Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Sign Eight to Letters of Intent
11/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Nov. 17, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller announced the signing of eight women -- three of whom were first-team high school All-America selections as juniors in 2004 -- to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. These women will matriculate at Northwestern next year and be eligible to play for the Wildcats in the spring of 2006.
Amonte Hiller's signees once again dotted the lacrosse landscape. Hilary Bowen (Brighton, N.Y./Brighton) is a high school All-America who was the Monroe County League Player of the Year as a junior in 2004. Meredith Frank (Westwood, Mass./Westwood) also was an All-America as a junior; she attends the same high school as NU's 2004 National and American Lacrosse Conference (ALC) Rookie of the Year, Kristen Kjellman. Kristin McCandlish (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) is a high school All-America who is the younger sister of NU junior Lynda McCandlish, while Morgan Lathrop (Briarcliff, N.Y./The Hackley School) is a three-time all-conference goalkeeper who, like Bowen, was her conference's MVP as a junior.
Casey Donohoe (Jarrettsville, Md./Notre Dame Prep) and Charlene Morin (Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep) attend the same high school as current Wildcat goalie Meredith Philipp, and are club teammates of another NU signee, Meghan Plunkett (Baltimore, Md./Maryvale Prep). Amonte Hiller also stayed local to Chicago, inking Mary Kate Casey (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy).
"Traditionally we have had recruiting classes -- top to bottom -- with tremendous speed and athleticism, and this year that tradition continues," said Amonte Hiller, who was the insidelacrosse.com and womenslacrosse.com National Coach of the Year last spring. "The unique thing about this class is that they are all extremely skilled and have great passing ability, as well. Knowing that we are losing 13 seniors, we worked very hard to bring in quality players who would help fill that void immediately.
"I think this class will greatly enhance the players that we already have in place, and is the most well-rounded class we have had at NU. My staff and I cannot wait to get them on campus and begin coaching them."
In just its third year back as a varsity program, Northwestern made a quantum leap forward in 2004 with a 15-3 record. The Wildcats also tied for the ALC championship, and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion Virginia. They return all but one player from last year's team.
NORTHWESTERN WOMEN'S LACROSSE 2004-05 EARLY SIGNEES
HILARY BOWEN
Midfield/Attack
Brighton, N.Y./Brighton
High School: Enters senior season with 148 goals and 171 assists in her career ... Team has gone 55-9 and advanced to New York state championship Final Four ... 2003 and 2004 All-America ... Monroe County League Player of the Year as a junior after scoring 62 goals and dishing out 63 assists ... 2003-04 first-team all-county, 2002 second-team all-county ... All-tournament at 2004 Class A New York Public School Championships ... Had four goals to help team to 2004 state championship game ... Scored seven goals, dished out seven assists in 2004 sectional title game ... Won Sportsmanship Award at 2003 Championships ... High school coach is Richard Curtis ... Club team is Lady Roc ... Played for New York I at National Tournament ... Three-time player at Empire State Games ... Also an all-county selection in basketball ... Boasts a perfect 4.0 GPA through three years of high school.
Personal: Born Hilary S. Bowen on 5/20/87 ... Father is Jeffrey Bowen; stepmother is Kathleen Bowen ... Chose Northwestern over Princeton, Duke, Loyola and Notre Dame.
Coach Amonte Hiller on Bowen: "Hilary brings great passion to her game every time she steps out on the field. The fact that she is a natural lefty has helped her become an extremely effective and potent shooter. Hilary has great speed and quickness, which will help her become an effective goalscorer at the next level. She also has tremendous vision and will help elevate our passing game."
MARY KATE CASEY
Midfield/Defense
Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy
High School: First-team all-conference as a junior in 2004 ... Loyola's Best Defensive Player award in 2003 ... Loyola is combined 52-3-2 in her career ... State champions her sophomore year, runner-up her junior year ... High school coach is John Dwyer ... Also plays basketball for Ramblers ... First-team All-GCAC in 2003-04 ... Lerner Newspapers Second-Team All-Area ... GCAC Sportsmanship Award in 2002 ... IHSA Three-Point Shootout State Qualifier in 2004 ... Club lacrosse team is Wildcat Elite ... Participated in 2004 National Draw and All-Star Express ... Three-time GCAC Academic All-Conference ... Illinois High School Women's Lacrosse Association Academic All-America Team ... National Honor Roll member.
