Northwestern University Athletics
Amonte Hiller Signs Five All-Americans, Seven Future Wildcats
11/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Nov. 20, 2007
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Five high school All-Americans -- including New York state's record holder for goals in a season -- highlight head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller's 2008 signing class. Seven student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent to compete for the three-time defending national champions beginning in 2009.
Amonte Hiller's class of seven features a quartet of All-Americans from Long Island, N.Y., in Breezey LoManto (Miller Place, N.Y./Rocky Point), Jess Russo (Port Jefferson, N.Y./St. Anthony's), Shannon Smith (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) and Lacey Vigmostad (Northport, N.Y./Northport). Two Massachusetts products, Alex Frank (Westwood, Mass./Westwood) and Maria Tedeschi (Norwell, Mass./Thayer Academy), along with Lizzie Abramson (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) from nearby Wilmette, will join the 'Cats for the 2009 campaign.
"I could not be more excited about the 2008 recruiting class," Amonte Hiller said. "We have signed seven great players that are extremely passionate about the game of lacrosse. This class is exceptionally skilled and athletic, and fits well with the Northwestern style of play. I am looking forward to developing these players and seeing them mesh with our current squad."
Complete bios for all seven student-athletes appear below:
Lizzie Abramson
5-5, M
Wilmette, Ill./New Trier
High School: Four-year letterwinner for New Trier Trevians ... Honorable mention All-American ... All-state selection ... Member of all-conference team ... Member of Great Lakes National Team I ... Pioneer Press All-Area ... Team finished third in state in 2007 ... Coached by Pete Collins ... Competed for Northwestern Wildcat Elite club team ... Honor roll student ... Illinois State Scholar ... Also competed in field hockey.
Personal: Born Elizabeth Chorie Abramson on 10/23/89 ... Daughter of Mike and Edith Abramson ... Mother attended Northwestern ... Played with current Wildcats Kendall and Samantha Santulli ... Major is undecided.
Amonte Hiller on Abramson: "It is my pleasure to welcome another local product to our program. Lizzie has breakaway speed and quickness on the field. She can score goals and stop opponents equally as well. We have enjoyed having the opportunity to coach Lizzie on our WEC club team for the past four years. We are looking forward to her joining the Wildcat family."
Alex Frank
5-7, M
Westwood, Mass./Westwood
High School: Four-year letterwinner for Westwood Wolverines ... Has totaled 168 goals and 105 assists to date ... Registered 73 goals and 29 assists during sophomore year ... Two-time first-team All-America ... Two-time Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic teams ... Two-time league MVP ... Three-time member of New England Team I ... Team won state championship in 2005 ... Team earned South championship in 2007 ... Five-year member of Mass Elite club team ... Coached by Leslie Frank ... Also participated in soccer and basketball ... Two-time second-team All-league all-star in soccer ... Honorable mention league all-star during junior year in basketball ... Member of National Honor Society ... Honor roll student.
Personal: Born Alexandra Kathleen Frank on 5/1/90 ... Daughter of Leslie and Stuart Frank ... Sister of current Wildcat Meredith Frank ... Attended same high school as two-time Tewaaraton Award winner Kristen Kjellman and current Wildcats Alison Jacobs and Sara Harrington ... Played on same club team as Anna Fiotto and Maria Tedeschi ... Major is undecided.
Amonte Hiller on Frank: "Alex is a tremendous athlete with great skill and knowledge of the game. She has excellent speed and athleticism but her greatest asset is her ability to consistently outwork other players on the field. It is going to be a pleasure to coach her and Meredith together."
Breezey LoManto
5-3, GK
Miller Place, N.Y./Rocky Point
High School: Four-year varsity starter for Rocky Point Eagles ... Team captain ... 2007 All-America ... Three-time all-County ... Two-time all-Long Island ... 2007 gold medalist in Empire State Games ... Has compiled 54-6 record from 2005-2007 with five shutouts ... 4.25 goals against average ... 592 saves ... 69.55 save percentage ... Team has won the last three Suffolk County championships ... Coached by Joe Spallina ... Played for Long Island Yellow Jackets club team ... Two-time All-Galaxy ... Also competed in soccer and winter track ... School President ... Honor roll student ... Member of National Honor Society.
Personal: Born Brianne LoManto on 12/14/89 ... Daughter of James and Laura LoManto ... Brother Nick played lacrosse at Delaware ... Played with fellow signees Shannon Smith, Jess Russo and Lacey Vigmostad ... Competed against fellow signee Alex Frank ... Plans to pursue a doctorate in physical therapy.
Amonte Hiller on LoManto: "Breezey is an athletic left-handed goaltender with great quickness and a keen ability to stop the ball. She is a leader on the field and uses her knowledge of the game to consistently direct the defense. Breezey is always poised on the field and clears the ball extremely well."
