IRVING, Texas (JMU Athletics) – James Madison lacrosse defender Ava Bleckley was unanimously tabbed American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, while eight starters earned selections to the 2024 All-Conference team in the AAC postseason awards, the conference announced Wednesday.

In addition to being recognized as Freshman of the Year, Bleckley was a unanimous selection to the First Team All-Conference along with sophomore attacker Maddie Epke and senior attacker Isabella Peterson. Senior attacker Katelyn Morgan was also selected to the First Team All-Conference.

Graduate student attacker Kacey Knobloch, senior midfielder Taylor Marchetti, senior defender Lizzy Pirisino and sophomore goalkeeper Caitlin Boden all made the Second Team All-Conference.

Bleckley’s unanimous selection comes after she started on defense for all 16 games for the Dukes in the regular season. She recorded 25 caused turnovers, 27 draw controls and a team-high 31 ground balls.

The freshman brought home AAC Defensive Player of the Week twice while being named AAC Freshman of the Week six times. She was also tabbed an ILWomen Midseason All-American Honorable Mention.

Epke was unanimously selected to the First Team after she had a record-breaking sophomore season. She amassed 159 draw controls, 46 goals, 16 assists, 16 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers in her 16 games started. She currently is ranked fifth in the nation in draw controls per game with 17.94.

The attacker broke the JMU single-game draw control record with her 19 draw controls against Richmond on April 3 and broke the JMU single-season draw control record, previously set at 127 by Maddie McDaniel in 2019. She currently sits at fourth in all-time draw controls in JMU history with 231.

Epke’s performances throughout the season earned her IWLCA Offensive Player of the Week twice, AAC Attack Player of the Week twice and AAC Honor Roll twice, as well as ILWomen Midseason All-American Honorable Mention and USA Lacrosse Player of the Week.

Peterson commanded the offensive side of the ball for the Dukes, totaling team highs of 61 goals, 69 points, 11 free position goals, 120 shots and 90 shots on goal. The captain also added eight assists, 18 ground balls, nine caused turnovers and 76 draw controls in her 15 games played.

Her unanimous selection to the First Team comes after a slew of awards throughout the regular season. She was tabbed AAC Attack Player of the Week twice while earning AAC Honor Roll seven different times. She was also named to the ILWomen Midseason All-American First Team.

Peterson is ranked nationally in four statistical categories, including ninth in goals per game (4.07), 10th in shots on goal per game (6.00), 11th in shots per game (8.00) and 12th in goals (61).

Morgan was named to the First Team after starting at attack for all 16 games this season while pacing the Dukes with 30 assists and adding 27 goals and five ground balls. Additionally, she scored the game-winning goal against North Carolina in overtime to lift JMU to its first victory over the Tar Heels since 2018.

The senior is currently fifth in all-time assists in JMU history with 101 and 14th in all-time points in JMU history with 183.

Morgan received all-conference honors for the second consecutive season, as she was named to the Second Team last year. Her strong performances on attack throughout the regular season earned her AAC Honor Roll twice.

Knobloch earned Second Team honors after she came back to the Dukes’ attack after missing the 2023 season. She started all 16 games this year, totaling 26 goals, 25 assists, seven ground balls, five caused turnovers and five draw controls.

The captain is eighth in all-time assists in JMU history (72) as well as 16th in all-time points in JMU history (174).

Knobloch’s all-conference accolade comes after earning AAC Honor Roll twice this season.

Marchetti led the midfield this year, earning AAC Second Team All-Conference for the second consecutive season. In her 12 games played this year, the senior recorded 15 goals, two assists, 15 ground balls, 11 caused turnovers and nine draw controls.

Following the senior recorded three goals, a ground ball and a draw control in the Dukes’ victory over North Carolina on February 10, she was awarded AAC Midfielder of the Week.

Pirisino earned her first all-conference honor of her career after tallying a team high 29 caused turnovers throughout the Dukes’ regular season while securing 23 ground balls and collecting a draw control in her 16 games started on defense. She currently sits at 19th in all-time caused turnovers in JMU history with 65.

The captain was tabbed both IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week and AAC Defensive Player of the Week after recording four ground balls and four caused turnovers against Vanderbilt on April 20.

Boden’s first all-conference honor of her career comes after she started in the cage for all 16 of the Dukes’ regular season games. She made a total of 128 saves on 406 shots faced, allowing 163 goals while posting a .440 save percentage. Additionally, she secured 19 ground balls for JMU.

The sophomore’s performances against Virginia Tech on February 14 and UConn on February 17 earned her AAC Goalkeeper of the Week.

JMU finished the regular season 5-1 in American Athletic Conference play.

The Dukes begin postseason action on Thursday, May 2 as the No. 2 seed in the AAC Championship when they take on No. 3 seed Temple in the semifinals at 8:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. CT).

— JMU Athletics —