Personal: Born Mary Catherine Casey on 6/5/87 ... Parents are Kathleen and Thomas Casey ... Chose Northwestern over Brown, Colgate, Cornell, Chicago and Washington University.
Coach Amonte Hiller on Casey: "Mary Kate is another local product that we have drawn to the team; she is fairly new to the sport, but has taken to it very quickly. Mary Kate has used her basketball ability to become a great defensive player. She has great speed and strength and a keen sense for the game of lacrosse."
CASEY DONOHOE
Midfield
Jarrettsville, Md./Notre Dame Prep
High School: Helped team win league title and earn top-10 national ranking in lacrosse ... High school coach is Mary Bartel ... also plays basketball and field hockey at Notre Dame Prep ... Captain of Blazers basketball team ... All-star selection for state playoff field hockey team ... Club lacrosse team of last six years is Skywalkers ... High honor roll student.
Personal: Born Casey Leigh Donohoe on 7/6/87 ... Parents are Jayne and Michael Donohoe ... Mother played three sports in college (West Chester) and won a national championship in lacrosse ... Father played basketblal at Widener and compete for NCAA Division II national championship ... Played at same high school as current NU goalkeeper Meredith Philipp ... High school teammate of fellow Wildcat signee Charlene Morin ... Club teammates with Morin and NU signee Meghan Plunkett ... Chose Northwestern over Maryland and Delaware.
Coach Amonte Hiller on Donohoe: "Casey has great size, running power, skill, and knowledge for the game of lacrosse. She has used her basketball background to become an extremely effective all-around lacrosse player. Casey has the ability to play both on the attack and the defense for us."
MEREDITH FRANK
Midfield
Westwood, Mass./Westwood
High School: Enters senior season with 239 career goals and 200 career assists ... Team has gone combined 49-1 the last two seasons ... First-team All-America as a junior, second-team All-America as a sophomore ... Scored 110 goals and had 80 assists in 2004 to help team win Eastern Mass. title ... As a sophomore, had 77 goals and 76 assists as Wolverines went 24-0 and won Division I state championship ... Scored 52 goals and had 44 assists as a freshman ... Two-time Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic ... Three-time Tri-Valley League All-Star ... Head coach is her mother, Leslie Frank ... Also letters in soccer and basketball at Westwood ... In soccer, team co-MVP and Tri-Valley League All-Star ... In basketball, honorable mention Tri-Valley League All-Star ... Two-time member of Lower New England I at National Tournament ... Club team of last five years is Mass Elite ... Two-time first-team All-Galaxy Tournament ... Competed at 2004 U.S. Developmental Camp ... National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society member.
Personal: Born Meredith Ellen Frank on 7/8/87 ... Daughter of Leslie and Stuart Frank ... Played in high school with NU sophomore Kristen Kjellman, who was 2004 ALC Rookie of the Year as well as insidelacrosse.com and womenslacrosse.com National Rookie of the Year ... Chose Northwestern over Harvard, Richmond and Duke.
Coach Amonte Hiller on Frank: "Meredith is a tremendous athlete and an extremely smart lacrosse player. She is a versatile player with great speed and quickness. Meredith has the ability to score goals, assist, and make big defensive plays. Meredith's high school statistics are remarkable, and she has great potential at the collegiate level. Meredith was very dangerous in combination with Kristen Kjellman in high school, and I am looking forward to those two players being reunited and finding that chemistry once again."