Jess Russo
5-3, M
Port Jefferson, N.Y./St. Anthony's
High School: Four-year letterwinner and two-year captain for St. Anthony's Friars ... Has totaled 217 goals and 79 assists to date ... Earned Catholic High School Player of the Year during junior year ... All-America during junior year ... Newsday All-Long Island for freshman, sophomore and junior seasons ... All-league all three years ... Team MVP sophomore and junior year ... Once scored 10 goals in a game ... Team won CHSAA Championship in 2005 and 2006 ... Three-year player on Empire State team and earned two gold medals ... Two-year member of New York I team ... Member of Long Island Yellow Jackets club team from 2001-2007 ... Two-time All-Galaxy first-team ... National Draw All-Tournament team (2007) ... Coached by Melissa D'Angelo and Corrine Bressler ... Honor roll student and member of National Honor Society ... Also participated in basketball and soccer.
Personal: Born Jessica Anna Russo on 3/23/90 ... Daughter of Carol and Charles Russo ... Brother Nick played lacrosse at Virginia and played professionally for Bridgeport/Philadelphia Barrage and Long Island Lizards ... Brother Peter attended Northwestern and is a Broadway actor ... Plans to major in economics.
Amonte Hiller on Russo: "Jess is a crafty player with incredible quickness and skill. She is fearless on the field and plays with a true passion for the game. Jess is a triple threat on the field. She has the ability to pass and dodge but she can also use her speed to beat you in the midfield."
Shannon Smith
5-6, A/M
West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon
High School: Six-year letterwinner and two-year captain for West Babylon Eagles ... Has totaled 408 goals and 201 assists to date ... Two-time All-American ... Four-time all-County ... Two-time all-Long Island ... Academic All-American (2007) ... Set New York state single season scoring record with 129 goals (2006) ... Long Island career point leader with 609 points ... Broke the record during junior year ... During sophomore year, led school to its first playoff appearance ... New York State National School Girls Team I member (2005, 2006) ... Won New York State's first national championship in Division I in 2006 ... Coached by Paul Digiulio ... Won gold medal as member of Long Island Empire State team (2006) ... Member of USA U-19 team that won gold medal at World Championships in summer of 2007 ... Six-year member of Long Island Yellow Jackets club team ... First-team All-Galaxy (2006) ... Won all tournaments ever played in except one ... Four-year letterwinner in soccer ... Five-year letterwinner in basketball ... Played one year of varsity tennis ... Three-time winner of school's Female Athlete of the Year award (2005-07) ... Four-year member of honor roll ... National Honor Society member.
Personal: Born Shannon Elizabeth Smith on 2/7/90 ... Daughter of Bill and Patty Smith ... Played with current Wildcat Colleen Magarity on USA U-19 team ... Played with fellow signees Jessica Russo, Lacey Vigmostad and Brianne LoMonto on club team ... Plans to major in economics.
Amonte Hiller on Smith: Shannon is a force on the field. She has incredible power combined with skill. She has a nose for the goal and always wants the ball under pressure. Shannon moves extremely well off the ball and continually finds holes in defenses. In addition to her skill and smarts, Shannon has the athleticism and speed to play anywhere on the field."
Maria Tedeschi
5-2, A
Norwell, Mass./Thayer Academy
High School: Four-year letterwinner and two-year captain for Thayer Tigers ... ISL honorable mention (2006) ... ISL all-leage (2007) ... Member of Lower New England team (2007) ... Coached by Anni McDonough and Erin Carroll ... Four-year letterwinner in soccer ... League's leading scorer (2005, 2006) ... All-league (2006).
Personal: Born Maria Catherine Tedeschi on 1/31/90 ... Daughter of Ralph and Kathy Tedeschi ... Attended same high school as Coach Amonte Hiller ... Plans to major in communications.
Amonte Hiller on Tedeschi: "I am excited to coach another product from the high school that I attended. Maria has untapped potential in the sport of lacrosse. Throughout high school Maria's focus was soccer and she player limited lacrosse outside of High school. Maria has terrific speed and she is a dynamic athlete. She can play anywhere on the field and is extremely unselfish."
Lacey Vigmostad
5-7, D/M
Northport, N.Y./Northport
High School: Four-year varsity starter ... 2007 All-American ... Academic All-American (2007) ... Newsday All-Long Island (2007) ... All-county (2007) ... 22 goals and 14 assists during 2007 season ... Led team in ground balls and caused turnovers in 2007 ... Team made county finals in 2007 ... All-tournament (2007) ... Midfield MVP (2007) ... National Draw All-Tournament (2007) ... Competed on 2006 and 2007 Empire State team that won back-to-back gold medals ... Member of New York I team at 2007 national tournament ... Played for New York III at 2006 national tournament ... Coached by Carol Rose and Laura Harmon-Schuman ... Played for Long Island Yellow Jackets club team ... First-team All-Galaxy (2006, 2007) ... Also competed in soccer ... Honor roll student ... Member of National Honor Society ... Member of several high school philanthropy groups.
Personal: Born Lacey Elizabeth Vigmostad on 10/19/90 ... Daughter of Randall Vigmostad and Penelope Rickard ... Mother was inducted into Georgetown Hall of Fame for tennis ... Father played tennis at Arizona and went on to play professionally ... Attends same high school as current Wildcat Quinn Cammarota ... Competed with fellow signees Jess Russo, Breezey LoManto and Shannon Smith ... Plans to major in business.
Amonte Hiller on Vigmostad: "Lacey has remarkable power and speed on the field. She could play anywhere on the field but she has a love for defense. She can stop any player in their tracks with her power and quickness. Lacey has a charisma on the field that makes all other players want to play harder for her."
