BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Mountain East Conference announced its 2023 Women’s Lacrosse award winners and all-conference teams on Tuesday afternoon, one day prior to the start of the conference tournament. Frostburg State freshman attacker Neila Haney and Notre Dame sophomore midfielder Piper Hammond were recognized as the league’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in 2023.

Haney was also voted the MEC Freshman of the Year, while Bobcat head coach Taylor Sindall was recognized as the league’s Coach of the Year for the second-consecutive season.

Haney, a freshman from Lino Lakes, Minn., led the league in goals (52) and points per game (4.6), while ranking third in the league in assists (27) this season. Haney has a .565 shooting percentage on the year with four game-winning goals. She had 13 multiple-goal performances on the season, including a season-high six goals against West Virginia Wesleyan back on April 19. She also scored five goals in a game three times this season (Findlay, 3/12/23; Alderson Broaddus, 4/2/23; Charleston, 4/8/23). Haney was a four-time MEC Offensive Player of the Week for the Bobcats this season.

Hammond, a sophomore from Beaverton, Ore., was named the Defensive Player of the Year after leading a Notre Dame defense that ranked first in the league in scoring defense (9.41) and scoring margin (2.47). She also helped Notre Dame average the third-most caused turnovers in the league with 182 (10.71 per game). Individually, Hammond ranks first in the league in caused turnovers per game (1.94). Hammond also reached the scoresheet offensively, as well, with 13 goals and one assist. She also added 74 draw controls and 40 ground balls. Hammond is now a two-time first team All-MEC midfielder after also receiving the honor last spring as a freshman.

Sindall, Frostburg State’s third-year head coach, is now a two-time MEC Coach of the Year. This spring, Sindall led the Bobcats to a 9-1 mark in MEC play. The Bobcats won the MEC Regular Season Championship and enter this week’s Women’s Lacrosse Tournament as the top-seeded team.

Haney and Hammond were joined on the All-MEC first team by Charleston’s Gianni Blundell and Madison Sobolewki, Notre Dame’s Megan Dano, Nia Griffith and Grace London, Davis & Elkins’ Ari Hinton and Marissa Cuevas, and Frostburg State’s Julia Badolato, Dahlia Trippel and Mackenzie Cramer.

The All-MEC second team, honorable mention honorees and All-Freshman Team are listed below. The MEC postseason awards and all-conference teams are selected following a vote of the league’s head coaches.