MORGAN LATHROP
Goalkeeper
Briarcliff, N.Y./The Hackley School
High School: MVP of the Ivy League in 2004 ... Three-time All-Ivy League goalkeeper ... 2003 Ivy League Coaches Award ... Had a save percentage of .669 in 2004 and .643 in 2003 ... Has helped team to three Ivy League championships and the 2004 New York State Independent School title ... Had a shutout in the second half of state championship game ... Recorded 27 saves in a game vs. Mountain Lakes (N.J.) in 2004 ... High school coach is Melissa Abraham ... Also letters in soccer, squash and basketball ... In soccer, 2004 MVP of Ivy League and three-time first-team All-Ivy League ... Soccer team won two state titles during her career (2002, 2004) ... Captain of squash team ... Club lacrosse team is Westchester Girls Elite.
Personal: Born Morgan Young Lathrop on 6/6/87 ... Parents are Maureen and Townsend Lathrop.
Coach Amonte Hiller on Lathrop: "Morgan is a strong athlete with great quickness inside the goal. She is very composed in the net, and her athleticism helps allows her to be extremely effective outside the crease. Morgan also is a true leader with her communication skills."
KRISTIN McCANDLISH
Midfield
Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington
High School: 2004 first-team All-America ... Scored 110 points in 2004 (59 goals, 61 assists) and 82 points in 2003 (53 goals, 29 assists) ... Ohio State Lacrosse Association (OSLA) South Region Most Outstanding Midfielder in 2004 ... OSLA South Region Best Offensive Player in 2003 ... State tournament MVP in 2003 ... All-tournament in 2004 ... Helped team to state titles in 2002 and 2004, runner-up finish at 2003 ... High school coach is Wendy Gallapoo ... Also letters in soccer, where she was a two-time second-team All-OCC ... Club lacrosse team is X Team ... Second-team at 2004 Galaxy Tournament ... Honor roll student ... Academic All-Ohio.
Personal: Born Kristen Michelle McCandlish on 10/13/87 ... Daughter of Betty Flowers and Mike McCandlish ... Sister, Lynda, is a junior attack on the Wildcat lacrosse team ... Chose Northwestern over Ohio State and Pennsylvania.
Coach Amonte Hiller on McCandlish: "Kristin is a highly skilled player with great speed and endurance. She will enhance our midfield play with her skill and passing ability. The thing that excites me about Kristin is her level of composure on the field--in pressure situations, she will always be the one that keeps or comes up with the ball."
CHARLENE MORIN
Midfield
Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep
High School: Two-time letterwinner in lacrosse ... Maryland Youth Lacrosse Association (MYLA) All-Star ... High school coach is Mary Bartel ... Also letters in soccer ... First-team All-IAAM in winter soccer ... Helped team win IAAM soccer title and rank No. 1 in Maryland ... Club lacrosse team of last five years is Skywalkers.
Personal: Born Charlene Denise Morin on 7/11/87 ... Daughter of Cynthia Morin ... High school teammate of fellow NU signee Casey Donohoe ... Club teammate of Donohoe and NU signee Meghan Plunkett ... Chose Northwestern over Ohio State, Penn State, Dartmouth, Cal and Vanderbilt.
Coach Amonte Hiller on Morin: "Charlene is a tremendously talented athlete who has skill and great passing ability. She will be a strong midfield player, as she consistently runs up and down the field with ease. Charlene has the ability to play anywhere on the field."
MEGHAN PLUNKETT
Attack
Baltimore, Md./Maryvale Prep
High School: Letterwinner in lacrosse and basketball ... Helped team to 2001 IAAM championship ... High school coach is Matt Ritter ... Elite 300 All-Star Team in 2003 ... Club team of last seven years is Skywalkers ... Honor roll student.
Personal: Born Meghan Drewry Plunkett on 7/13/87 ... Daughter of Janet Pisanic and Brian Plunkett ... Mother was lacrosse All-America at Loyola (Md.) ... Father played basketball at Washington College (Chestertown, Md.) ... Club teammate of fellow NU signees Casey Donohoe and Charlene Morin.
Coach Amonte Hiller on Plunkett: "Meghan is an extremely crafty attacker, very competent with both hands. We will look to her to enhance our feeding ability in the transition and settled offense. Meghan is very effective off the ball, as well. She always seems to find open space and put away her shots."
