmola was honored last year.  Colgate was the last league school to win three straight Rookie of the Year awards in women’s lacrosse (1995-97).

Lehigh had six players named to the 2008 All-Patriot League teams, it was announced on Wednesday.  The six selections are the most in program history and tied American for the most this season in the league.  Leading the way was freshman standout Lauren Dykstra who earned a spot on the First-Team.  The Mountain Hawks five Second-Team selections were juniors Sarah Fudin and Sara MacIntyre, sophomores Inneke Carmola and Kelsy Ferris and freshman Allison Thomas.